LA Steering gear box

46chief

Member
Can anyone tell me how to get this steering box apart. I need to replace the seal in the housing around the output shaft. I have removed the four nuts and tapped on it enough that it should pop right off but it will not move. Is something else holding that I do not see. Also if anyone knows the number for a replacement seal I would appreciate having it. This is the original seal and has no number on it. Thanks
 
You need to get two seal assemblies:
steering base cap assembly-- seal No.National 48055355R. Origional JD P/N AL2257T This seal keeps the water out of the steering box.
steering column column cap-- National 50141 Origional J/D P/N AF2907R

These are the Seal Nos. I use when I rebuilt my JD L/Hercules back in 2001. My JD tractor was built just before the war. I also found out that the seals I needed are still available at many of the parts suppliers and some JD dealers. The L/Hercules, L/John Deere and the LA/John Deere tractors all used the same steering boxes.
 
I have the top seal already but I need to replace the lower one around the large output shaft. I still cannot see how to get the housing out over the shaft. I think it may have something to do with the sleeve eccentric assembly but that larger nut will not move.
 
Remove the cover and don't loose the shims and screws. With that done you can unscrew the worm wheel from the sector gear. Clean the entire inside. Remove the old seal with a hook type tool. With the seal out of the way you can remove the sector gear from the box. When all is clean reinstall the sector gear and shaft. Make sure you don't damage the seal when you put the new one in and grease the area around the shaft and seal area before you press the new seal in. I used a piece of pipe on top of the new seal to install it. The pipe end should fit against the edge of the new seal when it is pressed into place. There are two necessary adjustments: The shim pack and the adjustment of the "essentric screw", Both have to be properly adjusted so that the worm and sector gear don't bind. You can then fill the steering box with gear oil. I use 80W-140 gear oil and just enough to cover the top of the worm wheel. This procedure is explain in various "Model A" manuals. The gear box is identical, or nearly identical, to that used in the "A".
Henry Dreyfuss was the designer of the "L" sheet metal coveringthe engine.
 
I have one apart right now waiting for parts, the bottom bearing was shot and the big seal that goes between the side plate and box was also shot. The bearings are different early/late L's, there is a serial break, the early ones used ball and the later roller bearings. I got the seals and shims from green parts, the bearing from bearing supply company.
 

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