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Power Steering Fluid Leak


JRKman

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First and foremost, Hello! I'm a new 720 4x4 owner here. My names Josh. Been looking at different forums and this one looks like it has the best community so here I am.

 

Now on to the problem at hand. Developed a power steering fluid leak. It is dripping off of the steering arm "pitman?" arm. I cant find any trace besides that where its coming from. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

Josh

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Sector shaft seal? Is that the seal right around the joint where the arm bolts to? If that's the case I bet you you're right. How difficult are those to repair? Easy as unbolting that arm and pulling off the seal to replace or is there more involved?

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If you can find the seal.. that's the first part. If you can, great!! 

 

I'd clean the area with some brake cleaner and then verify that's where it's coming from. If it is.. try to find and replace the seal. Otherwise, post a wanted add in the classifieds and you'll probably get a lot of hits.

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Need your date of manufacture. It's on the driver's door tag.

 

Seal is easy to get from NAPA but best to have the Nissan number (it's actually a kit with new seal, snap ring and washers) so they can cross reference. I seem to remember $8 but this is probably the Nissan price. 

 

Hardest part is getting the pitman arm off. I recommend a good air gun to loosen the mounting nut. It's really on there (100 ft lbs.) Get the proper puller for this, not a generic 'gear' or 'pulley' puller. Once the arm is off, just move it out of the way, no need to separate the ball joint. Just reach up inside and remove the snap ring with... snap ring pliers. The seal is next. Drive two suitable wood screws up into it and use them to pry the old seal gown and out. Behind the seal are two? washers.

 

Insert the two washers and drive the new seal up into place (be sure to grease the seal lips s it doesn't tear or run dry) with a suitable size deep socket or piece of pipe that fits over the sector shaft and replace the old snap ring. The pitman arm is a tapered spline with four equally spaced flat spots making it impossible to put back on incorrectly. Well you can, but 90 degrees out is obviously wrong. Tighten the nut to 100 ft lbs.

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Is the 510 seal still available?

 

Need your date of manufacture. It's on the driver's door tag.

 

Seal is easy to get from NAPA but best to have the Nissan number (it's actually a kit with new seal, snap ring and washers) so they can cross reference. I seem to remember $8 but this is probably the Nissan price. 

 

Hardest part is getting the pitman arm off. I recommend a good air gun to loosen the mounting nut. It's really on there (100 ft lbs.) Get the proper puller for this, not a generic 'gear' or 'pulley' puller. Once the arm is off, just move it out of the way, no need to separate the ball joint. Just reach up inside and remove the snap ring with... snap ring pliers. The seal is next. Drive two suitable wood screws up into it and use them to pry the old seal gown and out. Behind the seal are two? washers.

 

Insert the two washers and drive the new seal up into place (be sure to grease the seal lips s it doesn't tear or run dry) with a suitable size deep socket or piece of pipe that fits over the sector shaft and replace the old snap ring. The pitman arm is a tapered spline with four equally spaced flat spots making it impossible to put back on incorrectly. Well you can, but 90 degrees out is obviously wrong. Tighten the nut to 100 ft lbs.

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I always used to use Armstrong steering. But my 620 went to 3,600 lb and 33" tires. Was working on a PS for my 710. Haven't worked out what engine I'm building yet but I will incorporate a PS pump into it.

 

I know it sounds sort of, pussy but... anything that reduces the effort and fatigue on a long trip is good. I only drive to Canby now and put around locally for three months every year, usually. Long trips are actually a lot of work crammed into 12 hours.  The other thing, even more important is the steering speed. With the flip of your wrist you can throw a ton of metal into the other lane.Yes you can do that without assist but it takes time to get both arms gripping the wheel and yanking with all your strength. PS does all the work in the blink of an eye. A fraction of a second saved when tired, can make all the difference when avoiding something.   

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It's not power steering but the manual seal for all years of 510 is 48137-16500 under $5 ten years ago. Probably you can cross reference it.

 

Also used on the 610, B-210 and the 210

 

Just bought 5 of them from RockAuto. Only needed one.. but they look like they are pretty much unavailable anymore. Plus they are only $1.50 each... Toss them in the parts bin.

 

Material Nitrile Shaft Size 0.945" Housing Bore 1.378" Outer Diameter 1.387" Width 0.276"

 

Descripition
Brand:DATSUN Part Number(s):48137-16500 ProductName:Steering Gear Pitman Shaft Seal
Cross Interchange Parts
Factory Number SKF 9500 CARQUEST 222410 CARQUEST 24X35X7 FEDERAL MOGUL 222410 FEDERAL MOGUL 24X35X7 VERA 65-02049
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If you cannot get the parts or the arm off, I would just go to the wrecking yard and find a power steering gear that is dry, buy it and install it in your truck, make sure it has the same hard lines as yours has, they made the 720 with two different styles of power steering gears, one uses banjo bolts, the other the hard line fittings thread into the steering gear.

I normally put power steering in all my trucks, it's just a lot easier to drive.

The Pittman arm is a bitch to remove, I have removed a few of them, when it does finally come off, don't be in the way, have all your limbs and body to the side, it seems like I have the most issues with the 521 arm, I have used 2 and 3 arm pullers, it seems like the 2 arm puller works the best.

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Easy way to remove the pitman arm is to use a pitman arm puller and heat (map gas) up the arm around the shaft. If you can get it hot enough, it will come of easily with the puller. Put the puller on and start tightening before applying the heat. 

 

 

oes-27016_ml.jpg

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/oes-27016?seid=srese1&gclid=CJTu8NvktMMCFY-JaQodyU8A4Q

 

 

 

d32a3097-4bd2-4893-9805-a938e42fff12_400

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-TS4000KC-Trigger-Start-Torch-Kit-336634/203368730

 

 

 

It's science! 

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No but you will loose a couple of cups worth. It's cheap and probably needs changing anyway.

 

I have replaced the seal by removing the box and sliding the sector shaft up and out..... did not know there was a double row of 30 inch long needle bearings around the shaft. Naturally they all fell out. Had to find them all and use grease to hold them in place while inserting the shaft back in. I would spare you this experience...

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I always used to use Armstrong steering. But my 620 went to 3,600 lb and 33" tires. Was working on a PS for my 710. Haven't worked out what engine I'm building yet but I will incorporate a PS pump into it.

 

I know it sounds sort of, pussy but... anything that reduces the effort and fatigue on a long trip is good. I only drive to Canby now and put around locally for three months every year, usually. Long trips are actually a lot of work crammed into 12 hours.  The other thing, even more important is the steering speed. With the flip of your wrist you can throw a ton of metal into the other lane.Yes you can do that without assist but it takes time to get both arms gripping the wheel and yanking with all your strength. PS does all the work in the blink of an eye. A fraction of a second saved when tired, can make all the difference when avoiding something.   

I can't wait to get the pw st installed in my kc(old school spinner knob two). Really miss the turning attitude of a std720 in tight places.....more back/forth  with trailer. Less axial trust on steering column bearings also with assist. I'd rather spend my energy buffin' out the paint instead of wrenching the steering wheel.

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