- Thread starter
- #21
If they did the mini box for you I wonder why they didnt offer that as a suggested fix? makes me wonder even more. Thanks for your help.
fj40 factory power steering what to do now???
- Thread starter CruiserheadFJ40
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #23
looks like we are going to Red Head Steering in WA to let them fix it. Thanks for everyone's help will keep you updated.
I have a 79 with factory power steering thats pouring out fluid from the box too! I was actually about to pull it off and send it to West Texas but now I'm a little scared. How much is Red Head charging and how long is their lead time?
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- #25
I don't want to talk bad about anyone and probably just a bad run of luck. I think some people here have had good service from west Texas. If they would have told me it may come back not working I wouldn't have sent it. That being said. 3-4 weeks turn around, I believe $500 +- for the rebuild. If the spool valve is bad another $160+-. Plus shipping to and from $80+-. They seem very knowledgeable and have parts to fix whatever is wrong. I guess less the housing but those are evidently still available. Worse case $1200 if my housing is bad I guess but I still have a factory PS original to the truck not a cobbled up PS.
- Thread starter
- #26
Red Head rebuilds Toyota PS boxes.
Brad Barr - Sales
Red-Head Steering Gears
206.364.3333 ext 102
- Thread starter
- #27
Red Head rebuilds Toyota
19705A
SENDING IN FOR CUSTOM REBUILD $516 + TAX
MAY NEW VALVE IF IT DOES + $160
BDB
SHIPPING SHIPPING, HANDLING AND INSURANCE 0.00T
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When dealing with Redhead steering, be sure to get the entire estimate in writing. I failed to do this, and was disappointed when they "rebuilt" my 1979 manual steering box. Although I dropped it off, and picked it up, in person, they actually sent it out to a different company (Straight Line Steering) in California for a rebuild. Rattle can grey paint job over all the fasteners, box was filled with grease, it was no where near the quality of rebuild that they advertise and show on their website. The technician kind of sheepishly told me that they can't/don't rebuild Toyota manual boxes anymore and just send them out to a 3rd party. I think that their main product line is domestic power steering boxes, and they do pretty well with those. Hopefully they will do better with Toyota Power steering boxes, but after my experience there with my manual box, I don't advocate for them.
- Thread starter
- #29
Thanks for the heads up. I hope so too. I am growing really tired of all the disappointments I have had so far. Sounds like you had a go around like I did with another company. Will see I guess. Thanks again.
- Thread starter
- #30
And never did understand what valve they use if it needed one. I asked it it was a mini truck box and I think he said no.
Hi, I’ve never had a problem with West Texas. They are a little slow, but quality ok. My trucks are mostly rust free. Mike
- Thread starter
- #32
And the saga continues. So now I have a rebuilt mini truck box that I can't use. Can't prove which one but one of the shops swapped my factory for a mini. Suggestions? Sacrifice the purity of the truck and use the mini box, spend another grand getting a new housing and building one or find a box for sale by some miracle?
!
What a mess. I’d be on the phone with both shops to track down the 40 housing. It sucks but I think I’d avoid hacking the frame at almost any cost.
- Thread starter
- #35
I got on the phone with the first one and it went south pretty quickly. My problem is that I didn't look at it before I sent it to the second shop so I have no proof to stand on. Very much a mess.
Maybe it time to consider a Saginaw.
Living in the Past
SILVER Star
Sounds like it's possible somewhere along the line your steering box was just switched with a off the shelf mini truck box that was already rebuilt and ready to go. Yours is now a core somewhere. Sending to a vendor that subs their work was another step added where a mistake could happen. Doubt even with documented pictures of my own power steering box would I trust either of these vendors to get their hands on it.
- Thread starter
- #38
Yes I agree. I will be buying a housing Tuesday and doing what I should have done at first and fix it my self.
There’s a couple 40-series power steering gearboxes on EBay at the moment. A LHD & RHD unit out of Russia ($800-ish) and one seller out of the Middle East with a RHD unit ($2500!). Maybe you can find the housing? Use the rebuilt mini truck guts for it.
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When you disassemble the mini truck box... use that as an opportunity to practice not destroying the power piston seals. You can use a dental pick to tuck the seal past the inner edge. The inner edge of the gearbox housing is pretty sharp where it's machined for the power piston cavity and the cross shaft. These edges will destroy the bottom teflon seal of the power piston. I found that tucking the seal while putting a little bit of pressure is enough to get the seals past the edge without damage. I know some people sand that edge before a rebuild to help some people don't.
In my opinion, seating the power piston without destroying the white teflon seal is the hardest part. I also have a pretty reliable trick posted in my rebuild thread regarding installing the teflon seals on the worm shaft without over stretching them.
In my opinion, seating the power piston without destroying the white teflon seal is the hardest part. I also have a pretty reliable trick posted in my rebuild thread regarding installing the teflon seals on the worm shaft without over stretching them.
