Topic: steering gear box leaking fluid

[1onehotTA]

I have a 78 TA, that I just competed a battle with my braking system hydraulics that was very tedious, just today I discovered a puddle on my garage floor, and was thinking OH NO, not again, here it is not my brakes at all, it is leaking somewhere at my steering gearbox, power steering fluid, cant seem to locate where though, anyone have any experience with this, looks like a job to replace it, where do these leak from, cant seem to find exactly where except maybe the inlet shaft?  And how exactly does the steering shaft attach to this unit, it looks like a clamp, but has this wierd connection just before it, my chiltons manual is sort vague on this connection.

[ta78w72]

I had the joy of replacing the steering box on a 78 T/A.  Mine was fine, I just wanted a box with 2.5 turns.  There are two hoses.  One under pressure and one not under pressure.  It's obvious by looking at them with is under pressure.....You're probably leaking at the pressure line either behind the pump or where it connects to the steering box.  Wipe off the steering gear and you should be able to see where the fluid is coming from.  You've either got a bad hose or possibly a bad pump.  So, just clean things up and look for the fluid and you'll see where it's coming from.  The connections to the steering box from and to the pump and on the top of the box as you look down through the engine compartment.

The steering gear is a bear to take out unless you pull the radiator.  I didn't pull the radiator so I had to pull the steering column out to get room to pull the steering box off the shaft.  There is a little bolt that holds the gear to the shaft....you've got to loosen it to get the shaft free.  And, there is a plastic cover over the gear box that gets in the way.  With the radiator in, it would be a whole lot easier with two people...I did it mysefl....you've got to pull the battery and the air duct assembly to get enough room.  The bolts that hold the steering gear to  the frame are visable when you pull the drivers side wheel.  The box is held by three bolts.  You need a pitman arm puller to pull the pitman arm off the steering box.  And, I couldn't pull the box up through the engine compartment because there wasn't enough room....I had to work from underneath the car....and the anti sway bar gets in the way.

I hope all this makes sense to you.  Let me know if you have any questions.

[bad76]

You could be leaking from the bottom seal where the box connects to the pitman arm. The funny looking part you are refering to is a rag joint. Good luck.

[78w72]

this is only a temporary fix but i stopped my leaky front seal on the steering gear by adding power steering stop leak to the pump. it will swell the seal just enough to stop the leak for awhile, if the seal isn't too bad. otherwise you have to remove the gear & take it apart to replace the seal.

make sure it isnt a bad hose or loose hose connection. wipe it down the best you can & then run it a little & see where the leak is comingg from.

this usually works for awhile but you will need to repair it eventually.