My steering box has lost it's centering ability. The sloppiness and play has increased over time, I have taken out as much as I can with the adjustment screw to the point that the steering will start to feel too tight, as in starting to bind. The steering definitely does not want to return to it's center spot, and thus can feel a bit finicky on the highway. So I guess the big question is do I pull the box and have it rebuilt (I'm thinking West Texas Offroad), or does it sound like it's too worn for a rebuild and I start looking for a new or reman box. My guess is a new box, but I figure some Mudder here has had a similar experience. 195k on the OEM box here...
Steering Gear Box rebuild or replace?
- Thread starter plutonius
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Cruiserdrew
On the way there
It doesn't sound like it's the box. Your caster is what makes it return to center. If that's off, no amount of messing with the steering box will fix things.
You may now have tightend up the box so much, that the caster input can't return it to center. Do you know your caster measurement?
Look for other sources of slop in the system. Wheel bearings, pan hard bushings, radius arm bushings, tie rod and drag link ends can all play a role. THe pan hard bushings aure notoriously hard to diagnose as bad, but can have a major effect on handling. WHen is the last time you serviced the front end? Do you get any death wobble?
Do a basic check of the front end, even if you *think* it's OK. I'm willing to bet your box is not at fault, and a rebuild won't fix it.
You may now have tightend up the box so much, that the caster input can't return it to center. Do you know your caster measurement?
Look for other sources of slop in the system. Wheel bearings, pan hard bushings, radius arm bushings, tie rod and drag link ends can all play a role. THe pan hard bushings aure notoriously hard to diagnose as bad, but can have a major effect on handling. WHen is the last time you serviced the front end? Do you get any death wobble?
Do a basic check of the front end, even if you *think* it's OK. I'm willing to bet your box is not at fault, and a rebuild won't fix it.
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No similar experience, but about to send to WTO, and figured I'd pass along the info I'd been given, should you opt to rebuild.
An OEM PS Gear Box is around $2,300 and there's not a reman option from Toyota.
The rebuild kit is $140. The upgraded sector shaft is $307 and the 105 Pitman arm is $108.
Not spoke with WTO about the expense to rebuild, but it appears to be around $140, according to the website.
To minimize surgery, and in conjunction with other overhauls, purchased a used gear box that was in need of a rebuild for $225 from Mud, and the member reported to have another that wasn't leaking for $275. Since rebuilding and porting, I opted for the cheaper.
An OEM PS Gear Box is around $2,300 and there's not a reman option from Toyota.
The rebuild kit is $140. The upgraded sector shaft is $307 and the 105 Pitman arm is $108.
Not spoke with WTO about the expense to rebuild, but it appears to be around $140, according to the website.
To minimize surgery, and in conjunction with other overhauls, purchased a used gear box that was in need of a rebuild for $225 from Mud, and the member reported to have another that wasn't leaking for $275. Since rebuilding and porting, I opted for the cheaper.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks. Minus the pan hard bushings, which are en route from Slee and should be here tomorrow, the front end is in good shape. I have new TRE's, new steering damper & Nitrocharger shocks, Slee 3º CC bushings installed myself with Landtank's template and all new control arm bushings. PS hoses are new, pump is good. Front axle rebuild with all new bearings and birf swap done myself 2 months ago. New calipers. The rig was on the alignment rack last week and caster came back right at 2º. 1/8" toe in. There are no cracks in the frame or box to frame mount. No play in wheel bearings or knuckle studs. The rig can hold a line at 80 mph off a curving bridge abutment bump, but it will stay on that line if I release the wheel and won't return to center at any speed...no death wobbles, no rattles, no pulling. It truly feels like a steering box issue and that's what my gut is telling me. New pan hard bushings are going in tomorrow if brown santa arrives with them, and if that solves it I will be skipping with joy. Thanks for the nod to the pan hard bushings, and I know mine are shot - they've been soaking in oil and ps fluid for a couple of years which I'm sure hasn't helped, and now that the ps pump is leak free and I've replaced my oil seals it's time to r&r them.
If the adjustment screw gets tightened too tight or too often or is out of adjustment, can it essentially negate the self-centering capabilities of the box, or it's ability to find center and transfer that feel to the driver? This is what I think has happened, and my question stands as to whether or not a rebuild touches this function of the box.
Thanks. I'd love to hear how your rig drives after the rebuilt box goes in.
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There's a somewhat similar thread going on now:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/590746-abysmal-handling-pulling-wandering.html
Subscribed to both since I have similar problem(s)
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/590746-abysmal-handling-pulling-wandering.html
Subscribed to both since I have similar problem(s)
good luck 
- Thread starter
- #7
new panhard bushings
New panhard bushings from Slee went in today. The old ones didn't LOOK as bad as I had expected, but they were very soft and cracked, the DS one more so as it is separated from the insert and had previously been soaking in dripping oil for quite a while. It turns out that the press rod from the HF 20ton press is a perfect fit to press them out, and I used the old bushing casing as a tool to press them back in. Anyway, the handling is definitely improved so far, I still feel like my steering box is a bit out of whack, but I'm not getting that oversteer feeling in the turns anymore. We'll see what the freeway feels like tonight. Another thing I think the new bushings (along with a solid 130ft lbs of torque) seem to have solved is the occasional clacking sounds from the front end.
DS side:
PS side:
New panhard bushings from Slee went in today. The old ones didn't LOOK as bad as I had expected, but they were very soft and cracked, the DS one more so as it is separated from the insert and had previously been soaking in dripping oil for quite a while. It turns out that the press rod from the HF 20ton press is a perfect fit to press them out, and I used the old bushing casing as a tool to press them back in. Anyway, the handling is definitely improved so far, I still feel like my steering box is a bit out of whack, but I'm not getting that oversteer feeling in the turns anymore. We'll see what the freeway feels like tonight. Another thing I think the new bushings (along with a solid 130ft lbs of torque) seem to have solved is the occasional clacking sounds from the front end.
DS side:
PS side:
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