RE: [Chrysler300] roller tappets & early steering boxes

["Rich Barber" <c300@xxxxxxx>]

Thanks, Christopher for your always detailed responses.

RE:  

Item 2.  The filler hole for the upper section is inside the firewall seal
but is fairly accessible, even with the column shaft cover in place as the
top is open.  I can feel it, anyway.  In order to assure the upper section
has lube, it would seem one would have to prepare a flex hose with a fitting
on the end that would screw into the filler hole (1/4" NPT-Allen head hex
socket?), then pump into it until oil ran out the overflow weep hole at the
lower end of the upper half of the unit.  I don't recall doing this for lube
jobs in the '50's.  One could reasonably assume any leakage between the
upper and lower housings would be upward due to the high pressure fluid in
the lower housing.

The Service Manual is quite clear that Part number Group 19-19-35, 1484523,
oil seal, can be replaced on the car by removing the steering arm and a
retaining ring-19-19-5, 1554881, oil seal lock, then use special tool C-3350
to remove the old seal and install the new seal as shown on pages 410 and
418 of the 1955 Service Manual.  Lacking a special tool and a source of the
new seals puts the overhaul shop out of the business.  There are 55
(interesting number) of special tools listed for the coaxial power steering
unit, many of them are rather generic, but the others appear critical to
doing the job right.  Determining the overhaul shop has these special tools
and the expertise to use them would seem to be reasonable questions--as well
as determining that they have a supply of all seals and wear parts.

Can you provide more specific information on that hydraulic ram seal--even
if it is a generic ID/OD seal?  As you noted, this is a low-pressure section
with only a nominal service factor for the seal.

Anyone:  Please respond to the server if you have found a source for the
seal in question, and/or the special tool.

Perhaps repeating, the replacement p/s unit, even though it leaks, yields no
steering wheel play or slop like the old unit had.  This makes me think the
rack and pinion in the replacement unit had less wear.  Interestingly
enough, the replacement unit lower housing is stamped 10 6 55, presumably
the date.  My car was produced on St. Paddy's day, 1955, so the unit must
have been replaced at least once before!  The new unit just has 16 55, with
the presumed month missing due to a light strike or a wear or rubout in the
aluminum.

Finally, closer reading of the service manual indicates the p/s unit can be
filled with SAE 10W oil or type "A" oil--(page 403).  10W oil would probably
be easier on old seals.  I understand DexronIII has a rather aggressive
additive package that may cause problems with old hoses and seals.

C-300'ly
Rich Barber
Brentwood, CA
1955 C-300

-----Original Message-----
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of christopher beilby
Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 3:26 AM
To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Chrysler300] roller tappets & early steering boxes

1) In earlier days I had a mid 20s 7th Series Lancia Lambda that began as a 
Model Series after the First World War that had as standard roller cam 
followers as part of their alloy block V4 OHC motor.  They also had 
independent front suspension and are credited with being the first car to 
use the body as the chassis, as did Chrysler in 1960. (If you released the 
coiled frong springs without proper tool, they could take your head off, and

they did so to quite a few people)
Others likely will know of earlier roller ones - maybe Vauxhall in early 
1900s?

2) Rich Barber's power steering woes sound like the problem I found about 6 
years ago re difficulty finding anyone in the US with the needed top oil 
seal that goes in the lower half of the two parts of pre 1958 power steering

boxes is no better.  And re oil leaking out of the top of the top half part 
of the box when re-installing the whole thing back in the car, is avoided if

one puts the oil in the top after installing in the car - however this must 
be done from memory before bolting column shaft etc on, as you cannot add it

after that.

A way around the non available seal is as a last resort use a hydraulic ram 
seal, however the only one my rebuild shop could find as a near match 
required machining a little out of the alloy seal holder piece that sits 
atop the lower half of the box that the seal fits in.
Mine has not leaked yet, but beware if trying this, as (seemingly?!) these 
ram seals are made for way higher pressures, and my rebuilder was not sure 
if it would not leak when little pressure on it.  If later on, the non 
available seal becomes available, you would need another alloy holder piece 
from another box to go back to original if you wished to avoid getting the 
one you machined out back to it's smaller original inner size.  Otherwise 
your 300 box is in no way altered permanently or re how operates.

Others in US may know a better way round this 'non available seal' problem -

after 6 months wait 6 yrs ago JC could not find/supply the seal, which 
seemingly is the only part that needs attention, unless you are unlucky. 
After rebuilding the box, you may need to 'centre' where the box returns to,

and this is done down through the top with the column off, and you need like

a long thin screwdriver, but it is a blade like part sticks up from the box,

so you need an internally slotted end that will go over this blade so you 
can turn it left or right as/if needed.

Chrysler changed to a simpler box in 1958, so owners of 58 on need not 
worry, and I think parts/kits for these are still easily available, plus 
most shops know how to rebuild these.

Christopher in Oz




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