Power steering box leak?

I know very little about power steering so here goes....
On my '88 I have a leak that is coming from somewhere above the pitman arm. Is it common for the gear box or resvoir to develop a seal leak in this area? Has anyone else had this problem? What should I be looking at?

Thanks guys,

Burley

Given enough time and miles, the pitman shaft seal and the input shaft seal on the box will eventually give out. You problem could also be caused by a leaking fitting or hose. Pull out the air box and look it over.

Clean it up and recheck, but I'm willing to bet you lost the Pitman shaft seal (output to the Pitman arm and steering linkage.)

A little creative drill and screw work can allow you to remove the Pitman seal without tearing down the box and even working with it in place, but it requires a certain amount of care and attentiveness. Just be glad it's not the input shaft...

5-90

I´ve seen the return line for the power steering pump, wear/chaff on the top of the steering box. Also the bottom tranny cooler line at the connector (left bottom radiator) often seeps. The tranny cooler lines also, often rub on the top of the steering box.
What I´m saying is make sure something above the box, isn´t leaking down to the lowest point on the steering box.

I just repaired a leak on my '89. The steel line became perforated by rust...a very small pinhole.

Rub down the steel lines and see if it gets worse.

I cut an inch off the steel line. Because I had to cut off the ferrule when I cut the line, I reattached the hose using 2 hose clamps....one for attachment and one for "just in case".

Good luck,
Jay in MA

Thanks guys. I'll hose the whole thing down over the holiday and see if I can spot some 'new' fluid leaking somewhere. Is the gear box a bear to take out and work on? I suppose if i do that I might as well put in one of those gear box braces right?

Burley