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by Orest LazarowichA DETAILED TECHNICAL COLUMN INTENDED TO TARGET MANY MAKES AND MODELS OF POST-WAR CARS AND PICK-UP TRUCKS

The Modern Collectible

Rebuilding Saginaw RotaryValve Type Power Steering

PAGE 10 - SKINNED KNUCKLES

This is a very common steering gear andwas used in many vehicles until the rack and pin-ion steering became popular. The rotary valvedirects the power steering fluid under pressure toeither side of the rack piston, which converts thehydraulic power to mechanical force. When thevehicle is being driven straight down the roadwaythe driver is not exerting any force on the steeringwheel. Both hydraulic lines provide the sameamount of pressure to the steering gear. When thesteering wheel is turned one way or the other itcauses a torsion bar in the rotary valve to twist.The top of the torsion bar is connected to thesteering wheel and the bottom to the worm shaft.As the torsion bar twists it changes the position ofthe valve spool and sleeve, directing fluid underpressure to the proper end of the power cylinder.The difference in pressure on either side of thepiston which is attached to the rack helps movethe rack to reduce turning effort.

The Saginaw rotary valve power steeringis the basis for GM products and has also been

used by AMCs, Jeep Cherokee, Wagoneer,Gladiator and J-series pickups, InternationalScout and Traveler and Ford. Ford units will notinterchange with any other applications. There aretwo types and each can be identified by the typeof side cover used. The larger steering gear isknown as the 800-808 model and has a rectangu-lar side cover retained by four bolts. The smallerone is designated as the 605 model and has a cir-cular side cover held in place by a retaining snapring. The adjustment and overhaul procedures arebasically the same for both types. The larger gearbox used on full-size vehicles has a steering ratioof 17.5:1 and the smaller gear box ratio is 14.4:1.

Power Steering Checks

Before you attempt any major service oper-ation on the power steering system, the steeringgear, steering linkage and front end should bechecked for wear. Wear your safety glasses.Replace any worn parts and then lubricate anygrease fittings (zerks). There may only be a few assealed non-serviceable joints, and front end partsare becoming more common. Wipe each grease fit-ting clean with a cloth. Grease fittings have a one-way spring loaded check valve that allows the

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grease to go in but not to get out. The tip of thegrease fitting allows the grease gun to snap on to thefitting. Put in just enough grease to expand the bootaround the joint. Do not break the boot because thegrease will leak out and road debris will enter caus-ing premature wear of the joint. If the boot is torn,add enough grease to force the old grease and dirtout, and grease the vehicle more often to extend thelife of the joint. If you can find a good boot from anold joint, replace the torn boot.

The wheel alignment should be checkedand the tires inflated to correct pressures. Checkthe power steering belt, and replace it, if needed.Tension the new or old belt to specifications. Startthe engine, and turn the wheels back and forth anumber of times to warm up the power steeringfluid. Check the fluid level, and top up with themanufacturer's recommended power steeringfluid or Dexron III ATF if necessary. Oil foaming,a cloudy fluid color and a burnt smell are signsthat the power steering pump is starting todegrade. If the fluid level is correct, turn the

wheels to straight ahead position engine at idle.Using a spring scale, check the amount of steeringeffort necessary . Attach the spring scale to therim of the steering wheel, and measure theamount of pull to turn the steering wheel clock-wise and counter clockwise 1½ turns. If the read-ing exceeds 10 pounds at any point, there is aproblem inside the steering gear. Check the steer-ing wheel free play with the wheels in straightahead position. If the play exceeds 1 inch, inspectthe steering shaft coupler and the tie rods. If theycheck okay, the Pitman shaft may need adjusting.

Check the oil-flow and relief valve opera-tion by turning the steering wheel from oneextreme to the other with the engine idling. Do nothold the steering wheel in either extreme positionfor more than 2 or 3 seconds. The extreme highpressure can cause damage to the system, if therelief valve is not operating properly. If thesevalves are working properly, a slight buzzing noiseshould be heard. If no buzzing is heard, a sticking

or faulty valve is theproblem. If the pumpproduces a ‘chattering’sound and a noise in theflow control valve, thereis air in the system. Stopthe engine, and check fora difference in fluidlevel. If the level isabove the mark, the airmust be bled out. Withthe engine idling, have abuddy turn the steeringwheel slowly all the wayto the left and then to theright 10 or 12 times andsometimes many more.Add fluid to the reservoirduring the air bleeding.Continue the steeringwheel turning until thereare no air bubbles in thereservoir. Do not holdthe steering wheel at thestop position any longerthan 2 or 3 seconds.Check the fluid level.

