Dodge 2001 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual page 1615

19 - 22 GEAR
PITMAN SHAFT
REMOVAL
(1) Clean exposed end of pitman shaft and housing
with a wire brush.
(2) Remove preload adjuster nut (Fig. 16).
(3) Rotate the stub shaft with a 12 point socket
from stop to stop and count the number of turns.
(4) Center the stub shaft by rotating it from the
stop 1/2 of the total amount of turns.
(5) Remove side cover bolts and remove side cover,
gasket and pitman shaft as an assembly (Fig. 16).
NOTE: The pitman shaft will not clear the housing if
it is not centered.
Fig. 16 Side Cover and Pitman Shaft
1 - SIDE COVER BOLTS
2 - PRELOAD ADJUSTER NUT
3 - SIDE COVER
4 - GASKET SEAL
5 - PITMAN SHAFT GEAR
6 - HOUSING ASSEMBLY
(6) Remove pitman shaft from the side cover.
(7) Remove dust seal from the housing with a seal
pick (Fig. 17).
CAUTION: Use care not to score the housing bore
when prying out seals and washer.
(8) Remove retaining ring with snap ring pliers.
Fig. 17 Pitman Shaft Seals & Bearing
1 - BEARING
2 - WASHER
3 - DUST SEAL
4 - RETAINER
5 - OIL SEAL
(9) Remove washer from the housing.
(10) Remove oil seal from the housing with a seal
pick.
(11) Remove pitman shaft bearing from housing
with a bearing driver and handle (Fig. 18).
Fig. 18 Needle Bearing Removal
1 - REMOVER
2 - SIDE COVER AREA
BR/BE