Requesting Knowledge from experienced folks - Steering

[thatguylegit69]

Hey Folks,

So, pretty much just have half the truck apart, currently. I'm on Steering & Power Steering components right now.

Here's what I've found:
1) Power Steering
• The unit has always been dirty/greasy since owning, figured I'd inspect & clean upon removal.
• Upon removal, the bolts holding the unit in were hand tight. Quite surprising.
• I'm suspecting that it's been removed a time or two, not torqued correctly, hence the greasy unit.
• Cleaned it up, seems fine; but will confirm once installed.

2) Steering Shaft
• As per pictures, also greasy, as expected.
• But, this seal, should it look like this? (See picture 2)
• The lower Bolt? (1 1/4" socket fits on it) (Picture 5) seems backed out a bit to me.

3) Exhaust Manifold
• Haven't paid attention to it before, but today noticed the gasket on it. (Pictures 3 & 4)
• Installed correctly or? Never kept my manifolds long enough on other trucks to notice.

But, this is where I'm at. Sorry to bother you with those, but just needed some outside speculations.

 

[BenBB]

Hand tight P/S pump bolts ain't good, most likely has been replaced at least once as they are pretty common failures (or at least annoyingly noisy for everyone at some point). That seal is just a dust seal...ish, my factory ('13) one and reman rack had the same flimsy thing. The giant bolt looking thing I believe is just a cap on the sector(?) shaft housing, it should at least be tight enough to prevent leakage. Exhaust gasket matches mine, factory as far as I know...

 

[thatguylegit69]

Hand tight P/S pump bolts ain't good, most likely has been replaced at least once as they are pretty common failures (or at least annoyingly noisy for everyone at some point). That seal is just a dust seal...ish, my factory ('13) one and reman rack had the same flimsy thing. The giant bolt looking thing I believe is just a cap on the sector(?) shaft housing, it should at least be tight enough to prevent leakage. Exhaust gasket matches mine, factory as far as I know...

Thanks, man!
Yeah, I figured it's been at least replaced once and just didn't re torque to spec.
The gasket just seemed odd to me. But not out of the realm of being screwed up, with how many other things are.