Power Steering Gears - SAGINAW Recirculating Ball: Overhaul: Reassembly
- Place gear housing in a vise with worm shaft bore horizontal. Side cover opening should be facing up. Install sector shaft and worm shaft seals, sector shaft bushings, and worm shaft bearing races. Put ball nut assembly together. Slip upper ball bearing over worm shaft and insert worm and nut assembly into housing. Feed end of shaft through upper ball bearing race and seal.
- Place ball bearing in adjuster race and press stamped retainer into place with socket. Install adjuster and lock nut into housing. Guide worm shaft carefully into bearing until nearly all end play is removed from worm shaft.
- Position over-center adjuster (with shim) in slotted end of sector shaft. Check end clearance, which should not exceed 0.002" (0.05 mm). If clearance is greater than specified, a steering gear over-center adjuster shim kit is available.
- Lubricate gear as follows: Rotate worm shaft until ball nut is at end of travel. Force as much grease as possible into housing without losing it out sector shaft opening. Rotate worm until ball is at other end, and add more lubricant.
- Rotate worm until ball is at center. This will help sector and ball nut engage properly. Insert sector shaft and over-center adjuster screw (without side cover) into housing so center tooth of sector teeth enters center tooth space in ball nut. Add more lubricant to housing. Install side cover gasket.
- Install side cover over sector shaft by reaching through cover with a screwdriver. Turn over-center adjuster screw counterclockwise until screw bottoms; then back off screw 1/2 turn. Loosely install a new lock nut onto adjuster screw.
- Install and tighten side cover bolts. Adjust worm bearing preload and over-center preload. See ADJUSTMENTS in this article.
TIGHTENING SPECIFICATIONS
| Application | Ft. Lbs. (N.m) | |
|---|---|---|
| Worm Bearing Preload Adj. Lock Nut | ||
| Jeep | 90 (122) | |
| All Others | 85 (116) | |
| Over-Center Preload Adj. Lock Nut | ||
| Chrysler Corp. | 35 (48) | |
| Jeep | 23 (31) | |
| All Others | 25 (34) | |
| Side Cover Bolts | ||
| Chrysler Corp. | 25 (34) | |
| General Motors | 45 (61) | |
| All Others | 30 (41) | |
| Flexible Coupling Bolts | ||
| General Motors | 20 (27) | |
| Jeep | 45 (61) | |
| All Others | 30 (41) | |
| Pitman Arm-to-Sector Shaft | ||
| Chrysler Corp. | 175 (238) | |
| Ford | 170-210 (231-286) | |
| All Others | 185 (252) | |
| Steering Gear-to-Frame | ||
| Chrysler Corp. | 100 (136) | |
| Ford | 70 (95) | |
| General Motors | 80 (109) | |
| Jeep (Cherokee, Truck & Wagoneer) | 70 (95) | |
| Steering Bracket-to-Frame ("CJ" & Scrambler Models) | ||
| Bracket-to-Toe Plate | 55 (75) | |
| Bracket-to-Gear | 70 (95) | |