Steering box rebuild...

[1slo_camaro]

There are not many things on our trucks that i DONT like... but the steering has always been one of them. I am thinking about swapping out the PS Pump in the near future since i found one of Rock auto for like 30 bucks. and I got thinking and talking to a jeep buddy who rebuild his steering box/gear on his jeep and said it was a whole world of difference. so I am wondering has anyone done this? or just said to hell with it and bought a new box?


Im looking at the fact that the steering gear itself is around 130$ brand new (Not to bad) But I could spend 30 bucks for a rebuild kit and sandblast it at work and rebuild it and would be just as good as new right?

I am just tired of the low rpm crappy steering and the whining of the pump and the walking around on the highway...

Thoughts?

[donut]

I tried and ended up with the new box anyway. Mine was just leaking really bad, so I figured "reseal". Wrong, worm gear was worn and 25% of the ball-bearings were missing.

Usually "walking around" isn't the steering box, unless everything else has been replaced and an alignment done.

[1slo_camaro]

ooooo no the rest of it is probably stock haha, but i was just starting there because the damn squeal annoys the hell out of me, i know i need to essentially rebuild the whole front end. im hoping this pay to pick up upper and lower balls from Rock auto 6$ a piece

[JellyBeanDriver]

Originally Posted by donut

Wrong, worm gear was worn and 25% of the ball-bearings were missing.

Does this mean someone has been in there before and lost them?

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Redhead steering here in wa does some top notch stuff. Driven a truck with one of their boxes and that thing felt like a rack and pinion. Saving up to do this and hopefully have time for it soon
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[donut]

Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver

Does this mean someone has been in there before and lost them?

More than likely. At the time it was a 40 yr old box (or "quality" reman). Then again, I was going off internet "how to's"...

Box actually worked fine, the fluid leaks were driving me nuts though. I went into it expecting to replace it, but if I could get it to stop leaking...

[1slo_camaro]

Yea I am debating on rebuilding it or just saying to hell with it and buying new box and pump and lines and forgetting about it. and then pitman,tre,balls etc... but everything else will be over time and hopefully slowly making the truck have more street manners considering im hoping to build myself a nice little 383 in the near future and i want to know if i start to get on her shes going to be tight up through the higher speeds

[beamn7]

A squeal and jumping around of the steering wheel is usually a sign of a loose belt at the pump. Try tightening that puppy up and flushing the fluid. (use a turkey baster to suck out the old and fill with new) Worth a shot...

[1slo_camaro]

I cannot get the belt tight enough, when i ran my AC it was amazing i guess having the extra belt was a good help. but towards the end of summer my ac comp started making noises and i dont have the $ to rebuild or buy a new AC to cool me down in the winter so i just pulled the belt. i have tried to tighten the PS pump up but cannot get t as tight as I want.... Yall got any ideas? im probably gonna get a new belt this weekend as i havent replaced that one that i recall and ill try the sucking out the fluid and refilling, i suppose do that a few times since there is still fluid in the lines to try and get rid of all the old fluid as much as possible?

[JellyBeanDriver]

Originally Posted by donut

More than likely. At the time it was a 40 yr old box (or "quality" reman). Then again, I was going off internet "how to's"...

Box actually worked fine, the fluid leaks were driving me nuts though. I went into it expecting to replace it, but if I could get it to stop leaking...

Ours is leaking like crazy too. Guessing I'll just replace it with a rebuilt at some point.

[mjensen]

I'm getting ready to tackle this rebuild on mine. I figure what the hell...I need more things to rip apart fourwheeler.com has a pretty good write up on the process.

[tucsonjwt]

I got a rebuilt box from Autozone about 10 years ago and was surprised to find out that the core credit was almost as much as the rebuilt box. I think I was only out of pocket about $20 on the switch. So far, that rebuilt box has been working fine. I would not buy other rebuilt parts from Autozone, but this part worked out fine.

I would add that fixing your other suspension problem will help a lot. What helped my truck's handling the most was replacing the rubber bushings on the front stabilizer bar - like night and day difference.

[DallasTxImpalaSS]

I been thinking of getting a new gear box mine is leaking. Is the gear box being worn what give you that extra play in the steering wheel? 1slo_camaro I have the same problem I can not seem to get my p/s belt to tighten even I hate that squeal at high rpm. I am really thinking of just doing a serpentine system. I need to track down the parts asap. But I haven't had much luck I have 454. Also I see a lot of guys here have stabilizer bars. I don't have one I am guessing the previous owner took it off.