martybose Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 I've reached the point where it is time for me to get the steering box in my 47 Business Coupe rebuilt. I've got a lot of freeplay that won't adjust out, and it is getting to be a little nerve-racking to drive down the narrow roads and bridges. Midwest Remanufacturing can remanufacture the gearbox, so I need to get it out of the car. I was looking at everything today, and noticed the pinchbolt that clamps the steering column outer tube to the steering box. It got me to wondering; would it be possible to remove the steering wheel and upper bearing, disconnect the pitman arm and the three mounting bolts from the frame, then separate the outer tube from the steering box and remove the steering box and steering shaft without having to disconnect the shift linkage and all of the other stuff connected to the steering column tube? I realize that if it works I would need a lot of room to get it out from under the car, but that won't be any different than if I pulled it out with the tube still attached. Has anyone ever tried this? Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hiebert Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 I have. It'll work, but as you've already deduced, you'll need a lot of room to pull it out from under the car. Not knowing the condition of your steering shaft tube, I'd just use the opportunity to take the column out, clean it up, and maybe refinish it, since your steering box will be out for a while anyway. You'll also need to loosen all of the brackets anyway when you put the steering box back in so that it settles where it needs to. There's a procedure in the service manual that explains why and how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martybose Posted May 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 The manual I have actually lists how to remove the box without removing the tube, so I might give it a try. I just ordered a pitman arm puller kit so that I can keep the frustration level down, should be here next week. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Marty; Luck with your project and please post details as I may be next in line to do such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 I did mine that way, but you have to jack the car up until the roof touches the ceiling. Well at least the left front corner must go up. It all comes right out the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Marty; Luck with your project and please post details as I may be next in line to do such. Ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martybose Posted May 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I did mine that way, but you have to jack the car up until the roof touches the ceiling. Well at least the left front corner must go up. It all comes right out the bottom. Well, I just bought a high lift jack, sounds like I may need it! Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martybose Posted May 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2015 Well, I pulled the steering box out this morning. It turned out that the one thing nobody mentioned was that it will come out without even touching the tube ONCE YOU HAVE GOTTEN THE LOWER A-ARM OUT OF THE WAY. Which wasn't really that big a deal after I thought about it a little; I just put my jack under the inner lower A-arm shaft, buzzed the nuts off of the U-bolts with an impact gun, then lowered the shaft down until the spring was released. I didn't even have to jack the car up that much to get the shaft out. So I've cleaned off many decades of crud, I have it leaning against a wall to drain out the oil, then Friday I will wrap the box in rags and put it in a plastic bag that is tiewrapped closed, then have to figure out how to package it to ship it to Illinois. More to come. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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