Steering box w123 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

martureo · #1 11-02-2011, 06:44 PM

Hey guys. I've been resealing and adjusting the steering boxes in my small fleet of vehicles using the FSM and Army's adjustment methods.

I have at least two boxes left over, would anybody be interested in one? Or would anyone want me to reseal and adjust a box for them? In reality I sprung for a few special tools for the job and I'd like to prove to my wife that it wasn't a waste.

I'd be asking around $100 for a sealed and adjusted box plus a $25 core. I know there are a few styles out there, but most use the same seal kit.

They are definitely heavy, so I'm not sure if shipping is feasible. But I do take road trips quite a bit so I'm sure something could be worked out for those of you in the Eastern states. I'm also willing to wiggle on the cost, I just picked a round number I thought was reasonable. What do you guys think?

greazzer · #2 11-02-2011, 07:17 PM

Hey,

That is a decent deal at $100 to rebuild a steering box. Shipping is easy in a post office it fits it ships box. They will send up to 70 pounds for under $20. The steering box is under 30 pounds. The only problem will be removing the Pittman Arm. Do you have a mechanical steering box ? NON-Power Steering ? I have been looking for one for a while. If so, PM me. Thanks.

vstech · #3 11-02-2011, 08:15 PM

heh, I've got one that's original, zero play... from a 78 240 if someone wants it... it's power steering, not NON... Martureo can verify it's tight!

Stretch · #4 11-03-2011, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

Hey guys. I've been resealing and adjusting the steering boxes in my small fleet of vehicles using the FSM and Army's adjustment methods.

I have at least two boxes left over, would anybody be interested in one? Or would anyone want me to reseal and adjust a box for them? In reality I sprung for a few special tools for the job and I'd like to prove to my wife that it wasn't a waste.

I'd be asking around $100 for a sealed and adjusted box plus a $25 core. I know there are a few styles out there, but most use the same seal kit.

They are definitely heavy, so I'm not sure if shipping is feasible. But I do take road trips quite a bit so I'm sure something could be worked out for those of you in the Eastern states. I'm also willing to wiggle on the cost, I just picked a round number I thought was reasonable. What do you guys think?

Wow a cottage industry! Which special tools did you buy? Pictures please!

...and how far do you strip 'em?(!)

martureo · #5 11-03-2011, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

Wow a cottage industry! Which special tools did you buy? Pictures please!

...and how far do you strip 'em?(!)

I bought a nice pin spanner, the humongous sixty five mm combination wrench, an impact gun, impact tools and a nice vise.

I am going balls out. cleaning everything then adjusting every last bit according to the FSM. I wish I could figure out a gauge to measure the last bit of tightness instead of using the feeler method. But that might be next thing I do.

Air&Road · #6 11-03-2011, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

I bought a nice pin spanner, the humongous sixty five mm combination wrench, an impact gun, impact tools and a nice vise.

I am going balls out. cleaning everything then adjusting every last bit according to the FSM. I wish I could figure out a gauge to measure the last bit of tightness instead of using the feeler method. But that might be next thing I do.

Can you not use a dial indicator for this?

greazzer · #7 11-03-2011, 10:43 AM

Hey Larry Bible,

I sent you a PM a while back. I know you're busy, but any updates. Thanks, Mark

martureo · #8 11-03-2011, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LarryBible

Can you not use a dial indicator for this?

Yeah, but I'm trying not to buy anything else for awhile. I'm sure I can jury rig something with all the bits I've got.

rmmagow · #9 11-03-2011, 01:38 PM

I've got an 85 300DT W123. Steering seems loose, front end parts seem OK. I am thinking steering box so I might be interested in getting a rebuilt unit. It is winter now, so I can't be doing the crawl under to remove or attempt an adjustment yet but if I find it's been adjusted all the way already would I be able to get a unit from you??

martureo · #10 11-03-2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmmagow

I've got an 85 300DT W123. Steering seems loose, front end parts seem OK. I am thinking steering box so I might be interested in getting a rebuilt unit. It is winter now, so I can't be doing the crawl under to remove or attempt an adjustment yet but if I find it's been adjusted all the way already would I be able to get a unit from you??

Yep, I can sell you one of the extra units I have soon (I'm waiting on a particular o-ring for them right now). Whenever you send me your old unit (if you decide to) I'll send your core cost back.

I haven't gone to the post office yet so I'm not sure if it could ship with the Pitman arm still installed. I've had to run to a local mechanic so he could remove the nut and I used a puller on the arm after a few days of soaking in PB Blaster.

But if you could find a way to ship it to me (again if you decide to) with the Pitman arm I'd be fine with that.

Air&Road · #11 11-03-2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

Yeah, but I'm trying not to buy anything else for awhile. I'm sure I can jury rig something with all the bits I've got.

I have a good dial indicator in my own box and I THINK there is one in my late Father's tools. It will be quite a while before I get over there to check, but if there's one in there, I'll send it to you.

vstech · #12 11-03-2011, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

Yeah, but I'm trying not to buy anything else for awhile. I'm sure I can jury rig something with all the bits I've got.

pfft, I've got a dozen sitting here, you could have taken one from me

Stretch · #13 11-03-2011, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

...
I haven't gone to the post office yet so I'm not sure if it could ship with the Pitman arm still installed. I've had to run to a local mechanic so he could remove the nut and I used a puller on the arm after a few days of soaking in PB Blaster.

...

Heat is your friend for Pitman arm removal (I have it on good authority)

As for the post office - with your own measurements (dimensions and weights) you can get a price on line and even pay on line if you want to...

martureo · #14 11-03-2011, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

Heat is your friend for Pitman arm removal (I have it on good authority)

Oh, I took it to the local mechanic because I didn't have a big enough impact socket or a powerful enough impact wrench for the nut holding the pitman arm. He charged me $10 for each visit, regardless of the number of nuts to be removed.

I learned my lesson with removing the pitman arm itself by breaking several pitman arm pullers. I returned each broken one to the store and got a new one under warranty, thankfully. So I only ended up buying the initial one. I just doused the arm with PB Blaster twice a day for three days. After the third day (and on last puller) it slid right off.

Quote:

As for the post office - with your own measurements (dimensions and weights) you can get a price on line and even pay on line if you want to...

Yeah, I just haven't gotten around to figuring out shipping since I thought it would prohibitive. I still need to figure out the packing, I don't want the box getting shattered in the process... I used to be a package handler for UPS and I KNOW what happens to these packages. Heck, "fragile" used to mean "throw softer" or "kick softer".

Has anyone bought a remanufactured box? How was it packaged?

Stretch · #15 11-04-2011, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martureo

... I used to be a package handler for UPS and I KNOW what happens to these packages. Heck, "fragile" used to mean "throw softer" or "kick softer".

...

I thought fragile meant kick the living $^&*%&^ out of me please.

Just like BMW means break my windows...