This is on a 2000 ram 2500. I’m a self taught diy mechanic who has only been working on vehicles for two years or so and this has been the job from hell for me. My truck needed a new pitman Arm and had a big ps fluid leak from the shaft leading me to think it’s a bad pitman arm shaft, so I ordered on rock auto a new arm some new seals and new hoses cause mine are looking really rough for almost $300 after shipping.

starting with the arm, it took me a whole day to get it off, 2 pullers, took lots of beating it with a hammer and a torch to finally get it to come off.

next up was the seals. I started working away at the seals on Friday and it is now Sunday and I have 0 out. For one mine seem backwards as I was surprised to find that there was no retainer at the top, just a seal. I tried the trick of using the pressure by turning the wheel one way to pop the seals out, did not work after multiple attempts, hourspicking away at it with picks and hammers, still nothing, drilling screws in and pulling? Still nothing.

then the cherry on top, it appears both my hoses I ordered are wrong as they don’t match the looks of my existing hoses, so now I think I’m at a loss there.

$300 lost and a weekend of work lost and all I have to show for it is driving my wife’s car to work cause now we’re down to one vehicle. Seriously ready to just swap the whole box out idk where to go from there I have no one to offer guidance other than forums and YouTube(no one in my family is mechanically inclined). I love working on vehicles but this is beyond frustrating.

 

Hmm, while I realize it should be like any box, can you provide photos of what you're working on, the seal etc?

 

So you've watched this I'm guessing?

And you can't locate a snap ring? There really has to be something to keep it from just pushing out under hydraulic pressure.

 

The snap ring is there, but it may be very dirty from the fluid spraying on it and hiding from you. Take some brake cleaner spray and spray it liberally in and around the steering box output shaft and seal. There is a snap ring there, for sure. To remove it, you will need some snap ring pliers, which are easy to pick up at a local Harbor Freight store - https://www.harborfreight.com/snap-r...ads-63845.html

 

I have a few of these and they are great for getting in between the outer part of the seal and the housing. A screwdriver like in the video is not the correct tool.