Steering Gear Adjustments

If the steering link-age is okay and/or theworn parts have been

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 11

1. HOUSING, STEERING GEAR2. RACE, THRUST BEARING (WORM)3. BEARING ASSEMBLY4. RACE, THRUST BEARING (WORM)5. WORM (STEERING)6. SEAL ‘O’ RING7. SHAFT, STUB8. SPOOL, VALVE9. SEAL ‘O’ RING10. BODY, VALVE11. RING, VALVE BODY12. SEAL ‘O’ RING13. RETAINER14. SPACER, THRUST BEARING15. RACE, UPPER THRUST BEARING16. BEARING, UPPER VALVE17. RACE, UPPER THRUST18. SEAL ‘O’ RING

19. PLUG, ADJUSTER20. BEARING, NEEDLE21. SEAL, STUB SHAFT22. SEAL, STUB SHAFT DUST23. RING, RETAINING24. NUT, ADJUSTING25. BEARING ASSY.26. SEAL PITMAN27. WASHER, SEAL BACK-UP28. SEAL, PITMAN SHAFT29. WASHER, SEAL BACK-UP30. RING, RETAINING31. WASHER, PITMAN SHAFT32. NUT, PITMAN SHAFT33. NUT, RACE PISTON34. BALL35. GUIDE, BALL RETURN36. CLAMP, BALL RETURN

37. SCREW ASSY, LOCK WASHER38. PLUG, RACE PISTON39. SEAL, ‘O’ RING40. RING, RACE PISTON41. SEAL ‘O’ RING42. PLUG, HOUSING END43. RING, RETAINING44. GEAR ASSY, PITMAN SHAFT45. SEAL ASSY., GASKET46. COVER ASSY47. BOLT, HEX HEAD48. NUT, LAST ADJUSTER49. SPRING, CHECK VALVE50. POPPET, CHECK VALVE51. CONNECTOR, INVERTED FLARE52. CONNECTOR, INVERTED FLARE

POWER STEERING GEAR EXPLODED VIEWModel 800

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replaced and wheel alignment has been set but thesteering is loose and the vehicle wanders on theroadway, the steering gear has to be removed foradjustment or repair. Loose steering can also becaused by internal leakage of fluid past the sealsin the steering gear. Although you can adjust thePitman shaft preload in the vehicle GM recom-mends the removal of the steering gear to makethe adjustments at the bench. The steering gearalso has to be removed, if it is leaking fluid.Disconnect the negative battery cable. Raise thefront of the vehicle on safety stands. Disconnectboth lines, and drain the fluid out into a container.Empty the pump reservoir. Cap the gear ports andlines to prevent contamination from dirt.Disconnect the Pitman arm by removing the nutand washer. Mark the position of the Pitman armto the Pitman shaft with a center punch. Use apuller to pull off the Pitman arm. Disconnect thesteering shaft from the steering gear stub shaft.Remove the attaching bolts, and work the steeringgear free of the flexible coupling and the framerail. Power wash the outside of the steering gear.

To adjust the worm thrust bearing preloadclamp the steering gear in a vise with the stubshaft pointing up. Loosen the Pitman shaft adjust-ing screw locknut. Using a proper sized Allenwrench loosen the adjusting screw 1 1/2 turns andretighten the locknut. Loosen the adjuster pluglocknut 1 turn using a chain wrench. Use a 3/4"12 point socket to turn the stub shaft. Turn thestub shaft to the right stop, then back off 1/2 turn.

Measure the drag torque with an inch-poundtorque wrench and adapter on the socket. Bottomout the adjuster plug using long needle nose pli-ers. The proper tool to use is called a pin spannerwrench, and once you see one it is very easy toreplicate. Back off the adjuster plug to add 3 to 4inch-pounds stub shaft torque in excess of dragtorque. Total torque should not exceed 10 inch-pounds. Tighten the adjuster plug locknut securelywhile holding the adjuster plug in position.Recheck the setting since preload torque changeswhen the locknut is tightened. If the preload isless or greater than required, the steering gear hasto be disassembled for inspection and repair.

