liquidh8
Comic Book Super Hero
Worth rebuilding, I did mine in the wagon, as its a 442/SS/GN box.
Want To Rebuild Your Saginaw 800 series Steering Box?
- Thread starter 69hurstolds
- Start date
I have a new YA box I could use, but I think I'm going to rebuild the YA box that's in it. I've been waffling around for the last week trying to decide whether to rebuild and reuse my old box or just be lazy and plop on the NOS box. I'm going to try this again. It's been 200 years since I've piddled around with this thing.
I already had a Gates rebuild seal kit for the box, but it was the ones without the bearing. I also have a new adjuster bearing, so I bought both types for the pitman shaft. I got a Timken USA old school full needle bearing without the stop ledge, and also an SKF USA BH1250 bearing with the stop ledge. The only real reason for the ledge is to keep the bearing from walking up into the gear area. But considering it's super low turning speeds, and never even a single entire revolution, I don't think anyone's ever had that issue. School's still out on which one I'm going to use.
While I don't have a face spanner of the correct size for the adjuster nut, I honestly have never used one. No need to get that tool now. Not for this. As luck would have it, I do happen to have the K-M tools for bearing drivers and the ball bearing "corn cob" tool to keep the balls in the rack. I got these after-the-fact from doing my last steering box many years ago and I'm figuring it'll make reassembly a bit easier. After watching Hutch's videos with his 1/2" hose trick (pretty ingenious), I'm thinking I can do the same thing with the "corn cob" tool without having to use grease and get by with the PS fluid.
I already had a Gates rebuild seal kit for the box, but it was the ones without the bearing. I also have a new adjuster bearing, so I bought both types for the pitman shaft. I got a Timken USA old school full needle bearing without the stop ledge, and also an SKF USA BH1250 bearing with the stop ledge. The only real reason for the ledge is to keep the bearing from walking up into the gear area. But considering it's super low turning speeds, and never even a single entire revolution, I don't think anyone's ever had that issue. School's still out on which one I'm going to use.
While I don't have a face spanner of the correct size for the adjuster nut, I honestly have never used one. No need to get that tool now. Not for this. As luck would have it, I do happen to have the K-M tools for bearing drivers and the ball bearing "corn cob" tool to keep the balls in the rack. I got these after-the-fact from doing my last steering box many years ago and I'm figuring it'll make reassembly a bit easier. After watching Hutch's videos with his 1/2" hose trick (pretty ingenious), I'm thinking I can do the same thing with the "corn cob" tool without having to use grease and get by with the PS fluid.
Well, how about that.
Life is like a box of bearings. You never know what you're going to get.
GM sells it under p/n 5697804 for lotsa bucks. Current list price is $80.52 USD. It's an INA SLH12501 bearing made in USA.
I thought I bought an SKF USA-made bearing for the pitman shaft (to replace the ledged original) from Rockauto. It was a little over $6.50, around $12 total with shipping and tax. After opening the box today it seems I got an INA SLH12501 bearing in an SKF BH1250 box. Interesting. Note the "note" on the side of the box that says "Contains quality products manufactured or purchased by SKF." Pretty good feeling to know I got another GM bearing for chump change in comparison to paying through the nose for a GM box that just gets thrown away. I still have the full roller non-ledge, Timken USA bearing, but I think I'll likely go with this ledged one.
I gotta get my azz moving and yank out that steering box and get this show on the road.
Here's a pic of a GM bearing 5697804 showing it as an INA SLH12501 on a Brazil auction site.
Rockauto.com web page for the bearing. Cheap as I've ever seen it anywhere.
Life is like a box of bearings. You never know what you're going to get.
GM sells it under p/n 5697804 for lotsa bucks. Current list price is $80.52 USD. It's an INA SLH12501 bearing made in USA.
I thought I bought an SKF USA-made bearing for the pitman shaft (to replace the ledged original) from Rockauto. It was a little over $6.50, around $12 total with shipping and tax. After opening the box today it seems I got an INA SLH12501 bearing in an SKF BH1250 box. Interesting. Note the "note" on the side of the box that says "Contains quality products manufactured or purchased by SKF." Pretty good feeling to know I got another GM bearing for chump change in comparison to paying through the nose for a GM box that just gets thrown away. I still have the full roller non-ledge, Timken USA bearing, but I think I'll likely go with this ledged one.
I gotta get my azz moving and yank out that steering box and get this show on the road.
Here's a pic of a GM bearing 5697804 showing it as an INA SLH12501 on a Brazil auction site.
Rockauto.com web page for the bearing. Cheap as I've ever seen it anywhere.
Last edited:
Similar threads
