I wanted to rebuild my large sector manual steering box. I started off with the information given at "
http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/steering/3.html". Buts that's when the problems started, it hasn't been updated since 2000. Apparently Timken bought out Torrington, the manufacturer of the needle bearings used on the sector shaft. That's great but there isn't any interchange information that I could find.
The roller bearings used on the worm gear is very unique, so much so that when I started cleaning on them and looking at the pitting in my races that I realized that this was going to be challenge. It would be easy enough to call up Firm Feel or Steer and Gear and get a $ 300 rebuild kit or just buy one of there rebuilt boxes. You would have both new seals(The sector shaft seal and the worm gear seal), both roller bearings and all 3 needle bearings along with a 20:1 worm gear. That was my first choice, turns out they are out of the 20:1 & 16:1 worm gears and wont get any more in until the end of the summer (it is currently spring time).
The easy parts to find are the needle bearings. They are a common size 1.125ID - 1.375 OD - .750 in Height. I ordered mine through
www.msc-direct.com (MSC part # 09016866). The needle bearing in my box had "Torrington Y-1812" stamped in its race. The bearing I received from MSC was manufactured by INA here in the states. I was surprised to also see INA 1812 stamped in the race. The INA bearing seems to be an improvment, the needles are retained in the race, so they don't fall out. You will need 3 of them.
Next are the seals, if you have one like mine there are no numbers stamped or molded in either seal. Luckily the Timken website had a little bit of useful info. The Sector shaft seal
(SKF part # 11067) is available at Advance Autoparts. I ordered that part number online and received a Timken seal as a substition, this Timken Part # appears to be 352560
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=BCA&MfrPartNumber=352560. The worm gear seal (# 7214 or 7412) and is also available at Advance Autoparts. Both part numbers yield the same part, but a different manufacturer.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=BCA&MfrPartNumber=7214 You will need 1 of each (1 Secton Shaft Seal and 1 Worm gear Seal).
The roller bearings (Timken Part # 8537) are a little tricky. The Timken website says that they are "obsolete" but doesn't give a number that replaces it. Once again Advance Autoparts website claims to have them, but they are a little pricey, $56.99.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=BCA&MfrPartNumber=8537 Your next choice would be a dealership, the OEM part number given on the link above apears to still be valid but, they are discontinued and the nearest dealership that still had them was 3 states away from me. Please note, the OEM Part number ( OEM # 2072060) will give you the ball bearing and cage assembly only. You will not receive the race that is pressed in to the housing. I did find these on-line at
www.bearingdirect.com http://bearingsdirect.com/products/index.php?action=item&id=5109&prevaction=category&previd=56&prevstart=0 but no manufacturer name was given and I wasn't too sure of the quality of the bearing. It could be great, it could be terrible, I didn't want to risk it. I stopped by a couple of mom and pop machine shop/supply stores around here that have been around since the dawn of time, I found 1 of them manufactured by Timken. It had been sitting on his shelf for quite some time. I know they are still being manufactured, just not by Timken.
The timken Cross reference can be helpful,
http://www2.timken.com/industries/automotive/autoaftermarket/timkencatalog/PartCatalogNew.aspx I hope this helps some one out there.... Please double check my part numbers and varify they are correct, as of 04/25/08 they were valid.
There are other places to get these parts, but we all have to start some where.
