fiona72

Gents,

I am replacing the steering gearbox on my 72 Cutlass tonight and looking for any time saving tips, or tech info you can offer. I looked through the archives and only found rebuild info. This is a new box and the engine is out of the car, so hopefully it should go smooth. My only concern is alignment questions, as I would like tips to align it as it came out. It is a stock box with no gear upgrades.

Thanks.

MDchanic

Straightforward:
Remove lines. Be prepared for lots of fluid to end up on the floor.
Remove nut and use pitman arm puller to pull pitman arm.
Unbolt rag joint.
Remove 3 throughbolts and steering box will fall off.

Installation is the reverse of removal.
The output shaft and pitman arm both should have a "missing spline" so that it will only bolt up one way - no alignment issues.
Install rag joint and splined fitting so that steering wheel points the way it did when you started.

Steering position shouldn't matter, as steering wheel can spin freely (no modern-day coil of tiny wires that has to be centered), and pitman arm will only point one way.

- Eric

oldcutlass

Well that was easy, huh!!!! Can't add anything here!

Bluevista

Fill and bleed the power steering system before you put the pitman arm back on or you'll have to jack up the front end so the tires are off the ground to do it.
Never start the engine until it's filled and bled or you can trash the pump.

They explain it better than I could.
You probably don't have to use synthetic fluid.
It's a .pdf file if it matters.

http://www.agrperformance.com/wp-con...structions.pdf

I put an AGR box in my Vista Cruiser, I can actually feel it going around the corners pushing like a dump truck now.

MDchanic

Wow.

Great idea! I will admit I never thought of that.

- Eric

fiona72

Thanks Blue and MD,
Heading out to the garage now.

svnt442

I found out the hard way about bleeding the system last year. You may need a little "persuasion" to get the pitman arm off. A little heat and a good hammer will do the trick. DON'T try and force it off or you will most likely end up with a broken puller.

fiona72

Done. Didn't bleed the system yet, still have the engine out.

Thanks

MDchanic

Great!

I was thinking about it, and I was wondering whether it would be possible to bleed with the pitman arm unattached and the engine out, using a heavy duty drill to turn the pulley...

No matter - it's easier to handle the pump when it's empty.

Glad it worked out!

- Eric

ziff396

Auto Zone = Cheap pitman arm puller. Works great.
On the other hand, you need to bleed the box and pump without the car running turning the steering wheel slowly from almost lock to lock. Many times, to put it simply. Keep checking for air bubbles in the resorvor. Add fluid as needed while doing this. Once the air is gone, then re-check and start when ready. Did mine last year. No problems. (AGR) Instructions are correct.