Truck is an 08 dually 2 wheel drive built in 9/08. I need a steering box. Fords p/n is STG286RM. But it's 590 bucks. RockAuto doesn't list this part nor a crossover compatible part? I see the boxes listed as fat boy or non fat boy. I'm assuming it's non but assuming is never good. Any help?

 

well i just looked at napa page and looks like the one with out fat boy is not available, at least from any of the distribution centers for around here, and the one with fat boy is available but would have added freight charges. the one with fat boy is used on the one tons and up and the one with out fat boy is used on one tons and smaller. i think i recall something about the f450 having a tighter turning radius, i wonder if that's the difference and it was available on the f350? not sure how you can easily tell the difference tho. maybe on the window sticker it would say?

 

When I called Ford and got the part number, I asked the guy if the number was for the fat boy or not, and got this as a response. "Sir I just lookem up I don't putem on". What the hell does that mean?

 

now my question is did he look that part number up by vin or even the last 8 of it or by make and model? if you had the vin he prob never seen anything on the computer about the fat boy option as it would have prob known which your truck is.

check out fordparts. com and enter your vin to find the part from what i can tell i would also assume you have the narrow front axle, the non fat boy.

what issue do you have? i thought i had read somewhere that there may bed a recall on the steering gear box? looks like half the money of ford from napa if they could find ya one and not charge to much shipping

 

He looked it up by last 8. My issue is slop, extreme slop. I can turn the wheel, I would say 10 degrees left or right without response.

 

These trucks have had this problem since at least 1999. I wouldn't replace it with an OEM if I could avoid it. There is a company out on the west coast, Oregon I think, it's called Red Head (may be Redhead). They build really good steering boxes for these trucks. I do not know for a fact that they do them for the 6.4L trucks yet, or as far as I know that the 6.4 needs a different box than a 6L or a 7.3L. Red heads boxes are not cheap but they are a far superior product to OEM.

 

I agree Stanley,

The company is Red-Head Steering Gears - Custom Rebuilt Steering Gear Boxes in USA , Redhead gearbox provides an awesome product. When i changed mine i went to them. They where great to deal with. Having to pay for the core tell you send yours back kinda sucks but not a deal breaker.