# Ford 2600 Steering oil seal



## mike8021 (Mar 27, 2017)

Hello,
I have a 1976 Ford 2600 with power steering that has a leaky oil seal on the right side in the steering gear behind the steering arm. I removed the steering arm and the adjustment plate and going by my repair manual thought I would simply pull the steering sector gear and replace the oil seal. Apparently there is a bushing on the left side behind the adjustment plate so I can't remove the steering gear. How do you remove the bushing or if that isn't right how to replace the oil seal on the right side with the gear in place? I can't find any pics or instructions that cover removing the bushing and going forward. Thanks, Mike


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Refer to the New Holland parts diagram below. The steering pitman is removed from the left side, then the two seals on the right side driven out from the back. 

http://partstore.agriculture.newhol...Winger/parts-search.html#epc::mr66144ar258809


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## mike8021 (Mar 27, 2017)

Hello Mr. Wells, I'm including with this message two pics of my steering gear. You can see on the left side there is a bushing apparently that keeps the gear from being removed. Wondering how to remove bushing before going crazy with a hammer. Once I get that out then I can move on to the seals. Thanks for the reply. Regards, Mike


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Sounds as if you are attempting the job without a repair manual. Because you appear to have the double pitman arm setup, it is critical you follow the detailed disassembly instructions to keep the gears properly aligned as you pull the shaft in photo 1 from the opposite side to service the internal seal. You then drive the internal seal out the right side from the left side using a properly sized driver. 

I believe what shows in photo 1 is the external 32.77 mm seal in a rather worn condition. That seal is removed by pulling it by the flange that surrounds the cast housing itself. It will look a bit like a collar with the seal inside when removed.

However over the years there have been a number of aftermarket seal kits sold to correct the drooling that box does because it really has no pitman shaft bushings and they get sloppy as the steel wears out the cast iron and the seals leak.

You will want to take a real good look to see if that outside end seal slips over the end of the casting, or if it is an internal seal that will have to be driven out from the opposite side.


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## mike8021 (Mar 27, 2017)

I have the large repair manual that shows repair instructions for the various tractor systems. The manual shows a picture of the left side with the adjustment plate removed but doesn't show how the left side bushing is removed or installed. It just says to install bushing when putting it all back together. That is the problem: the manual doesn't address the bushing or whether the right side oil seal has to removed from inside the gear housing with a drift or whether it has to be drilled and pried out. Yes, that right seal is worn out. Even with hardly any oil in the housing it still continues to drip at the bottom. The only way I can see right now to remove the left side bushing would be to hammer the sector shaft against it from right to left but the internal teeth would be against the inside of the bushing. I won't do that until I get some confirmation that that is the right procedure. It may be that the correct way is to drill and pry the right side oil seal.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

I believe you're being overly cautious here. Yes, the sector gear will contact said bushing from the inside, but the bushing should not be an overly tight fit. Probably not much more than the resistance of the O ring sealing it to the case bore. Thread the nut back onto the splined end of the shaft and apply a couple light smacks to see if it gives in easily or not. Before doing so I would clean and mark one of the splines and place a corresponding mark on the case. Use something that won't wash off easily should you decide to clean your parts before assembly. I use a yellow paint stick for such things. If the steering wheel and the other sector gear are not rotated while the gear in question is out of the box, and your marks are again matched when the gear goes back, your timing should be undisturbed.


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## mike8021 (Mar 27, 2017)

Hi Fedup, Thanks for the tips. I will probably give it a shot tomorrow.


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## mike8021 (Mar 27, 2017)

Hello, Just getting back to posting about the bushing removal. Yes, the correct way to remove the bushing is by sliding the steering sector shaft up against the bushing and after reinstalling the nut then hitting the nut and shaft together the bushing will come out. It's a large bushing about 7/16" deep on the edge so it takes several firm hits for it to come loose. I've cleaned it all up as well as the gear box itself (or as well as I can by letting the oil soak into some old rags then wiping the bottom out as much as possible). Just waiting on the new seals to come in so I can finish up. Thanks for the advice guys! Regards, Mike


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## George Hewett (Aug 27, 2019)

Has anyone had issues with hydraulic fluid leaking around the clutch pedal shaft on a 1984 Ford 2600? Can this be replaced externally without breaking open the main case?


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## Saperavi (Aug 26, 2021)

mike8021 said:


> Hello, Just getting back to posting about the bushing removal. Yes, the correct way to remove the bushing is by sliding the steering sector shaft up against the bushing and after reinstalling the nut then hitting the nut and shaft together the bushing will come out. It's a large bushing about 7/16" deep on the edge so it takes several firm hits for it to come loose. I've cleaned it all up as well as the gear box itself (or as well as I can by letting the oil soak into some old rags then wiping the bottom out as much as possible). Just waiting on the new seals to come in so I can finish up. Thanks for the advice guys! Regards, Mike


I have the same problem but both spindle shaft seals are leaking. Did you drive the bushing and seal out by hitting the spindle shaft end on the opposite side of the tractor?
Thanks, 
Dean


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