Someone over on another forum was asking about Saginaw 800 series rebuild kits. Figured that's good stuff to disclose here as well.
If'n you got a Saginaw 800 series steering box, and you want to keep what you got (especially if you have the 80s H/O and 442, Monte SS, etc., fast ratio box, which I'll just refer to as the 442/SS box) they're NOT that hard to do. I mean, it sucks, because prepping it to work on it sucks because of all the fluid that gets everywhere. It's rather messy at first when you drain that pig. 9 times out of 10, your box ain't worn out, but the seals are shot and you're leaking fluid.
Here's a tip for you Cutlass and Monte guys: The ONLY changes to the non-442/SS box and a non-442/SS box are two parts. The sliding rack inside, and the input shaft steering valve. Those are the only two parts that are different part numbers. I haven't researched any other makes/models. So if you have to trash a fast ratio box, and those two parts are still good, save them. You may can "convert" another box to a fast ratio if need be. Just sayin'.
There are several rebuild gasket kits you can buy to get the job done depending on whether you're just sealing it up or putting new bearings in. Gates PS rebuild kits. Gates 351290 (seals and peripheals kit only), about $26 and change on Amazon right now, or 350430 (comes with adjuster bearing, too), about $45-ish.
Edelmann 8521 (seals and peripheals kit only) or 8522 (seals with adjuster bearing) SEEMS to be the same kit just under another name. Runs around the same price.
Seal kits themselves are pretty cheap, but the bearings add a good chunk to the price. You could just buy the bearings separate if you have a seal kit. The adjuster bearing is GM p/n 7828012.
There's also Crown J8130142, National DB-53313 ($9.10 at Rockauto.com at this writing), and Ford D9UZ-3D525-A.
One thing that doesn't come with the kit is the biggie roller bearing for the pitman shaft is 5697804, and it is still available, and LISTS FROM GM for $78.50 but usually you can get a discount to a tad less than 50 bucks. Yeeeouch!!!
Kinda hard to find, but if you can get an INA bearing, that's who supplied them for GM parts. USA made (or at least they used to be). INA (Schaeffler) SLH12501, Inner diam. 32 mm, Outer diam. 41.275 mm, Width 32 mm.
Ford p/n D5UZ-3576-B, same bearing.
Crown has a version of the bearing. Summit sells it for 17 bucks. J4487154.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cwa-j4487154
SKF BH1250 is another version of the same bearing. Rockauto.com sells it for $7.25 but it's not "assigned" to a particular make and model.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1841396&jsn=3
There's some weird guy on here that goes by the handle oldsofb that makes videos of himself rebuilding garbage on his junk. (And why do I watch them all?).
Watch and learn, young padowan...(there's several parts. This is just part one where he does the adjustments on the box, but ends up mucking up an o-ring apparently and has to go inside of it. Watch them all. Great stuff. Can't say enough how cool these vids are.)
If'n you got a Saginaw 800 series steering box, and you want to keep what you got (especially if you have the 80s H/O and 442, Monte SS, etc., fast ratio box, which I'll just refer to as the 442/SS box) they're NOT that hard to do. I mean, it sucks, because prepping it to work on it sucks because of all the fluid that gets everywhere. It's rather messy at first when you drain that pig. 9 times out of 10, your box ain't worn out, but the seals are shot and you're leaking fluid.
Here's a tip for you Cutlass and Monte guys: The ONLY changes to the non-442/SS box and a non-442/SS box are two parts. The sliding rack inside, and the input shaft steering valve. Those are the only two parts that are different part numbers. I haven't researched any other makes/models. So if you have to trash a fast ratio box, and those two parts are still good, save them. You may can "convert" another box to a fast ratio if need be. Just sayin'.
There are several rebuild gasket kits you can buy to get the job done depending on whether you're just sealing it up or putting new bearings in. Gates PS rebuild kits. Gates 351290 (seals and peripheals kit only), about $26 and change on Amazon right now, or 350430 (comes with adjuster bearing, too), about $45-ish.
Edelmann 8521 (seals and peripheals kit only) or 8522 (seals with adjuster bearing) SEEMS to be the same kit just under another name. Runs around the same price.
Seal kits themselves are pretty cheap, but the bearings add a good chunk to the price. You could just buy the bearings separate if you have a seal kit. The adjuster bearing is GM p/n 7828012.
There's also Crown J8130142, National DB-53313 ($9.10 at Rockauto.com at this writing), and Ford D9UZ-3D525-A.
One thing that doesn't come with the kit is the biggie roller bearing for the pitman shaft is 5697804, and it is still available, and LISTS FROM GM for $78.50 but usually you can get a discount to a tad less than 50 bucks. Yeeeouch!!!
Kinda hard to find, but if you can get an INA bearing, that's who supplied them for GM parts. USA made (or at least they used to be). INA (Schaeffler) SLH12501, Inner diam. 32 mm, Outer diam. 41.275 mm, Width 32 mm.
Ford p/n D5UZ-3576-B, same bearing.
Crown has a version of the bearing. Summit sells it for 17 bucks. J4487154.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cwa-j4487154
SKF BH1250 is another version of the same bearing. Rockauto.com sells it for $7.25 but it's not "assigned" to a particular make and model.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1841396&jsn=3
There's some weird guy on here that goes by the handle oldsofb that makes videos of himself rebuilding garbage on his junk. (And why do I watch them all?).
Watch and learn, young padowan...(there's several parts. This is just part one where he does the adjustments on the box, but ends up mucking up an o-ring apparently and has to go inside of it. Watch them all. Great stuff. Can't say enough how cool these vids are.)
