• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Steering idler arm removal

Gary H

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
I am replacing all the 40 year old bushings on a 66 BJ8. Front steering arms and spindles are removed. I need to get the idler arm off the splined steering column. 2005 post says to remove the steering column, radiator and grill. Bently book provides instructions. I want to replace the oil seal and bush just above the idler arm. Is there a puller that will work without removing the column. None available from Moss. Small gear puller didn't fit well and fabricated puller did not budge it. Arm has slight movement left to right but will not come down. Any experience, good or bad, is welcomed.

Gary H
 

John Kuzman

Jedi Trainee
Offline

Bob_Spidell

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Online
... Is there a puller that will work without removing the column ...Gary H

I bent the very tip--1/16" inch or so--of a long, thin slotted screwdriver 90deg to use as a puller. I ground the last couple inches of two 3/16" steel rods flat and used them as drifts to tap the new seal in place. Be advised if there is a groove worn on the rocker shaft one new seal probably won't stop the leaking. The correct seals are difficult/impossible to find, and newer replacements are thinner and some have had success stacking two of them, which should avoid the seal riding in the established groove.
 

DerekJ

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
Patience is needed. I finally got mine off after several hours of trying. It is difficult to get a puller to fit in the confined space. Denis Welch make rocker arms which they supply with a new seal, they might be able to supply just the seals.
 

Healey Nut

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
Any good bearing shop can supply the seal and it will be better quality . As for removal . A vice , the gas axe and a BFH are your best freinds . No need for fancy pullers widgets and gadgets . As long as you use the heat and BFH correctly it will pop right off .
 

Healey Nut

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
How do you get a vice to fit when the steering box is still on the car?

Use a small lightweight vice . Lol
Also if your changing the seal for the sake of a small leak save the hassle drain the oil fill the box with corn head grease ... Leak fixed
 
OP
G

Gary H

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
I tried the loaner pittman arm and tie rod pullers with no success. Home made puller fit better but downward angle was not exact. I put more torque on the puller bolt than I was comfortable with and the arm did not move. Oil seal is not leaking but the cork seal is gone exposing the splines. Yesterday I decided to just stop before I broke something expensive. I will try the blue wrench but I will pull the steering column if it saves damaging the splines.

Is it possible the oil seal is stopping the arm from coming down? If yes, it is a great seal. I put a lot of pressure on the puller bolt!

Thanks for all your advice. It is coming off, just a matter of how much time and patience will be required.
 

Healey Nut

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
As the saying goes "if it ain't broke don't fix it "
same goes for steering box . It's not leaking leave it alone .
The new seals are made of a white foam which you can stretch over the arm into place and over a few hrs it will shrink back , fill the box with corn head grease and move onto another project .
 

DerekJ

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
The seal is not the foam thing. That is just a dust excluder. The seal is inside the box. Using a puller isn't going to damage anything as you are dealing with forged steel parts. Use a bit of heat as well as the puller and it will eventually spring off.
 

Healey Nut

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
The seal is not the foam thing. That is just a dust excluder. The seal is inside the box. Using a puller isn't going to damage anything as you are dealing with forged steel parts. Use a bit of heat as well as the puller and it will eventually spring off.

Yes I know the foam thing is just a dust seal and the seal is in the box but the seal isn't leaking so the only reason he has to remove the arm is to put on a new dust seal . So why bother with the aggravation . Stretch on a new foam dust thing fill the steering box with corn head grease . You will never have to worry about it leaking and move on . :eagerness::eagerness:
Why create work and skinned knuckles and have to send the kids indoors because the air is blue with curse words when it's not nessacary ?
 

Rob Glasgow

Jedi Knight
Country flag
Offline
I agree with Healey nut, if it's not leaking oil, don't bother removing the arm. Also to be clear, the seal he referred to as being made from white foam is not the oil seal but rather the dust collar that fills the space between the arm and the steering box. Not sure that the dust collar really does much it the long run, but looks pretty cool.
I recently removed my steering arm to replace the oil seal which was leaking, but I had to take the whole box and column to a local firm to have the arm pressed off. None of the pullers I tried did the trick. I did install double seals when I put it back together. Also filled the box with Penrite.
 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
GaryH:

Oil seal is not leaking but the cork seal is gone exposing the splines. Yesterday I decided to just stop before I broke sumpin>:applause:

Listen to these folks they are telling U right.

