So as I was changing my oil and filter today I noticed that my steering gear box was slowly leaking where the pitman arm goes in. Now I just put a lift kit on so I'm wondering if during the process of installing I broke a seal in the gear box.

I put some stop leak in the steering fluid and I'm hoping this works.

Has anybody had experiences with these things or tips on how to fix 'em if the stop leak doesn't work?

 

Guess you didn't search on "gearing box" or related?

 

if you broke a seal, i dont think that stop leak will work, i could be wrong. i know that you can buy seal kits and rebuild kits but i've never rebuilt them, i've just replaced the whole unit. someone else said in another post similar to this one that you can replace the seals while the gear is still in the truck. i think it would be easier to do it outside the truck considering its not too difficult to remove the box from the truck. disconnect it from the shaft and drag link and then its just 3 very large bolts holding it to the frame. if you do remove the gearbox, try to avoid having to pull the pitman arm off if its possible, its a bitch. them things like to hold on pretty tight

 

You can change those seals with the steering box in the truck. The pitman arm has to come off as the seals are behind it and they come out that way. I would also get that stop leak out of the system asap flush it and put in atf+4 let it drip until you get the seals changed.

 

can I just do the bottom seals cause that is the one leaking? the only kits I see are either the shaft end or the whole rebuild kit.
if i buy the rebuild kit I could just take out the stuff I need and have everything else for when the other stuff goes.

yes i did search but only briefly, sorry

 

Replacing the seal is not so bad. Stop leak tends to fix the leak short term but drastically increase it within a year in my experience. I use NOTHING claiming to stop leaks because of many bad experiences.

 

So are you saying that I can just do the bottom seal? cause if so I'm game to do that, drain the system, and put new fluid in.

 

Yep, your friendly neighborhood spider-man, erm... parts store, should have 'em on the shelf.

 

Just make a healthy mark as to where the pitman arm is so you dont put it back on wrong. Unless yours is keyed to only go on 1 way.

 

If you are taking the pitman arm off throw some heat to it to make life a little easier