Frank Z
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Colorado Springs
Before anyone runs out and starts tearing into this project....STOP! There's alot of info that you'll need to get from your local Dodge Dealer. This write-up is only intended to supplement the applicable pages from the Dodge FSM. I got mine from the Service Writers at the local dealership. Ask for the Gear Box disassembly/assembly instructions for a 1999 Dodge Truck Durango 4WD V8-5.9L VIN Z LDC
They can download and print it from their www.alldata.com account.
Here's a little write up for those that have read about and considered the Durango Steering box mod, or those that have made the swap and don't have lock to lock steering and want to improve their turning radius.
Step #1) Obtain (or remove your ) '99 Dodge Durango Power Steering Gear Box. (NAPA P/N 27-7588)
Step #2) Remove the snap-ring from the front. I found the best way to do this was to use a putty knife to pry the ring out.
Step #3) Remove the front cover by turning the stub shaft to move the rack piston forward. Inspect the large o-ring and replace as needed. Remove the rack piston BUT BE CAREFULL!! There are 24 ballbearings that are going to come out as well. Twelve are silver and twelve are black. The silver are .001" larger than the black ones. Do Not Loose These!
Step#4 Remove the locknut and adjuster nut from the rear of the gear box.
Step#5 Remove the valve assembly and stub shaft.
Step#6 Remove the spacer from the inside of the gear box case. This is easy if you have a long set of snap ring pliers. I don't so a couple long screwdrivers and a little patience got it done.
Here's the spacer...
Step #7 Remove the sector shaft. Sorry, no pic.
Step #8 Clean all of the parts and seperate the Silver and Black bearings.
If you can't see the color difference use a vernier caliper or micrometer to measure the bearings. Lubricate everything with new Power Steering Fluid (I used DEXTRON III ATF).
Step #9 Instead of buying a special tool (Arbor C-4175) from Dodge I used a piece of heavy paper rolled into a cylinder shape and inserted into the rack piston worm drive bore. Here's my firsy attempt at a booty fab tool using a piece of plastic.
Step#10 Lubricate and insert the ball bearings by alternating between silver and black into the rack piston. Be patient, this is a tedious process. Use a small screw driver to help push the bearings in and don't forget to rotate your homebrew arbor tool to help the bearings move easier.
Step#11 Reinstall the ball guide with the remaining bearings. Again, sorry for the lack of a pic at this point.
Step#12 Reinstall the worm shaft and gently insert the rack piston into the gear box bore. As the worm shaft is turned into the rack piston you'll have to slowly remove the homebrew arbor tool that was used to keep the bearings in place.
Don't be surprised if you have to repeat steps 8 thru 12 a few times. Just take you're time and you'll get the bearings and worm shaft together in the rack piston.
Step#13 Center the teeth of the rack piston in the opening for the sector shaft and then reinstall the sector shaft. Rotate the stub shaft back and forth to make sure all of the parts move smoothly.
Step#14 Reinstall the large o-ring, front cover, and snap ring.
Step#15 Reinstall the valve assembly, lock nut and lock ring.
They can download and print it from their www.alldata.com account.
Here's a little write up for those that have read about and considered the Durango Steering box mod, or those that have made the swap and don't have lock to lock steering and want to improve their turning radius.
Step #1) Obtain (or remove your ) '99 Dodge Durango Power Steering Gear Box. (NAPA P/N 27-7588)
Step #2) Remove the snap-ring from the front. I found the best way to do this was to use a putty knife to pry the ring out.
Step #3) Remove the front cover by turning the stub shaft to move the rack piston forward. Inspect the large o-ring and replace as needed. Remove the rack piston BUT BE CAREFULL!! There are 24 ballbearings that are going to come out as well. Twelve are silver and twelve are black. The silver are .001" larger than the black ones. Do Not Loose These!
Step#4 Remove the locknut and adjuster nut from the rear of the gear box.
Step#5 Remove the valve assembly and stub shaft.
Step#6 Remove the spacer from the inside of the gear box case. This is easy if you have a long set of snap ring pliers. I don't so a couple long screwdrivers and a little patience got it done.
Here's the spacer...
Step #7 Remove the sector shaft. Sorry, no pic.
Step #8 Clean all of the parts and seperate the Silver and Black bearings.
If you can't see the color difference use a vernier caliper or micrometer to measure the bearings. Lubricate everything with new Power Steering Fluid (I used DEXTRON III ATF).
Step #9 Instead of buying a special tool (Arbor C-4175) from Dodge I used a piece of heavy paper rolled into a cylinder shape and inserted into the rack piston worm drive bore. Here's my firsy attempt at a booty fab tool using a piece of plastic.
Step#10 Lubricate and insert the ball bearings by alternating between silver and black into the rack piston. Be patient, this is a tedious process. Use a small screw driver to help push the bearings in and don't forget to rotate your homebrew arbor tool to help the bearings move easier.
Step#11 Reinstall the ball guide with the remaining bearings. Again, sorry for the lack of a pic at this point.
Step#12 Reinstall the worm shaft and gently insert the rack piston into the gear box bore. As the worm shaft is turned into the rack piston you'll have to slowly remove the homebrew arbor tool that was used to keep the bearings in place.
Don't be surprised if you have to repeat steps 8 thru 12 a few times. Just take you're time and you'll get the bearings and worm shaft together in the rack piston.
Step#13 Center the teeth of the rack piston in the opening for the sector shaft and then reinstall the sector shaft. Rotate the stub shaft back and forth to make sure all of the parts move smoothly.
Step#14 Reinstall the large o-ring, front cover, and snap ring.
Step#15 Reinstall the valve assembly, lock nut and lock ring.