'59 Plymouth Forum

i bought a p/s gearbox assembly (pitman arm to horn button) from john way back. well i'm tearing her down, and freshening it up. i'm having a prob w/ the column though. according to the manual, looks like i loosen the clamp, and the housing comes loose (which it did), and looks like from the illustration that the two pieces of the shaft just slide apart, but i cannot get them to. my ? is am i doing something wrong or r these pieces just rusted together? i am afraid to pry too hard, without knowing whats hanging me up. ya'lls help is appreciated. --jeremy

jeremy, there is a drift pin holding those two parts together. You gotta drive out the drift pin first.

that is, if I understand where you are at. The steering shaft is held to the p/s box w/ a drift pin

(click on Roger's pic to see an enlarged picture -- Dan)

Jeremy,
I have the three-volume 1957-9 Shop Manual, in which it is explained how to R and R the p/s unit. If only I had a way to post the information to you.

i thought there might be something like that, i looked in through the crack best i could, but could not destinguise anything. where exactly is this pin, at the joint, or at the gearbox side on what appears to be a collar? so the joint itself does not come apart? - i know i have a illustrated breakdown on the instruction sheet that came w/ the rebuild kit, i may open it up and see what it says.
the manual i have is the standard black/ yellow 57-58 plymouth w/ the 59 supplement, is there another, more in-depth one that i am unaware of? if u r able, e-mail me a couple of those blow-ups : hankwilliamswrotemylife@yahoo.com thanx roger.
got my pitman arm off, now all i've got is the column and i can get to the beans and tators of the matter, will have to be tomorrow, it's ten oclock now, and frecken cold, can't quite talk my self into making a mad dash across the yard to next door into a somewhat cool workshop. i guess it will just have to wait till tomorrow. --jeremy

Jason, there is a 3-volume manual titled "Shop Manual", which covers 1957-9 Mopars. I stumbled across these on Ebay a few years ago. I will send you photos of the pages which would guide you, but I am afraid you won't be able to read them (my camera doesn't do close-ups).
The only other thing I can think of is to photocopy the pages and USMail them to you, which I will do if you provide your address.
Wouldn't it be great if all this literature could be found on line? Yet another deep subject for Chief Dan Morton, up to his eyeballs already trying to modernize the Site.
To be honest, I don't follow your description..can u send me a drawing of the area you are "stuck" on?

Jason, there is a 3-volume manual titled "Shop Manual", which covers 1957-9 Mopars. I stumbled across these on Ebay a few years ago. I will send you photos of the pages which would guide you, but I am afraid you won't be able to read them (my camera doesn't do close-ups).
The only other thing I can think of is to photocopy the pages and USMail them to you, which I will do if you provide your address.
Wouldn't it be great if all this literature could be found on line? Yet another deep subject for Chief Dan Morton, up to his eyeballs already trying to modernize the Site.
To be honest, I don't follow your description..can u send me a drawing of the area you are "stuck" on?

sorry for the duplication, either the Internet or the site is very slow today and I inadverdently sent my message twice.

Jeremy,

Don’t forget to remove the valve body and the valve rod (lever) before you try to remove the piston, otherwise it won’t work.
Don’t remove the worm shaft unless you know there are broken balls inside.
When reassembling: Put the whole unit together (outside of the body) and hold it in an upside position and then slip the body over it (top down). Take especial care that there is nothing out of place and also that the hole for the lever is in the correct position.

NEVER, really NEVER use force to remove a part or drive it in place again!!!

sorry, been away, power probs due to weather & internet probs.
thanx for all the advise, i got the steering column off, the day after i was last on, that illustration made all the difference. - i have the valve body off now, and that little rod out. i am hung up on the nuts though. the large nuts that r on the column side and top of the worm gear. where can i find the speciality socket? i tried lightly hitting w/ a chisle but that i'm afraid will do more harm than good. i dont believe i have any mechanical issues w/ this box, just replacing seals and giving it a good cleaning (appears to be a little varnish from sitting idle a while). to compound all my probs, this is my first steering gearbox disassembly, i hope i don't botch it up too bad.
if i do remove the wormshaft (if on purpose or otherwise ), any special way to re-install them? i hate having to bug yall for advise constantly , but i don't want to damage anything.
roger if u don't mind mailing those pages to me too badly, that would be great! just let me know if i owe u anything for ur troubles.
Jeremy Wells - 202 E. Moran Drive, Anadarko,OK 73005.