Author Topic: Power Steering Gearbox 78 TA  (Read 941 times)

Fyrdude

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Power Steering Gearbox 78 TA
« on: June 16, 2021, 06:53:06 PM »
I have a power steering fluid leak that appears to be coming from the front of the steering gear box. Any insight on this? Is there a service where these can be rebuilt? Rebuild kits? As you can see, I don’t have any good ideas about where to start to address this. Thanks for any help you may be able to share.

78 TA, automatic, Pontiac 400
Mike

1978 Trans Am

b_hill_86

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Re: Power Steering Gearbox 78 TA
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2021, 07:11:49 PM »
You can get what I would cal reseal kits. There are a bunch of various o-rings inside that can be replaced. I have not yet found a rebuild kit so to speak to address worn parts inside but the seal kits are pretty cheap. $30 I think.

If you have fluid coming from the front it’s likely the seal behind that big round cap that faces forward and down. You might be able to remove it with the box in the car but it would be easier to with it out.

I just replaced 3 seals in mine. The first is near the input shaft but it’s not the input shaft. It’s kind of hard to describe. I also replaced the pitman arm shaft seal (aka sector shaft) and the one behind that cap which I’m sure also has a fancy name. Just be forewarned, some pitman arm shaft seal kits come with a large o-ring which looks like it would replace the big cap seal but the one I got was way too small. The full kit which I’ll link below came with one that sealed up nicely. I’ll also link a video I found immensely helpful. I didn’t end up needing to take my whole box apart but it looks pretty straightforward after watching the video

Edelmann 7858 Power Steering Gear... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000DN7T5I?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

https://youtu.be/sMyFEpAl5NU

https://youtu.be/661ov4GIXAA
-Brian-

1977 Trans Am 400 4 speed

b_hill_86

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Re: Power Steering Gearbox 78 TA
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2021, 07:16:24 PM »
Also, after retreading your post, yes you can send the entire box out to be rebuilt. I’m sure there are other places but I’ve read a few positive reviews of this place (http://www.powersteering.com/power-steering-gearbox-rebuilds ) and nearly sent mine there. Honestly though, if the leak is your main concern and everything else feels good I’d try the $30 kit before you spend ten times that. I bought a rebuilt box thinking mine had slop in addition to leaking. #1, the rebuilt box didn’t feel much if any better than mine, #2 I later read that the “slop” I thought I was feeling was actually within spec of what’s considered normal and #3 the remanufactured box I bought had something wrong with it so I returned it, replaced the 3 seals in my old box and reinstalled that. Should’ve done that in the first place lol
« Last Edit: June 16, 2021, 07:50:10 PM by b_hill_86 »
-Brian-

1977 Trans Am 400 4 speed

Fyrdude

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Re: Power Steering Gearbox 78 TA
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2021, 11:31:03 PM »
Thank you sir. I’ll check that out.
Mike

1978 Trans Am

Re: Power Steering Gearbox 78 TA
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2021, 11:31:03 PM »
You can help support TAC!