To adjust the sector shaft preload centerthe steering gear on the high point by turning thestub shaft 1/2 the number of turns required fromlock-to-lock. The flat side of the stub shaft shouldface up and be parallel with the side cover.Loosen the locknut, and adjust the screw (3/16Allen wrench) so the stub shaft turns freely exceptfor a slight pressure at the over-center position.Back the adjusting screw out about 25 degrees,and tighten the lock nut. The over-center torquereading should be about 14 inch pounds. If thereading stays the same through the over-centerposition, the center teeth on the rack piston and/orthe Pitman shaft are worn out and must bereplaced. A rebuild kit will not solve this problem.This becomes the expensive side of repair.

Steering Gear Installation

Let's adopt the easy way and say theadjustments tightened up the steering gear and thereare no fluid leaks. Turn the steering wheel to straightahead position. Fit the coupling in place on the steer-ing shaft, and center the stub shaft. Slide the stubshaft into the coupling and work the steering gearinto place on the frame side rail. Install the attachingbolts and torque to specifications. (65-70 foot poundsChevrolet). With the wheels in straight ahead posi-tion install the Pitman arm and torque to specifica-tions (185 foot pounds Chevrolet). Replace the boltsin the coupling. Remove the caps, and reconnect andtighten the pressure and return lines. Fill the pumpreservoir with fresh fluid, and start the engine. Bleedthe air out by turning the steering wheel from side toside without hitting the stops. Check the fluid level,and add if necessary. Lower the vehicle off the safe-ty stands. Connect the battery cable. Road test.

PAGE 12 - SKINNED KNUCKLES

REMOVE AND INSTALL CHECK VALVEREMOVE INSTALL

1. Remove parts asshown 1. Install parts as shown

With small screwdriver, prycheck valve from housing

Care should be taken not to damage threads when prying on edge of housing

Remove check valve

Using a piece of 3/8 tubing, 4 inches

long carefully drive the check valve into the housing

Install check valve

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Steering Gear Disassembly

Clean the outside of the housing, if youdidn't do it before. Read and then follow the serv-ice manual for the steering gear you are rebuild-ing. Make notes on the disassembly of parts tohelp in assembly. The following is general infor-mation that will apply to many types of Saginawconstant ratio rotary-valve steering gear. Work ona clean bench. Handle the interior parts carefully.Do not drop them or mark them up in any way.Lay the housing in a plastic pan to catch theremaining fluid as you remove the Pitman shaft.Center the Pitman shaft. Then remove the 4 boltsfrom the top cover, and pull the Pitman shaft outwith the top cover attached. Turn the input shaftback and forth, and the Pitman shaft comes outeasier. The bearing in the cover supports the topbearing surface of the Pitman shaft. Generally thisbearing does not get much wear. If the rebuild kitcomes with this bearing, you can decide if the oldbearing needs replacing. Clean up any corrosionon the bottom bearing surface with crocus cloth.Clean the Pitman arm splines.

Clamp the housing in a soft-jaw vise.There is an access hole at the housing end plug soyou can push down on the retaining ring and workthe ring out with a screwdriver. Lay the housingback in the pan, and rotate the stub shaft counter-clockwise just enough to push the end plug out.Drain out any fluid. Continue to turn the stubshaft and the rack piston will come out of thehousing. Mind the steel ball bearings and shakethem all out. Remove the ball return tube. Countall the ball bearings now. Check the service man-ual for the correct number (24 or 26). Wash theball bearings, inspect them for wear and measurediameters with a micrometer, if you wish. If theycheck okay, set them aside in a clean container.

At the other end of the housing count thenumber of threads outside the locking ring to helpset the wormshaft preload during assembly.Loosen the bearing lock nut, and unscrew theadjuster plug. Set the housing horizontally andpull/twist out the rotary valve assembly and worm.Do not take anything else apart. Clean the insideof the housing, and inspect the inner bores for anysign of scoring that might affect the seal surfacesand cause internal leakage. Check for grooving atthe rack piston and Pitman shaft teeth. Inspect theworm for scoring or burrs. If excessive wear isevident, a rebuild kit will not fix these problems.

