Help needed with identifying seals on Saginaw rebuild

[sierradmax]

I recently tore into a Saginaw steering box pulled from a 1999. After carefully following @hosejockey61 's youtube video, it appears that my steering box has different sector shaft seals. Could anyone help identify correct seals? As you can see in the video screenshot, the snap ring is seated deeper in the sector shafts bore. With my steering box, the snap ring was very close to the end of the bore.

 

[hosejockey61]

I recently tore into a Saginaw steering box pulled from a 1999. After carefully following @hosejockey61 's youtube video, it appears that my steering box has different sector shaft seals. Could anyone help identify correct seals? As you can see in the video screenshot, the snap ring is seated deeper in the sector shafts bore. With my steering box, the snap ring was very close to the end of the bore.

View attachment 667122

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Can you take a better picture of your bore with some light on it? Take a few... One where the bearing seats and one from the backside as well. Take a pic of the entire casting as well.

 

[sierradmax]

Can you take a better picture of your bore with some light on it? Take a few... One where the bearing seats and one from the backside as well. Take a pic of the entire casting as well.

I spent some time viewing other videos.. Mainly BleepinJeep's saqinaw rebuild. It seems as if the depth of the snap ring is the same.

If you speed up to 12:30, you'll see the depth.

I purchased the same kit in BleepinJeep's comments but the seals included seem to be the ones needed for a gearbox of your design.

I also went back into the garage, cleaned up the two seals and low and behold, there were p/n's on them. However, both are GM p/n's and are discontinued.
5683373 (inner)
5684278 (outer)

The gearbox appears to have different castings than the one in your video, especially where the Saginaw symbol is. Visually, I cannot tell the difference with the ball bearings. I needed to use a caliper to find out that (12) are .255" and the other (12) are .260". I have suspicion that the at one point the gearbox was swapped by a previous owner.

Does anyone have a good online cross-reference chart to help identify replacements for discontinued seals?

 

[hosejockey61]

I also went back into the garage, cleaned up the two seals and low and behold, there were p/n's on them. However, both are GM p/n's and are discontinued.
5683373 (inner)
5684278 (outer)

The gearbox appears to have different castings than the one in your video, especially where the Saginaw symbol is. Visually, I cannot tell the difference with the ball bearings. I needed to use a caliper to find out that (12) are .255" and the other (12) are .260". I have suspicion that the at one point the gearbox was swapped by a previous owner.

Does anyone have a good online cross-reference chart to help identify replacements for discontinued seals?

If you haven't already, reach out to https://powersteeringseals.com

These guys are great and will get you what you need if you call and give them info about your box. This is where I source my seals from.

 

[sierradmax]

I had not. I went on Edelmann to reference a 99 TJ gearbox rebuild kit. It looks as if the seals are similar to powersteeringseals.

This morning, I took a trip to my friends shop. He has a couple of XJ's in the yard. A 2000 Jeep XJ, I could tell that the Saginaw box was identical. Similar castings and I could visibily see the sector shaft snap ring close to the snout of the box. I proceeded to Autozone, O'Rielly's, and Advance Auto. Only Advance Auto was the most helpful. Using the original seal p/n's, there were some SKF cross-reference seals associated. They should be at the store tomorrow. The store manager even depicted a match with a 2000 XJ as "pitman arm kit's" so we shall see. Fingers crossed.

 

[hosejockey61]

I had not. I went on Edelmann to reference a 99 TJ gearbox rebuild kit. It looks as if the seals are similar to powersteeringseals.

This morning, I took a trip to my friends shop. He has a couple of XJ's in the yard. A 2000 Jeep XJ, I could tell that the Saginaw box was identical. Similar castings and I could visibily see the sector shaft snap ring close to the snout of the box. I proceeded to Autozone, O'Rielly's, and Advance Auto. Only Advance Auto was the most helpful. Using the original seal p/n's, there were some SKF cross-reference seals associated. They should be at the store tomorrow. The store manager even depicted a match with a 2000 XJ as "pitman arm kit's" so we shall see. Fingers crossed.

Okay cool. If you end up, still not figuring it out though. The power steering seals people are phenomenal when you just give them a description of your box. They know what the hell they're doing

 

[sierradmax]

Another question for you @hosejockey61

For the lower tap (shallow), I measured the fitting fully seated and it appears that the bottom of the fitting would restrict about 50% of the bore, restricting fluid flow in that passage. Is it worthwhile marking the centerline of the passage on the fitting & round-file the bottom of the fitting to prohibit any flow restriction?

 

[hosejockey61]

Another question for you @hosejockey61

For the lower tap (shallow), I measured the fitting fully seated and it appears that the bottom of the fitting would restrict about 50% of the bore, restricting fluid flow in that passage. Is it worthwhile marking the centerline of the passage on the fitting & round-file the bottom of the fitting to prohibit any flow restriction?

I don't see why not. That's not a bad idea. I got tired of the sluggish movement of mine and I've only used it this last year. Not responsive enough either. I'm moving on to all PSC now. Currently working on it.

 

[sierradmax]

I have a full PSC kit with Blaine's cooling setup and return fittings/hoses in my JK axle swapped TJ. I have no complaints. This new build, however, is a beater and I'm trying to build it as cheap as possible.

On a sidenote, Advance Auto Parts pulled through. National "PSK-1" is the kit needed.

 

[hosejockey61]

I have a full PSC kit with Blaine's cooling setup and return fittings/hoses in my JK axle swapped TJ. I have no complaints. This new build, however, is a beater and I'm trying to build it as cheap as possible.

On a sidenote, Advance Auto Parts pulled through. National "PSK-1" is the kit needed.

Yeah I'm making a video on it. I agree that "for the money", a poor man's hydro assist is worth what you get out of it. And for a lot of people, it will fill their needs. It just wasn't doing it for me, especially once I understood the core issues with system.