As a minimum get a new foam ain't no cork there and slit one side then tape it over the exposed spline section.
 

rjc157

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
Whats the difference with corn head grease and regular grease because no one sells it it just seems crazy to pay all the shipping and handling on a 3 dollar item
 

DerekJ

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
The difference is that corn head grease, like Penrite Steering Box lube, actually flows like a liquid. Normal grease doesn't, it just gets pushed to the sides and compacts so do not use it in your steering box.
 

vette

Darth Vader
Country flag
Offline
Regarding putting that white foam thingy dust cover back on without removing the steering arm, slice it thru at one point, put it around the splined shaft and super glue it back together.
 

steveg

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Whats the difference with corn head grease and regular grease because no one sells it it just seems crazy to pay all the shipping and handling on a 3 dollar item

Yeah, but isn't it better than paying similar shipping and handling on two Penrite 500MLs for $19.95 each? As I recall one doesn't entirely fill the box. :smile:
 

John Kuzman

Jedi Trainee
Offline
I never paid shipping and handling for corn head grease. Just pick up a tube at any John Deere dealer.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
M TR2/3/3A Cracked Welds on Steering Idler Arm Triumph 5
AH67 Wanted Wanted steering Idler Box & Arm Austin Healey Classifieds 3
A How do I convince steering arm to come off idler? Austin Healey 10
T TR2/3/3A Question on steering idler unit Triumph 2
Martinld123 Steering Idler Noise Austin Healey 21
Lutz Kramer Steering box and idler bush Austin Healey 4
RickPA Need help installing steering idler oil seal Austin Healey 6
RickPA Clunky steering idler Austin Healey 8
R BJ7 Steering Gear and Idler Rock shaft Austin Healey 4
BN6_2197 What to put in steering idler reservoir of BN6 Austin Healey 2
pkmh BJ8 Idler Gear [Steering] Austin Healey 34
S Austin Healey New Steering Idler Assembly Austin Healey 2
J TR2/3/3A How to fill TR3 steering idler? Triumph 10
6 Problem after installing new steering idler Austin Healey 15
6 Problem Removing Steering Idler BJ8 Austin Healey 9
6 How do you remove steering idler on BJ8? Austin Healey 0
6 Idler steering Assembly Problem [BJ8] Austin Healey 7
F Steering Idler Austin Healey 14
M Steering idler bushing direction Austin Healey 3
C Steering Idler problem Austin Healey 7
N Steering Idler Box Austin Healey 3
nevets steering box and idler removal Austin Healey 14
C steering idler Austin Healey 5
S BJ8 Steering Idler Assembly Austin Healey 3
tr6nitjulius For Sale SOLD 3/7/24: 4$ale Hi-ratio quick steering rack Triumph Classifieds 0
T TR6 Steering Wheel Lock Triumph 2
D Removing the steering wheel hub Spridgets 12
J MGB 1970 MGB Steering Lubrication MG 1
C Steering Arm Castle Nut Torque Austin Healey 5
PAUL161 T-Series TF Steering Rack MG 0
G Steering Disconnected Austin Healey 2
R TR2/3/3A Jammed Steering Box Triumph 10
R TR2/3/3A Steering Box Gaskets Triumph 4
K 1968 Midget Steering wheel Spridgets 1
olarson TR2/3/3A Steering Column Bracket Triumph 2
Guido36 Electric Power Steering Austin Healey 2
Rut MGB 62-67 upper MGB steering shaft MG 3
Editor_Reid Wrapped Steering Wheel Austin Healey 9
E TR6 Strange Steering Rack Cap Triumph 3
B TR4/4A Steering Wheel Hub Issues Triumph 0
K TR2/3/3A Who sells steering wheel control head "Allen head'' grub screws? Triumph 5
S TR6 Steering question you will not hear every day Triumph 1
T "Flashpower" Steering Wheels Austin Healey 3
EWD For Sale ‘74 TR6 original steering wheel Triumph Classifieds 0
S SOLD!! Mike Lempert 15" slotted Derrington Steering Wheel Austin Healey Classifieds 1
M Midget steering column Spridgets 3
kodpkd Leather Steering Wheel Cover Austin Healey 3
JAV For Sale non adjustable steering box Austin Healey Classifieds 3
S Steering Wheel Brand Austin Healey 5
71TR6 TR6 Replaced steering rack in my TR6- very twitchy now Triumph 15

Similar threads

Top