Remove cowl steering cover

[dennis1200]

I've got a 1972 Ford 4000 and I'm trying to remove the sheet metal cover around the steering so I can replace a power steering oil seal in the steering column. I'm a bit hung up on the steering wheel itself, but I've figured out I just need to get a puller for that. It's all the little stuff like the throttle level, the light switch, choke, etc. that I'm not sure how to get it all off. The IT manual just says to remove them. Not particularly helpful for a newbie.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I&T doesn't explain it because it's very fundamental stuff.
Just keep at it and take things off one item at a time.
You'll see what has to be done as you go.

 

[showcrop]

This wasn't mentioned the last time around on steering wheel removal, but it has been mentioned in the past to give the nut that holds the steering wheel on a light blow with a hammer while pulling up on the wheel. This is of course after backing the nut off a few turns.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

(quoted from post at 19:16:05 05/02/14)
This wasn't mentioned the last time around on steering wheel removal, but it has been mentioned in the past to give the nut that holds the steering wheel on a light blow with a hammer while pulling up on the wheel. This is of course after backing the nut off a few turns.

Better be a dang light blow! I know a feller that did that, and it ended up costing him a new steering box at close to $2,000.00!
There's some pretty sensitive stuff down in there, and driving on the column does a number on it!

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 16:23:33 05/02/14)

(quoted from post at 19:16:05 05/02/14)
This wasn't mentioned the last time around on steering wheel removal, but it has been mentioned in the past to give the nut that holds the steering wheel on a light blow with a hammer while pulling up on the wheel. This is of course after backing the nut off a few turns.

Better be a dang light blow! I know a feller that did that, and it ended up costing him a new steering box at close to $2,000.00!
There's some pretty sensitive stuff down in there, and driving on the column does a number on it!

I have never had to get aggressive with any of my three old gals.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Colin, the issue of which I speak started out to be a simple steering wheel change on a 5000! When CTS got done with it, it was over 2K! They said it was cheaper to replace the steering gear than try to rebuild it! What happened was after the blows to the column the steering function was totally messed up!
Dave

 

[chrisinsoky]

Id heat the shaft right below the steering wheel with a propane torch before id start hittin stuff with a hammer

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 04:29:23 05/03/14) Id heat the shaft right below the steering wheel with a propane torch before id start hittin stuff with a hammer

You will find that both heat and hammer and puller altogether at the same time are sometimes necessary. Heating the tube that the shaft is in wouldn't get you very far either even if the propane torch could get it hot.

 

[dennis1200]

So I'm stuck. And so is the steering wheel. I've loaded it up with a few doses of PB blaster over the past day and a half, put on a 5-ton gear puller and really leveraged the gear puller against the steering wheel using a 2' ratchet (I stuck a u-clamp under the steering wheel for the puller to grab on to). Nothing but a dimple on the end of the steering shaft. I've also tried both tapping the hex end of the gear puller and hitting the steering wheel from below with a 4# hammer. Is there something I'm missing or doing wrong?

 

[Hobo,NC]

I have had to use a air chisel with a hammer bit in it to rattle them loose from the bottom... It also destroyed the wheel it rattled the plastic of it... Worst case you can cut the wheel off there's nuttin like the feel of a new wheel...

 

[dennis1200]

I'm seriously considering taking a sawzall to the steering wheel :?

But what about something like a stop leak additive to the fluid? Would that pose any risk to any other components?

I had also hoped that the power steering pump had a separate belt that I could just disconnect and live without power steering for a while, but it looks like it's all internalized gearing. I just don't want to ruin the pump.

 

[Mark Slater]

Try as showcrop suggested. Get the puller on there and pull as tight as you dare. Then heat it up with the torch under tension. And if it still holds when it is hot give it a whack just not too hard.

 

[Sean in PA]

Anything that is going to stop a leak has the potential to clog up the pathways for the fluid in that system.

If you can rig up a loop back line that just redirects the output of the pump back to the reservoir you should be able to run it without power steering without damaging the pump.

 

[dennis1200]

No luck even with the torch heating up the shaft, while really cranking on the puller and hitting it with a hammer under heat and tension. So I'm cutting off the wheel today or tomorrow. Thanks for all the helpful advice though!