Steering box rebuild

vanishingbreed just posted this in the E genearal discussion: Need your steering box rebuilt?
The same place also has A100 boxes here: http://www.prosteering.com/m_dodge_truck.htm

before you send them your box for a rebuild make sure they have a return policy. there are places that say they they can rebuild them and find out later there's no parts to do the job and are not interested in returning a core to you. even though it might be your old one there are liability issues with it and these companys listen to laywers more than customers. be warned...

jkr, if you know of a company that pulls this sort of thing, please let us all know.
Grabbing parts and not returning them would be something I'd be mighty unhappy about!!!

I searched everywhere for the bearings for my manual 68 box. Nobody had them. Evan had 1 guy I bought them from and they were wrong, I even sent pictures. I see the ps Box eBay but not the manual. The box has two caged bearings, the lower is missing the cage now, seams not to hurt it but if anyone ever has a lead on them I could use a set. The box itself is simple, napa has the seals. I know if they have to much slop the gears can be reworked but mine were good. The end has shims in it and I took about .003 out. I only took it apart because it was old. If someone does get one rebuilt please let the group know.

i know of no person or company that has the parts or cores to overhaul a steering box for an a-series. the power units are not in the box but the ford type on the center link, and their crap. as for the lower bearing there is NO cage for the balls. they run in the grooves loose. thats why they are such a problem. i'v had a bunch apart and NEVER seen the balls in a cage. always have been always will be. i keep a couple spare steering boxes all the time but as of now down to one. my old van back in the 70's i went through 3 but there was more to choose from then and parts to fix them.

We ran into the same thing on my brothers 59 dodge truck, you can get the seals np, The numbers on the lower bearing that we could find actually cross to a bearing that doesnt work. On the truck there are needle bearings inside the section the worm gear rides against, these were worn and allowed that part to rock on the pin that goes thru it, overcame that by ditching the needle bearings and having a machine shop ream and make a bushing to replace them, that pin is staked in and somewhat difficult to remove, I havent seen a van box opened up yet was wondering if its the same way??