Cant find the snapring

[kpritchett70]

I have a 95 ranger 4x4 tge steering box is leaking at the output/pitman arm shaft. I got the pitman arm off but there is no snap ring visible. The exposed seal was torn so I worked at it and removed it piece be piece but still no snap ring. I tried starting the truck and turning to lock and applying presure but the seals wont blow out either. Any help or ideas is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I don't know that I've ever done seals on a Ranger box... but I've done few seals over the years. I don't think I've ever done one without a snap ring. Maybe someone never put it back in? Might be the reason it leaks?

A quick search here brought me to this thread. It has an exploded view and tips for removing the seal. I would drill a small (tiny hole) and use a small screw in my small dent puller slide hammer.

EDIT...

blown seal on gear box | The Ranger Station

 

[Curious Hound]

@Uncle Gump

had you intended to link to another thread?

 

[Uncle Gump]

@Uncle Gump

had you intended to link to another thread?

Yes... yes I did.

See my edit...

 

[kpritchett70]

Thanks for the info the first thing I see in there is a Rubber seal and it is in a Groove in the housing I do not even see a ring for these snap ring but I know it has to have one I was wondering if maybe it is under that outter rubber piece like a dust cap or something

 

[Dirtman]

According to the schematic the snap ring should be first, then the dust seal, then the pressure seal. So nothing should come off before the snap ring unless the snap ring has corroded away or it was never installed and somehow the box never exploded?

 

[RobbieD]

If I remember right, my '84 box had the c-clip last, exposed and easy. It may be that the box varied from the factory through the years on the order of seal, clip, cover, or seal, cover, clip.

Back when I did mine, I burned up the "search" function and found this from another TRS thread:
Steering box replacement
. . . the only difference I had when I did mine both times is the c-clip goes on last, after the dust seal... even from the factory when taking things apart it was c-clip then dust seal then main seal and you didnt use the spacers at all. I just replaced it the way it came out from the factory. If you put the dust seal on after the c-clip you will have a bitch of a time trying to get the dust seal out of there if you have to replace it again sometime to get to the c-clip. With the dust seal inside the clip then you just have to take the clip out and use the truck on steering full lock trick to pop out both the main seal and the dust seal."
https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?threads/steering-box-replacement.19921/

One tip I can pass. On mine, I used a 4" diameter cardboard tube cut to jam-fit between the box and my catch pan. When I blew the seal out of it the spraying fluid was completely contained to the pan. You could roll some cardboard and tape it to make the same thing., if you don't want the mess.

Good luck!

P.S.- I hate admit it, but I found that it was oddly satisfying blowing that old sucker out with the lock-to-lock trick. It's like . . . planned carnage.

 

[kpritchett70]

The only thing that has me puzzled is that I tried the turn to lock trick it didnt work

 

[RobbieD]

Were you able to find and remove the snap ring?

 

[kpritchett70]

Were you able to find and remove the snap ring?

No I cant find any snap ring. I ripped the lower rubber piece (dust cap?) And pulled as much of it out as I could. It looks like a flat metal washer behind it and even with it out the seals would not blow out by turning the wheel from Lock to lock

 

[kpritchett70]

That lowest seal did have a bad spot in it though

 

[Uncle Gump]

They won't always blow out... it really depends how bad they leak.

Do you see a grove for a snap ring at least? Someone may have not put on in it?

You will probably need one of these... might even be able to borrow one from the parts store.

 

[Uncle Gump]

They also make a t handle dent puller pick tool... I have used one those before also. Usually when the dent puller method fails. Use care not to scratch up the surface of the sector shaft and housing bore when doing either method.

Those seals can be stubborn... persistence typically wins in the end.

 

[kpritchett70]

They won't always blow out... it really depends how bad they leak.

Do you see a grove for a snap ring at least? Someone may have not put on in it?

You will probably need one of these... might even be able to borrow one from the parts store.

View attachment 61388

It was leaking pretty bad so chances are that's why it won't blow out.

The first group I seen in there was where the Rubber seal was at I did not even see a snap ring Groove. I've been trying to do it in the truck so I guess I'm going to go ahead and remove the Box so I can get it on the workbench and get a good luck

 

[Dirtman]

Just a random thought. I dunno if this applies to Fords but I have done steering boxes that don't use a typical snap rip on the pitman arm seal, they just have a round ring you fish out with a pick and a bunch of flathead screw drivers. BUT they can be so badly degraded that they are essentially invisible and just vanish into the groove...

Again dunno if Ford ever used those things but my advice would be to get in there with a pick and just start scraping. Something absolutely held the seals in at one point. Find the groove missing a ring, or find the ring... Something is there...