Steering gear box leak

[George B]

It does work but can be really messy. Shit flies all over when that all comes out of there at the same time. I have seen where the 2 seals are so old and stuck in the bore that if the tech insisted on doing it that way he had to drive in the lot and put more pressure on the seals to blow them out and then have to clean residual seal crud from the bore walls.

Yup, it’s a huge mess! I would replace the box before I would do it again that way.

 

[George B]

Don’t cheap out on the idler arm. I had a really nice Moog one that stayed solid for a long time on my 03. That is one of the biggest sources of slack in the linkage.

 

[new2yukon]

I will pass for now on the damper.

Idler & Pitman will be AcDelco prof.

Unsure if I want to go for the center link replacement. I will check into into it further.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yup, it’s a huge mess! I would replace the box before I would do it again that way.

Work like that, that I did when I was turning wrenches and then running shops, is going by the wayside now. Hardly anyone rebuilds things like that anymore. I used to rebuild calipers and wheel cylinders, too.

 

[new2yukon]

Hell, do it all and get it over with so you don't have to worry about it all:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=3443889&cc=1373105&jsn=2220

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10373188&cc=1373105&jsn=2237

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4584936&cc=1373105&jsn=2249

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1153141&cc=1373105&jsn=2254

Make sure when you refill and bleed the system you follow the steps that have been talked about before, starting with the front tires off the ground and fill and bleed air from the system with engine off untill you cannot fill no more and then on ground do the same and then roadtest.

What's the diff between rockauto's two AcDelco 4-spline pitmans? I cannot tell.

The idler/brkt asm you have listed above specifies to use certain pn# for the 4-spline pitman application. Do you know why? There are 2 diff 4-spline pitmans available but why I don't know and if I use the idler asm then I have to use a certain 4-spline pitman? Is the concern the length of it to match the asm?

Confusing.

 

[OR VietVet]

I posted link for the Moog pitman arm because the one I wanted to post, AC Delco #19168944 is the better one but there was no "info" bar to click on t send you the link. The other was the AC Delco Professional one, #45C0069, and that is a less quality one. The Moog was as close to what I would use showed a pic. If it was me I would order the AC Delco 19168944 pitman arm. The splines will be the same on either one.

 

[new2yukon]

I posted link for the Moog pitman arm because the one I wanted to post, AC Delco #19168944 is the better one but there was no "info" bar to click on t send you the link. The other was the AC Delco Professional one, #45C0069, and that is a less quality one. The Moog was as close to what I would use showed a pic. If it was me I would order the AC Delco 19168944 pitman arm. The splines will be the same on either one.

Oh. Ok.

To me the 2 ACdelco prof 4-spline options must be diff somehow. If I get the idler asm I need $90 version and if I buy idler and brkt separately then I need $50 version.

If I order idler asm I now know which pitman I need but I still don't know why they have the 2 pitman designs.

 

[OR VietVet]

The design is the same. It is the quality that makes the difference in how long it will last after install. The AC Delco offers look the same but the quality of materials and workmanship will be different. The AC Delco idler arm link is the one with the bracket.

 

[new2yukon]

The design is the same. It is the quality that makes the difference in how long it will last after install. The AC Delco offers look the same but the quality of materials and workmanship will be different. The AC Delco idler arm link is the one with the bracket.

Ok. So as much a pain is the pitman is to replace, I will spend the xtra $40 or so and buy the acdelco $90 pitman that matches the idler asm then I wont have to assemble those pieces.

Gosh, Acdelco better come thru for me...ha.

 

[new2yukon]

Ha! Did some research....I get it now.

AcDelco makes 3-levels. I thought only 2 levels.

Advantage - junk
Professional -normal aftermarket quality
OEM

I thought professional versions were the SAME as oem quality but apparently they are not and are all together a diff quality level. So, I guess if it doesn't state advantage or professional then it is probably the OEM level, and thus, a higher price.

Learning a lot.

Thanks PNW for steering me in the right direction!