The Dodge Dart "A" body car was produced from 1963 to 1976. The Dart was available in GT, GTS, Demon and Sport models. Dodge Darts were equipped with almost every engine available from Dodge, from the slant-six engine to the 340, 360, 383, 440 and 426 hemi V-8s. The Dodge Dart steering system consists of a manual or power-assisted steering box bolted to the driver's side of the frame. The steering column and steering wheel are attached to it. The steering box can be replaced in a few hours.
Park the Dart on level pavement and set the parking brake. Center the steering wheel.
Locate the sleeve at the end of the steering column where it attaches to the steering box. Find the roll pin that goes through the edge of the sleeve. Knock out the pin with a hammer and 3/16-inch punch.
Use a large flat-head screwdriver to pry the sleeve up and off of the steering box. If you have power steering, place a drain pan under the steering box and remove the two power steering hoses from the steering box. Allow the fluid to drain into the pan.
Raise the front of the Dart with a jack and support it with jack stands
Remove the nut and washer from the pitman arm that is attached to the bottom of the steering box. Use a pitman arm puller to remove the arm from the steering box.
Remove the four bolts that hold the steering box onto the frame. Lower and remove the steering box. Be careful, as it is heavy.
Center the input shaft on the steering box by turning it fully from one side to the other. Total travel should be four turns. Center the shaft by turning it back two turns, or half the total number of turns.
Install the steering box onto the frame. Install the four bolts and torque them to 100 ft.-lbs. with a torque wrench and socket. Install the pitman arm onto the steering box output shaft. The shaft has splines on it, with a small spot with no splines, The pitman arm has a matching spot on it. Line this up when you install the pitman arm. It will only go on one way. Install the washer and nut and tighten with a ratchet and socket to fully draw the pitman arm up onto the output shaft. Torque the nut to 175 ft.-lbs.
Make sure that the wheels and the steering wheel are still centered. Slide the sleeve on the end of the steering column onto the input shaft on the steering box. Note that the splined shaft has a round groove on the splined area of the shaft. You have to get the sleeve on far enough for the hole in the sleeve to match up with the groove. Once the splines are engaged, you may have to tap the sleeve with a hammer, while rotating the steering shaft, to get it on all the way. When the hole is lined up with the groove, drive in the roll pin to secure the sleeve onto the shaft. If you have power steering, reattach the hoses.
Raise the Dart, remove the jack stands and lower it to the ground. If you have power steering, fill the pump reservoir with fluid. Start the Dart and turn the steering wheel all the way to the right and left a couple of times and recheck the fluid level.
