Tapping Steering Gear Box for Hydraulic Assist Lines (PICS)
Figured id take some pics since i havent found a nice clear set of them online.
Id recommend that you rebuild your gearbox while you have it off and empty.
Here is the writeup i used http://4x4.forensick.net/88bronco/images/sbr/index.htm
its very detailed and made it very easy to rebuild mine.
Onto the tapping.. I will assume that you will be rebuilding it as well.. Click on that link above and do steps one through ten. (if you are just tapping it then do not remove any bearings)
Heres what the box looks like empty and clean.
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For the first fitting mark a point 1/4 inch in from the top right corner (i removed the paint from this raised area so you could see it better)
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I started off with a small bit and kept increasing the size until i got to the size i needed. Since my fittings used a 1/4 npt thread i stopped at 7/16".
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use your tap and tap it. I was told not to tap it all the way through so that the fitting seals better. i threaded 3/4 of the hole.
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bad picture but you can sort of see the threads.. damn flash..
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the next hole is a bit tricky.. You need to keep the fitting centered so that it forms a T with the hole inside. Be careful not to go through the hole and into the main body. Drill in enough just to create a T.. For my box i used 1" in from the left and 1/2" up from the bottom. You can see the mark in this pic.
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once again.. start small and keep going till you reach the right bit.. better safe than sorry..
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here you can see what i mean about not going through into the main body.. the fluid actually moves into that shaft that you just T'd into through that slot on the bottom right in this pic..
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install the fittings.
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go back to the rebuild writeup and go onto step 11..
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thanks to reptillikus for his awesome rebuild writeup and to zack for the fuzzy pic of his tapped box.. :rockon
Figured id take some pics since i havent found a nice clear set of them online.
Id recommend that you rebuild your gearbox while you have it off and empty.
Here is the writeup i used http://4x4.forensick.net/88bronco/images/sbr/index.htm
its very detailed and made it very easy to rebuild mine.
Onto the tapping.. I will assume that you will be rebuilding it as well.. Click on that link above and do steps one through ten. (if you are just tapping it then do not remove any bearings)
Heres what the box looks like empty and clean.
For the first fitting mark a point 1/4 inch in from the top right corner (i removed the paint from this raised area so you could see it better)
I started off with a small bit and kept increasing the size until i got to the size i needed. Since my fittings used a 1/4 npt thread i stopped at 7/16".
use your tap and tap it. I was told not to tap it all the way through so that the fitting seals better. i threaded 3/4 of the hole.
bad picture but you can sort of see the threads.. damn flash..
the next hole is a bit tricky.. You need to keep the fitting centered so that it forms a T with the hole inside. Be careful not to go through the hole and into the main body. Drill in enough just to create a T.. For my box i used 1" in from the left and 1/2" up from the bottom. You can see the mark in this pic.
once again.. start small and keep going till you reach the right bit.. better safe than sorry..
here you can see what i mean about not going through into the main body.. the fluid actually moves into that shaft that you just T'd into through that slot on the bottom right in this pic..
install the fittings.
go back to the rebuild writeup and go onto step 11..
thanks to reptillikus for his awesome rebuild writeup and to zack for the fuzzy pic of his tapped box.. :rockon