Contact www.larescorp.com for an exchange unit(Reman) or rebuilding. You will need the castingnumber on the housing, if your plans include avisit to a recycler. If wear is minimal, order a com-plete rebuild kit that should include the O-rings,roller bearings, seals and gaskets.

Clean the inside of the housing with sol-vent, and blow the oil passages clean. Put the capsback on. When the rebuild kit arrives continuewith disassembly. Remove the C-clip at thePitman shaft end with a pair of circlip pliers. Onsome types the clip may be hidden under an outerseal and a dust shield. Remove the dust shield andthe outer seal. Remove the snap ring and thewasher (spacer) behind it. Pry out the second seal.Some types have a washer separating the seals.Press out the bearing using an inverted socket ofthe correct size. Wash the inside of the housingwhere the new bearing and seals will fit. Press ordrive in the new bearing with the numbers facingup. Install the seals and the snap ring. Set aside.Take the valve body and slide the adjuster plug offthe stub shaft. Remove the stub shaft. Remove theold Teflon seals and the O-rings with a seal pick.They are probably hardened up so be very carefulnot to scratch the valve body. Press the spoolvalve out of the valve body. Wash all these parts.Replace the O-ring on the spool valve. Use PSfluid as a lubricant. Lubricate the inside of thevalve body, and press the spool valve into thevalve body about half way. The top hole in thevalve spool must be located 90 degrees awayfrom the pin in the valve body. Insert the stubshaft so the pin on the stub shaft engages the sloton the spool valve. Press down slowly, and youwill hear a click as the slot engages. Install the O-rings on the valve body using PS fluid as a lubri-cant, and then install the Teflon seals.

Set the adjuster plug on the bench screwthreads down. Remove the bearing retainer usinga small screwdriver. Lift the spacers and the thrustbearings off, and keep them in order. Remove theold O-ring. Turn the adjuster plug over, andremove the C-clip. Use a proper size socket todrive out the old bearing and seal. Wash the parts.Clean the threads on the adjuster plug. Drive anew bearing in place with the identification num-bers facing up to a depth just even with the bot-tom of the bevel. Use lubricant, and drive the sealin with the lip facing down. Drive in the dust sealwith the bevel side down. Drive in just deepenough to install a new C-clip. Turn the adjuster

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 13

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plug over, and install the lubricated O-ring.Lubricate the new bearings, and set them in placein the proper order. If new bearings are notincluded in the kit, examine the old bearings, andif they are smooth and turn freely, install them inplace with the races and spacer. Flatten the bear-ing retainer lip, if it was damaged during removal.Install the retainer. Lubricate the seals, and slidethe adjuster plug over the stub shaft. Set aside.

Remove the end plug on the rack piston.Wash the rack piston and the ball return guides.Remove the Teflon seal and the O-ring with a sealpick, and clean the groove. Bring the rack pistonto the bench. Lubricate the O-ring and Teflon sealwith PS fluid and install them on the rack piston.Have a good look at the inside of the rack piston.The ball bearings fit in a circular pathway in therack piston. Use wheel bearing grease to hold theball bearings in place as you push the ball bear-ings into the feed holes. Some steering gear usetwo slightly different bearings (color and size). Ifthe ball bearings are different, install them byalternating them. When you have 6 left take one-half of the ball return guide and plug the endswith wheel bearing grease. Lay the remaining 6ball bearings in place in the ball return guide, andfit the other half of the ball return guide over theball bearings. Fit the ball return into the feedholes, and tighten the clamp in place. Check thatall the balls are in place. Set the rack piston aside.

Clean the wormshaft, and remove the O-ring. Inspect the thrust bearing, and if a new onecame with the kit, install it on the wormshaft.Lubricate a new O-ring, and fit it on thewormshaft. Line up the valve body drive pin onthe wormshaft with the pin slot in the valve body.Push the wormshaft into the valve body. Makesure the O-ring does not curl up. Lubricate thevalve body end of the housing with plenty of PSfluid. Lubricate the wormshaft. thrust bearing andthe Teflon seals. Clamp the housing in a vise.Very carefully push this assembly into the hous-ing with the stub shaft flat facing up. Support thewormshaft, and keep the assembly square withthe housing. Do NOT push on the stub shaft.Screw the adjuster plug in to seat the thrust bear-ing, and back off 1/2 turn. Screw the bearing lock-nut onto the adjuster plug, and leave the samenumber of threads showing as you had counted.Snug up the locknut using a chain wrench. Therotation of the stub shaft should be smooth.Torque wrench reading should not be over 10 inchpounds.

