Steering Gear: Reassembly

Inspect condition of rubber sealing ring located under cast iron ring and replace if necessary. To install cast iron piston ring, slide new piston ring into place in piston groove, then place piston and ring assembly in holding tool (C-3676) with lower part of piston and ring resting on land of tool. Press down on piston to seat ring in piston groove, forcing open-ends of ring out for ease of locking ring.
Place piston assembly in vertical position (worm shaft up) in a soft jawed vise. Inspect cylinder head ferrule oil passage for obstructions and lands for burrs. Lubricate two large "O" rings and install them in cylinder head grooves. Install worm sleeve seal, sleeve and snap ring (if removed).
CAUTION: Make sure snap ring is seated in groove. Install lower reaction seal (O-ring) in cylinder head groove.
Slide cylinder head assembly (ferrule up) on worm shaft.
CAUTION: Check worm shaft seal ring making sure gap is closed to avoid damaging the ring as the cylinder head moves against piston flange.

Lubricate with power steering fluid, and install parts in the following manner; lower thrust bearing race (thick), lower thrust bearing, lower reaction spring (small hole over ferrule), lower reaction ring (flange up so ring protrudes through reaction spring and contacts reaction "O" ring in cylinder head), center bearing race, upper thrust bearing, upper thrust bearing race (thin), start worm shaft thrust bearing adjusting nut (do not tighten).
Turn worm shaft clockwise one-half turn. Hold worm shaft in this position with splined nut, then tighten nut to 50 ft.lbs. to prestretch worm shaft threads. Loosen adjusting nut. Place several rounds of cord around center bearing race. Make a loop in one end of cord, and attach a suitable distributor breaker arm spring scale to loop. Pulling cord will cause bearing race to rotate. Retighten worm bearing adjusting nut while pulling on cord with scale. When adjusting nut is tightened properly, reading on scale should be 16 to 24 ozs. (20 ozs. preferred while race is turning).

Fig 1: Measuring Center Bearing Preload
Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC
Stake upper part of worm shaft adjusting nut into knurled area of shaft. Hold a 1/4" flat end punch on center-line of worm shaft end at a slight angle to nut flange. Strike punch a sharp blow with hammer and test preload.
NOTE: If adjusting nut moved during staking operation, it can be corrected by striking the nut a glancing blow in the direction required to regain proper preload.

After retesting for proper preload, stake the nut at three more locations 90° apart around upper part of nut. To test total staking, apply 20 ft.lbs. of torque in each direction. If nut does not move, staking operation is correct.

Fig 2: Staking Adjusting Nut
Courtesy of CHRYSLER GROUP, LLC
Position spacer assembly over center race, engaging dowel pin of spacer in slot of race, and slot of spacer entered over cylinder head ferrule. This aligns valve pivot lever hole in center bearing race with valve pivot lever hole in center bearing spacer assembly.
NOTE: The small "O" ring for the ferrule groove should not be installed until after upper reaction spring and spacer have been installed.
Install upper reaction ring on center race and spacer with flange down against spacer. Install upper reaction spring over reaction ring with cylinder head ferrule through hole in reaction spring. Install worm balancing ring (without flange) inside upper reaction ring. Lubricate ferrule "O" ring with vaseline and install in groove on cylinder head ferrule. If oil seal was removed from housing head, install a new seal. Lubricate and install reaction seal in groove in face of housing head with flat side of seal out. Install "O" ring in groove on housing head.
Slide housing head and arbor (tool C-3929) over the worm shaft engaging cylinder head ferrule and "O" ring and making sure reaction rings enter circular groove in housing head. Power train is now ready for installation in housing (Step II). If it is necessary to replace gear shaft needle bearings, remove adjusting screw from sector shaft cover by turning adjusting screw clockwise until shaft becomes disengaged from cover, then slide adjusting screw out of "T" slot in end of shaft.
To remove sector shaft needle bearing assembly from housing, use a suitable removal tool (C-4183 with C-4171 handle) and drive or press bearing assembly into sector shaft teeth cavity of housing. To install a new bearing assembly, use a suitable installer tool (C-4155A with C-4171 handle). Press or drive until shoulder of tool stops on housing. Do not replace sector shaft oil seal unless necessary. To remove oil seal, pry out grease retainer, remove oil seal snap ring, and seal retainer, now pry out oil seal. Use care to avoid scratching sealbore.
Insert gear shaft, and adjusting screw into cover, and using an Allen wrench thru threaded hole in cover, turn screw counterclockwise to pull shaft completely into cover.
Lubricate power train bore of housing and install power train assembly. To keep reaction rings from coming out of their grooves keep worm turned fully counterclockwise. Piston teeth must be facing to the right and valve lever hole in center race and spacer must be in the "up" position.
CAUTION: Make sure cylinder head is bottomed on housing shoulder.

Align valve lever hole in center bearing race and spacer exactly with valve lever hole in gear housing. Install valve pivot lever (double bearing end first) through hole in steering housing to engage center race and spacer

CAUTION: (Slots in valve lever must be parallel to worm shaft to engage anti-rotation pin in center race) , lightly tap on end of lever with wooden handle of hammer or screwdriver to seat lower pivot point in center race. Center lever in hole in housing by turning housing head (tap on reinforcing rib with hammer and drift).
Install housing head tang washer to index with groove in housing. Install spanner nut and tighten to 125-200 ft.lbs. Make certain valve lever remains centered in hole in housing.
NOTE: Turn worm shaft until piston bottoms in both directions and note valve lever action. Lever must be in center of hole and snap back to its center position when worm torque is relieved.

Install valve lever spring (small ena first). Set power piston at center of travel, install gear shaft and cover assembly with sector teeth indexed with piston rack teeth

CAUTION: (Make certain that cover that cover "O" ring is in place on housing).

Install cover spanner nut and tighten to 110-200 ft.lbs.
Install valve body on housing making sure valve pivot lever enters hole in valve spool. Be sure "O" ring seals are in place. Tighten valve mounting screws to 7 ft.lbs. Install new gear shaft seal followed by seal back-up washer and snap ring and a new grease retainer.