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Steering box oil seal replacement

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Steve Huneck

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Hi,
I'm trying to replace an oil seal in my BJ7. I'm amazed at how hard it is to replace a $3 part, but I digress. This is the seal that the rocker arm goes through at the bottom of the steering box. The old one was soft rubber and I was able to pop it out. However the new one seems to be nylon or a hard plastic. And I cannot fit it behind a metal lip on the bottom of the steering box. The lip seems to be part of a pressed in sleeve that holds the seal in place. However I don't see any reference to this in either my service manual or parts manual. I can probably bend it up with a screw driver, put in the seal and bend it back, but that just doesn't sound like the best approach. I have attached a picture, looking up from the bottom of the steering box. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Steve
steeringbox.jpg
 
That is the orignal metal rimmed seal by the looks of it. It will need to be popped out so you can install the new one. There is a replacement seal that is often fitted that is about half the thickness of the original so many install two, one over the other.
The soft rubber seal you mention isn't correct. It sounds like some P.O. didn't remove the original seal but simply stuck the soft one in hoping it would do the job, which it obviously failed to do.
While you're in there, check for wear in the bushing and shaft. If there's wear there it will simply damage and distort the new seal and continue leaking.
 
HI Rich, You see those two rubber seals they are thinner in width than the original seal. Some have replaced these in stead of the one piece new style rubber seal. The thought here is that these seals have new bearing surfaces are thinner increasing their sealing force and provides two new sealing surfaces on the shaft controlling any further leak.
However, the old seal should have been removed.--Fwiw-Keoke
 
Okay, I have popped out the metal seal. The new seal is tight in the housing, which sounds like a good thing, and tighter than than old rubber one on the shaft. The bushing looks good and I don't notice any play in the shaft. I do have a new bushing. Is there a good technique/tool for removing the old bushing? It is about a half an inch up into the steering box and pretty tight.

Steve
 
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