Power steering box seal replacement

[dodge freak 2]

Replaced that steering coupler and steering feels very good now, car moves with the steering wheel--no slop at all. However after 5 days sitting (I had other things to do, lol) I needed to add lots of power steering fluid. Thought the pump was leaking and it still might be but it has a drip on the steering box pitman arm shaft. My headers run under it (those are on its way out) so my guess is the seal is bad from the heat. The box was replaced a few years back with an older rebuilt box I had sitting in my basement for years.

Can a shop easily replace that seal without removing the box. One mounting bolt was tight going back in and rather than getting a tap to clean the threads I just forced it in. Got in all the way and is very tight, hate to mess with it (I thought at the time the box would last "forever") It holds the fluid for the day  but I can't keep adding fluid everyday or two.   

[Chryco Psycho]

I have not done this but if you remove the pitman arm the seal can be replaced in the car

[cowboy]

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I have done that, - on a fullsize MoPar, - must be the same, - no problems.. 

[dodge freak 2]

Cool, have two shops in mind--my exhaust and the trans shop. Guess I could but sure it be easier on a hoist. Guess Napa would have the seal...its a Magnum-St Regis car. The box is tight now and a rebuilt stock box might not be as good today. Those darn headers did it, I know it.

[quagmire]

Yes, it's quite easy.  Remove the pitman arm from the steering shaft, then a snap or lock ring that was concealed under it.  Start the car up and turn it to the locks and the pressure will blow it right out.  Pop in the new seal, lock ring, and pitman arm.  Refill and bleed it and you are done.  Make sure a pan is under it when you go to blow the seal out.

[dodge freak 2]

Cool tip maybe I will do it. Now to get the seal--without buying all the seals for the box. This is when Napa comes in handy

[tommyg29]

opening this old thread to confirm that lower shaft seal can be replaced with the pump in the car. My pump is new from stear and gear and dont want all the trouble of a warranty exchange. And why do these seals go bad so easily?
Thanks.

[tommyg29]

are the lower shaft seals all the same, or are there different manufacturers of our boxes?

[Kapteenikosmos]

If I recall right the lower shaft seal also changed when the pitman arm shaft diameter changed in -72 or so?

I bought my rebuild kit from Rock Auto and it was advertised for a wrong year box. Mine is 73 so it is the later model but the rebuild kit was for the early model box. I sent them an email and asked to correct the error on their catalog but I've never rechecked if they actually corrected it. Well anyway, most of the seals fit from the wrong kit too but I think that I had to order the lower shaft seal separately.