Steering box removal HELP. 1970 Nova

[NovaSF]

Trying to remove my steering box on my 1970 Nova to send to Benchworks in Arizona to get tightened up (14:1) before putting in a new engine. How the heck do I get this thing out?


I removed the hoses. I removed the smaller nut and pin (?) on the pitman arm. Removed the main bolt from the rag joint. I know the bolts connecting it to the frame will have to obviously go. Kinda lost now. Do I have to unbolt the steering column from inside? Remove the big nut on the pitman? The other bolts from the rag joint? What shouldn't I remove?


Any help much appreciated. Thanks.

[232_ray]

Remove the ray joint coupler and pull it back just enough to clear/disengage it from the splines on the gear box. I loosen the steering colum from the fire wall seal and the under steering column bridge bracket usually only (2) 7/16-1/2 bolts and pull it back towards the driver like I said just enough to disengage it no more than 2 inches. And then the frame attach bolts which should be 3 long bolts and then the pitman arm from the cross bar that goes to the idler arm. As for removing the actual pitman arms I just take the gear box with it to the rebuilder and they swap it for me. They have impacts and the puller tool for the job. Pretty simple job but I can understand since I had the same question when I did my first one myself. Hope I helped.

[NOT A TA]

From what you've written it sounds like you should just need to remove the 3 bolts holding the box to the frame. If you have a powerful impact gun and a good pitman arm puller it's easier to remove while the box is still bolted to the frame. If not the rebuilder can probably remove & reinstall it for you. No need to remove column inside. The pinch bolt on the rag jopint needs to be removed, not just loose.

[NovaSF]

Thank you. I think I'll leave the pitman arm attached and let the steering shop deal with it. How about separating the smaller end of the pitman arm from the steering gear/linkage? Is there some kind of pry tool/separator?

[NovaSF]

Tried a ball joint fork to disengage the smaller end of the pitman arm from the steering linkage. No luck. Hammer time. Done.

Off to Benchworks to gear regeared!

Thanks