Power Steering Gear Box 105 Series Sector Shaft/Pitman Arm Upgrade (1 Viewer)

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OGBeno

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Well, next project on the list and has been for a long time is to rebuild my very leaky gear box and while at the same time upgrade to the 105 series sector shaft and pitman arm.

I was planning on doing the rebuild myself of the gear box but after talking with Robbie I decided that I'd better let the pros take care of this as we aren't talking about a $50 assy here (OEM gear boxes from Toyota run well north of $2000!!).

Cruiserdrew keyed me in on West Texas Off Road that specializes in PS gear boxes, hydros, porting, etc. He had great luck with them and the prices are very reasonable. Basically ship your gear box to them (with or without rebuild parts) and they rebuild and paint your gear box and return it to you.

After saving up cash for awhile (new sector shaft and pitman arm are almost $450), I finally made the plunge for the parts. The gear box rebuild kit is actually more expensive than the pitman arm..... :eek::eek:

The sector shaft is a work of art: beefy, beautifully machined, and a big piece of metal.

In any event, I'm very excited to be taking care of my gear box which has been leaking, moaning and groaning for almost three years now under the weight of heavy wheeling and a hot climate.

I'll update this once I get my stuff back from West Texas Off Road.

On to the pron.... :cool:

Best.
-onur
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How much is West Texas Off Road charging you?

From the FSM it looks very easy to access the sector shaft and replace that. If that's all that needed to be replaced (for an upgrade) would you do it yourself?

Once you get past that point it seems the complexity level starts going up fairly rapidly.....
 
How much is West Texas Off Road charging you?

From the FSM it looks very easy to access the sector shaft and replace that. If that's all that needed to be replaced (for an upgrade) would you do it yourself?

Once you get past that point it seems the complexity level starts going up fairly rapidly.....

West Texas is charging me $110 (since I am providing my own rebuild parts) + shipping. Not a bad deal.

Yeah, when I looked at the FSM I figured I could do this myself, but after talking with Robbie who has done a few of these, I thought it better to farm it out to professionals. Robbie mentioned specifically that there are some reasonably tough areas once you get into the box and a screw up would be an expensive screw up. I trust Robbie's opinion and no one knows these trucks better than him.

So, that said, farming this out seems to me to be a better option. I have a spare gear box that I am going to rebuild on my own in the spring just so I can learn about the system and not mess up the one on my own rig.
 
Yo may have mentioned it somewhere else, but what are the benefits to the 105 series parts?
 
Yo may have mentioned it somewhere else, but what are the benefits to the 105 series parts?

More spline count and the splines are thicker. I haven't compared them to the OEM factory sector shaft, but doing an "eye" comparison to the one currently on the truck it does seem *significantly* beefier.
 
That is the best PM for someone that wheels tough trails regularly w/ bigger tires.

$450 is steep but cheap compared to what can happen to a bad stock one!
Was your old one twisted or just doing pm?

That new one looks nice and beefy!
 
Damnit O!!!! I'm just now getting the last few parts for my De-Rustification project and a front axle service, and now I gotta start saving for this!!!!! THANKS A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!

j/k, great work, keep us posted!!!!

AJ
 
Does this new steering box get rebuilt to be tighter as evident in a high mileage "worn" unit? (Vague centerness +/- an inch or two before steering action is taken from turning the wheel, often corrected a bit by tightening the tension nut on top of the box. )
 
That is the best PM for someone that wheels tough trails regularly w/ bigger tires.

$450 is steep but cheap compared to what can happen to a bad stock one!
Was your old one twisted or just doing pm?

That new one looks nice and beefy!

Well, this isn't PM James. On a recent trip, I twisted the splines so this upgrade is pretty much necessary at this point. I just needed an opportunity to justify the steep cost.

Mine leaking as well.
Eagarly waiting to hear your result

A leaking gear box is not a reason to upgrade to the 105 sector shaft/pitman arm combo. If your sector shaft splines are fine with not twisting, I would pull the box, rebuild and call it a day.

Damnit O!!!! I'm just now getting the last few parts for my De-Rustification project and a front axle service, and now I gotta start saving for this!!!!! THANKS A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!

j/k, great work, keep us posted!!!!

AJ

AJ--pull out the wallet bro...you've got some ways to go.... ;)

Does this new steering box get rebuilt to be tighter as evident in a high mileage "worn" unit? (Vague centerness +/- an inch or two before steering action is taken from turning the wheel, often corrected a bit by tightening the tension nut on top of the box. )

I played with the nut on top of the box for a bit James and really couldn't get it to tighten too much more. That said, my box is also leaking pretty good out of the input seal at the top of the box where the shaft enters from the steering wheel. My current "corrective" action is to stuff a rag in there to soak up the 1/2 oz. of fluid that pumps out every week or so. This rig is not my DD so I'm not that worried about it as it sits. I am more worried about it in high torque/low speed/hot conditions like the trips I do in the spring and summer months--including the Rubithon which does indeed test your rig to the fullest (beyond just the wing nut behind the wheel... :steer: )

We'll see how the newly rebuilt gearbox is once I get it in by mid-December or so...

Happy holidays.
-onur
 
Sounds like the PS gear box should be added to my list of parts to strip from my wrecked 95. Spendy stuff
 
I did a rebuild with a friend and it's pretty straight forward. The difficult part is getting all the balls in. I'm wondering what Robbie was so concerned about.

the balls were the biggest "ball breaker" (no pun intended):D Once I figured out how they go in it was a very easy rebuild. Any one doing this just be very careful with the Teflon rings

will be interested to see how the 105 parts work out :cheers:
 
To clairify the new sector is the same diameter as the original in relation to the way it fits in the box. The difference is the diameter of the splined section at the bottom. It is much larger than the original and, in theory at least, it will be more difficult to twist the shaft.

The new shaft requires a new pitman because of the diameter change. As a foot note if one were to buy a new OEM box it will come with the larger shaft and it requires the new pitman as well.
 
Any update on the rebuild?

I don't think I have twisted anything (yet), but having replaced virtually everything up front as part of lifting and PM, my steering could be more...shall we say...consistent...

Sometimes it is tight and rock solid straight tracking, and sometimes it likes to wander a bit with some pull.

Getting down to the steering box in things that could be going on...
 
I don't think he has had time to ship the box out. He has been very busy for the last few weeks and he is out of town at the moment.
 
West Texas is charging me $110 (since I am providing my own rebuild parts) + shipping. Not a bad deal.

Yeah, when I looked at the FSM I figured I could do this myself, but after talking with Robbie who has done a few of these, I thought it better to farm it out to professionals. Robbie mentioned specifically that there are some reasonably tough areas once you get into the box and a screw up would be an expensive screw up. I trust Robbie's opinion and no one knows these trucks better than him.

So, that said, farming this out seems to me to be a better option. I have a spare gear box that I am going to rebuild on my own in the spring just so I can learn about the system and not mess up the one on my own rig.

I just got mine back from West Texas, they did a great job, shipped when they said and everything, no leaks and works as good as new. I recommend them highly

Sethro
 

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