Put a new bottom seal in steering gear box about a year ago and it's leaking again. Need suggestions for new/rebuilt gear box, thanks. 1970 f-100, 390 engine.

 

I've haven't been on here in a while so I don't know who will chime in on this but here we go. The steering box is prone to leakage due to the design that ford incorporated. The bottom seal is just that, it's a seal. As you turn te shaft inside the box experiences forces that cause that seal to slowly but surely wear away. Red Head steering takes your box and machines it so that a bearing can be placed where that seal goes. I haven't done it personally but from what I've read it does wonders. Long story short you can keep replacing the seals or send it off to red head.
http://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/...facturing.html

 

Looked at there site but could not find the price to get it done. Does anyone know
what the price is?

 

Of course it's leaking again, because the Ford/Saginaw P/S gearbox has a flaw.

There are no bearings on the sector shaft, it rides directly on the housing.

And, so-called auto parts store 'rebuilt' gearboxes are nothing more than resealed gearboxes, so you don't want one.

Red Head takes the housing, machines it, installs the needle bearings that Ford omitted, so they could sell a gazillion sector shaft seal kits (same: 1965/2002).

Contact Red Head for their price.

 

I have heard Redhead has a box for bumps that has car parts in it to reduce the number of turns lock to lock giving a quicker ratio. You may want to look into it since you are planning in replacing your box. Hopefully someone who has bought 1 will chime in with pros/cons on the box. I have rack & pinion so this is nothing I have personally dealt with just read about.

 

Not just the seals. Back when I was turning a wrench we put in many a pitman shaft due to the wear the seal put on it (the shaft is very soft in the seal area).

 

Ford/Saginaw integral P/S = Parts List #64. Part number prefixes without a T as the 3rd digit are car parts.

Dunno how the housing, steering and sector shafts from a car could possibly work in an F100/350.

D3AZ-3C538-A (replaced C5AZ-3C538-A) .. Master Seal Kit replaced by two kits:

D7AZ-3E501-B .. Sector Shaft Seal Kit & F3AZ-3E502-A .. Input Shaft Seal Kit. Last year these two kits were used: 2002, on Crown Vic/Mercury Grand Marquis.

Rack & Pinion steering introduced in these two in 2003.

 

I have a redhead in my truck. It is great. Call them for the price, depends on 2wd, 4wd, year etc. Sometime several guys on FTE will get togther and do a group buy. Usually they will give a $50 discount for 36 or more boxes sold.

 

Do you have the standard truck box or the "quick' ratio box?

 

Redhead sounds like the way to go, I will have to call them on a price. Not up to the crown vic swap but it would be nice. Might take a day or 2 but I will post what I find out.

 

Read something about the car parts to reduce turns and give a quicker ratio but can't find the article again. I will ask redhead about it when I call.

 

I have the standard ratio. I considered the quick ratio but was concerned with the extra effort required on my part to turn the wheel. Redhead said that quick ratio puts more strain on the power steering pump and makes the wheel slightly harder to turn.