I just installed my steering box. Then i attached the steering part on to the steering box. The steering part slides on to the spline easily but only goes half way.

When i took the steering box out i had to use a pitman arm puller to get it off.

I screwed the nut on to the steering box as tight as i could but the pitman arm did not slide where it should be.

I would really like to know how to get that nut on correctly. I didnt want to try anything to harsh because i might destroy the steering box thread or something and there goes $300.

 

Forgive me for stating the obvious, just curious: Did you remove the pitman arm and check the mounting hole's sections to make sure they are clean and free of dirt and scores? It sounds likes it's simply bound up...

 

Ditto. Also look closely at the splines. Sometimes there is one that is slightly bigger than the rest and it has to match up perfectly.

 

Cool - I didn't know that about the sections. Good tip.

 

i got any dirt out of the spline with degreaser and a wire brush. Wiped it down clean then put some WD40 on both splines and placed the pitman arm back onto the steering box. Same thing happened as before.

 

Mind you, I'm not a expert on the matter... Where did you buy the box? Reason for asking: 1) I'm not sure all 1st gen boxes are interchangable, 2) Salvage part guys think all gens are the same and they're not necessarily, and 3) Do you have access to the pitman arm that came off the purchased box? If so, refer back to 1).

Maybe you know the answer to interchangability. It would make sense that they were, but I don't know...

See - I have more questions than you do!