1969 F250 2WD Power Steering Gear R&R

[IBFordInternational]

Hi and I am a Ford Owner since 1976, I did buy a Toyota 4WD Van in 1986. The Van is parked along with 3 Ford trucks and a sit&Go Tempo Gl. My mercury Mystic is the family car and currently the Do All. This is where I sit as of this posting. Everything is good thou everything needs repairing. My 1969 F250 worked long enough to get it in my driveway then began leaking power steering fluid as fast as 1 pint per mile. This leak is from the shaft above the pitman arm and no stop leak could quench it's thirst. I bought a remanufactured steering gear and swapped it for the leaker. My goodness and patients is wearing thinner and I can not find and/or understand the tork specifications for any of the bolts and nuts I had difficulty removing and, being a Steering assembly I can't justifying a guess that's tight enough approach to finish this difficult repair. Hoping one of the Folk's here can offer assistance.

[Mach428]

I don't ever recall seeing torque specs for a steering gear. I tightened mine up by feel and since they should have locking nuts, never had a problem

[IBFordInternational]

So let me ask this as the most concerning question to me , the pitman arm connection to the steering gear is a splined and tapered fitting. It also has a split washer which sits between the arm and 1 5/16 in nut which faces almost vertical to the ground and holds and controls all the steering assembly of the vehicle. Sadly I asked a neighbor who works for a trucking company to assist me in removing and replacing these parts. They flaked out on me after my over paying for half the overall job so I did none of the dissemble and have little knowledge of how tight is tight. This is solved by my understanding of the tork wrench. Some numbers in foot pounds as a guide will help me to finish and feel secure in my work. I have all the removed parts back in the truck, and ready to drive.

[Nitekruizer]

The only spec that I found says 200 ft/lbs for the Pitman arm to Sector Shaft nut. However, it doesn't specify if that is for a power or manual gearbox. It lists the torque specs for the Pitman arm to Drag Link (or tie rod) as 65 ft/lbs.

I thought the torque specs were in the Tech section on this site but I don't see them, or am I just missing them?

Maybe someone else will chime in.

[IBFordInternational]

Thanks for some input regarding the selector shaft torque setting. I can't seem to locate a manual I had from the early seventies which was so complete and covered every make of American Truck. All the library's in California had them in the auto section and then removed them when the computer took over the card catalog. Mine was from such a book sale, I can't forgive myself for misplacing or lending out this competent compilation of information. I've done the brakes/axels since my first post and found their torque information published why is the front end steering gear assembly lost in the web.If it isn't torqued to 200 ft/lb due to a max setting of the wrench, what chance is there of this assembly failing. Thanks for looking.

[IBFordInternational]

Well I have spent a miserable 3 days researching the various ford truck forums and there are to many. I have taken apart my attic library's (no need to re- read) packing crates looking for the obsolete stacks and stacks of old manuals or books acquired from the old 1973 Auto Repair( Domestic only shop) business owner. my stepfather the new owner and additional Foreign car specialist shop owner Now (Foreign and domestic repair shop) to stepson pile of book trivia . I've burned thru hours and hours of manual reading on Volkswagens and Porsches Audi MG Morris Datsun Dodge GM Haynes Chilton's ECT, The rain storm has come and gone, Time change is earlier , and no answer as to how tight to turn these bolts. I am going to throw my torque wrench into a crowed of chimpanzees,( Because there is a Chimp refuges closer than a Ford Dealership) for a day and after I clean the feces off Ill use it. if it is not important enough to write down and pass on a number of foot-pound's for a specific functioning region of a Truck Steering Assembly for the record and everything else is saved for something in this digital age then that is what we get. I'm signing off.

[Nitekruizer]

Here's some torque specs for the Ford Saginaw power gearbox.

http://www.wcb4x4.com/tech/rcshopman1.pdf

Torque specs are listed on page 7. AFAIK the 1969 - 79 F-Series used these power steering gearboxes.

Just a note. One source suggests that the Sector Shaft Nuts are all the same size and thread for Ford F-Series, Galaxies, Mustangs and many other Ford vehicles of that era. I don't know if it's true. Another source lists the torque specs at 150 - 200 Ft/Lbs for the '69 Mustang Sector Shaft Nut. So, 200 ft/lbs seems to be the one thing they all list/have in common.

[IBFordInternational]

I offer a huge Thanks. In your included reply is one of the many fantastic Illustration's so common in the print days, Even down to a formula to calculate Torque. This is the mechanical education material I grew to use, apply, apparently store the forgetfully lend away. This, this is the written words. When there are no grizzled time tested mechanic's available to point out the sloppy non perfect work practice and reliable remembered knowledge. This satisfies enough self doughting so I can go drive the truck Majestic style. Not really, No I'll not drive it that hard but thanks'.