That'd be boring
Steering gear box issue
- Thread starter anthony1hdt80
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Easy fellas, the comment you took with the "simpleton" name calling was sort of condescending. The rest of us see that as well.
The OP is benefiting from all the sources as options to fit his/hers needs, maybe we can work together a bit better or even source a good used unit out of the classifieds as well.
- Thread starter
- #25
Thanks everyone for your responses. I did order a bbb from rock auto. That was the easiest and best option for me. I have had 3 people look at my box and none could get back together and the last didn’t want to use it (suggested I buy one from him and he would rebuild it) but at that point I would rather buy new. I have seen people talking about the ports. I feel like mine may have those, and if so, do they come plugged or easy to plug? Thanks. Not a lot of mechanical experience, but trying to learn.
I apologize for my brief lack of composure and thanks for calling me out on it.
I just ask that we don’t casually throw around misinformation because I consider it litter/junk. It doesn’t belong in nature nor does it belong here.
Good news is we have options in the aftermarket and OEM. These options have a price tag, a number. Numbers don’t lie. Pick what works best for you.
I went with a new box and won’t look back. If I ever have a need, I will send my og box to Redhead for a “rebuild”. This was always the og plan.
Yep it's all good. Like I was saying, in my research, there were cheaper at the time. Could have been a sale, plenty of supply, or who knows what but they were less than the $1800 now. Buying the stuff and having it rebuilt was cheaper at the time but close enough to make me ponder a new box. Like you, having the og unit rebuilt by Red Head was always my plan unless the OEM new ones were cheap enough.I apologize for my brief lack of composure and thanks for calling me out on it.
I just ask that we don’t casually throw around misinformation because I consider it litter/junk. It doesn’t belong in nature nor does it belong here.
Good news is we have options in the aftermarket and OEM. These options have a price tag, a number. Numbers don’t lie. Pick what works best for you.
I went with a new box and won’t look back. If I ever have a need, I will send my og box to Redhead for a “rebuild”. This was always the og plan.
Since the OP bought a reman from Rockauto, I will say that sometimes the "slop" may still be there as they typically don't replace the sector shaft. That's how mine was. It was better but not gone. They will adjust the preload but it could just be too worn to take out the play. But, if anything, now you have a spare box and it doesn't have to be down if you decide to have the OG unit rebuilt.
@COYS I'm a lot like you with how you did your exhaust. I'm more at the point of just replace the whole system and call it good than one individual piece. The A/C system was what pushed me to that method. Got tired of chasing leaks.
Pls don't litter, homey. A new gear box has always been in the $1700 range for quite some time (btw, the $1800 you're throwing around is WITH shipping to Los Angeles as of yesterday).
How do I know? Because, to correct you again, I was always in the market for a new box, never a "rebuilt" seal job from Redhead. How do I know x2? I bought a new one in October 2021 for $17xx + shipping.
So long as a new T steering box is avail <$2K, I will always go this route and will recommend to others to seriously consider it. If you're short on cash, cool. There are other paths. Just not mine.
Internet lmao.
P.S. 60 series owners would drool at the thought of a new T s box being available - get yours while they last
P.P.S. If only T would pay me a sales commission
Then do it! Based on my recent road trip, I think the new manifold to tip refresh netted me an additional .5 to 1mpg. Totally worth it.
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Read the entire thread and didn’t see a link to the new box for under $2k?
Edit: I'm a bozo
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If it’s just leaking I’ve heard Lucas stop leak can actually be quite effective without the negative side effects seen in other liquid mechanics. By the way, this came from a respected Cruiser mechanic.
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- #31
The one that I bought is new. I spent a little more for that over the reman. Hoping for the best.
- Thread starter
- #32
I actually went that route and it went from a somewhat leaky box ( a very small puddle over night-2days) to pretty much draining it in a day. Very discouraged about the mechanics in a bottle now
Hm, I haven’t tried it myself but like I said this was a LC specialist that suggested it. But yea it’s always a gamble and every truck is different.
Apparently COYS has planted hidden cameras in Redhead's shop to find out they're really only replacing seals and are actually lying about how they rebuild boxes.
About/Process. Red-Head Steering Gears
redheadsteeringgears.com
Please share your techniques on placing cameras without getting caught. There's a midget lesbian couple down the street, and I need to get me some fap material.
Maybe they're good at maths and can give you some free arithmetic lessons while you're gettin' busy.
You seem to tout your math skills a lot, yet you've provided no corrections.
I'm not going to argue about it. If you saw something different than me then cool. "littering" is a pretty ridiculous way to put it but whatever. To the OP, doesn't matter if you go w/ Red Head rebuilt or new OEM, you'll be happy either way.
Another vote for rebuilding it yourself. The kit is cheap and it's a very educational experience. The hardest part by far is getting those recirculating ball bearings back in. I finally resorted to smearing grease on them so they'd stay in place.
forum.ih8mud.com
Steering gear box rebuild
This is the second time I’ve seen the inside of an 80 series gearbox. I bought a used box this summer and rebuilt it with the help of a good friend and Lexus mechanic. Then we swapped it onto the truck in place of the original box, which was leaking from the input seal. Unfortunately, I managed...
forum.ih8mud.com
Which "mechanic in a bottle" did you use? Asking out of curiosity and to clarify for future readers of this thread since obviously it doesn't help with your particular situation.
As a data point the rear cover o-ring started seeping a little fluid on my PS pump about 4 years after I resealed it. I decided to try the Lucas PS fix stuff for fun and to see if I could buy some time as I wasn't ready to do work in this area on my 80. To my surprise half a bottle (all I could fit as the leak was so slow) of the lucas stopped the leak of that oring, I assume by softening/swelling it. Side-note, I run the red ATF in my PS system and I have a spare, low-mileage steering box in my parts stash so didn't mind the risk of causing a leak in the primary box as much.
I'm curious what stop leak you used and why it apparently made the leak you had worse. I assume it could be because of how it reacted with a different seal material (than the pumps rear cover oring) or perhaps you used a stop leak that introduces dissoluble solids, that flow to and clog leaks, that caused an increase in operating pressures around the leak (thus not making the leak worse but pushing more oil out of the leak), etc...
I agree that "mechanics in a bottle" are typically a bad idea that are a waste of money and typically cause more issues. They can also be a cheap/fun thing to experiment with (my opinion at least) if you avoid the worst ones and know what you are getting into. In rare cases, like my leaky ps pump o ring, they can actually kick the pending work can down the road...
- Thread starter
- #40
I used blue devil power steering stop leak (it’s in a light blue bottle. I went with that because of reading some forums (not this one) and it seemed to be the best. I was willing to try it since it was only $10 and could fix it for a while instead of a rebuild or a new box. Now on to the new box haha