Lubricate the Teflon seal on the rack pis-ton, and check that all the ball bearings are inplace. The easiest way to install the rack piston(ball nut) on the wormshaft and not disturb thebearings is to use a dummy shaft. A 5/8 inchdowel about 8 inches long and bevelled at one endthat will fit through the end plug hole will holdthe bearings in place. With the teeth facing theopen side of the housing install the rack pistonuntil it touches the worm shaft. Turn the stub shaftclockwise until the middle rack groove lines upwith the center of the sector shaft roller bearing.Remove the dummy shaft.

Tape the splines on the Pitman shaft.Install a new gasket on the top cover. Some mod-els use an O-ring seal in the top cover, and othersuse a metal gasket with a moulded rubber sectionthat fits into the cover. Spray the gasket with seal-er. Two metal tabs bend around the cover.Lubricate the Pitman shaft seals with PS fluid.Lubricate the Pitman shaft with PS fluid, andcarefully insert it into the housing. Turn the coverout of the way, and mesh the center gear toothwith the rack piston center groove. Pour some PSfluid into the housing. Turn the cover into posi-tion, and torque the bolts 40 foot pounds. Removethe tape off the splines. Replace the rack pistonend plug, and torque 111 foot pounds. The sectorshaft should be able to move from the front of therack piston to the rear without much force. If toomuch pressure is required, rotate the rack piston avery small amount by turning the rack piston endplug. Reinstall the housing end plug using a newlubricated O-ring. Install a new retainer ring intothe bore groove.

Center the steering gear. The flat side ofthe stub shaft should face up parallel to the cover.Check the sector shaft preload with an inch poundtorque wrench. Turn the torque wrench from 45degrees to 90 degrees each side of center. Totalover center torque should not exceed 18 inchpounds for new gears or 14 inch pounds for usedgears. Readjust if necessary by loosening thelocknut and turning the adjusting screw clockwisea very slight amount with an Allen wrench. Checktorque wrench reading, and if okay, hold theadjusting screw in place, and tighten the locknut.Remove any oil on the outside of the housing withpaint thinner. Mask the openings, cover andshafts. Spray with gloss black. Install on the vehi-cle when the paint is dry. PS hoses can deterioratefrom the inside out, and if you have any doubtsabout the hoses, replace them. Empty the power

PAGE 14 - SKINNED KNUCKLES

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steering reservoir and fill it with fresh PS fluidrecommended by vehicle manufacturer or DexronIII ATF. Synthetic PS fluid is available. Connectthe negative battery cable. With the vehicle stillon safety stands start the engine. Slowly turn thesteering wheel lock-to-lock several times. Refillwith fluid as needed until there are no more airbubbles in the reservoir. There should be no pumpnoise (whine). If there is, you may have to wait upto 24 hours until all the air exits the system. Roadtest. Happy motoring.

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 15

NEXT MONTH:Rack and Pinion Power Steering S.K.

CORRECTIONIn the May issue article dealing with the

Integral Power Steering Gear, we inadvertentlyomitted part of a sentence. Under ChryslerConstant Control Power Steering (page 12) thevery first sentence should have read, “TheChrysler Constant Control Full Time powersteering consists of a power steering pump, apower steering gear and connecting hoses.”Our apologies for any inconvenience.

Originally printed in Skinned Knuckles magazine, and copyrighted by SK Publishing/Skinned Knuckles Magazine. Reprinting of any portion prohibited without written permission of SK Publishing, PO Box 6983, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.

Subscriptions to Skinned Knuckles magazine is $28.00 for twelve monthly issues (within the U.S.). Contact Skinned Knuckles by mail at PO Box 6983, Huntington Beach, CA 92615; Website skinnedknuckles.net and click on Subscribe or PayPal. E-mail sk.publishing@yahoo.com, phone: 714-963-1558.