Steering box options 1985 E250
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Cross-Country
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Steering box options 1985 E250
I just bought a 1985 E250 6.9IDI. I got a great deal partly because the steering box is leaking badly and pretty sloppy. I thought I'd see about finding a replacement at a wrecking yard, not because I'm too cheap to buy a rebuilt box, but because I have no faith in most rebuilders.
The question is, which vehicles are suitable donors?
1982-1991 E250, pretty obvious, but what about an E350 box or F250 box or box from later models?
Alternately, do people have experiences that would suggest my lack of faith in some person making minimum wage and using Chinese parts to get x boxes an hour out the door is unfounded?
The question is, which vehicles are suitable donors?
1982-1991 E250, pretty obvious, but what about an E350 box or F250 box or box from later models?
Alternately, do people have experiences that would suggest my lack of faith in some person making minimum wage and using Chinese parts to get x boxes an hour out the door is unfounded?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2014
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Yea, that.........Or like this -
FORD BRONCO 1980-1996
FORD BRONCO II 1984-1990
FORD E-100 1982-1983
FORD E-150 1982-1996
FORD E-250 1982-1993
FORD E-350 1982-1993
FORD EXPLORER 1991-1994
FORD F SUPER DUTY 1990-1997
FORD F-150 1980-1996
FORD F-250 1980-1997
FORD F-350 1980-1996
FORD RANGER 1983-1997
MAZDA B2300 1994-1997
MAZDA B3000 1994-1997
MAZDA B4000 1994-1997
MAZDA NAVAJO 1991-1994
That's the cross check for a MOTORCRAFT STG41RM Re-man steering gear.
Price range $83 to $202 for that one listed, and ......There all Re-man'ed.
Me, I've changed out several gear boxes, and always went with a re-man, with the warranty, no worries. Why use Used, when you have a Used one now??
And don't put down all re-man's, most are done USA or in Mexico.
Re-man alternator, no, I get a NEW one for something like that.
FORD BRONCO 1980-1996
FORD BRONCO II 1984-1990
FORD E-100 1982-1983
FORD E-150 1982-1996
FORD E-250 1982-1993
FORD E-350 1982-1993
FORD EXPLORER 1991-1994
FORD F SUPER DUTY 1990-1997
FORD F-150 1980-1996
FORD F-250 1980-1997
FORD F-350 1980-1996
FORD RANGER 1983-1997
MAZDA B2300 1994-1997
MAZDA B3000 1994-1997
MAZDA B4000 1994-1997
MAZDA NAVAJO 1991-1994
That's the cross check for a MOTORCRAFT STG41RM Re-man steering gear.
Price range $83 to $202 for that one listed, and ......There all Re-man'ed.
Me, I've changed out several gear boxes, and always went with a re-man, with the warranty, no worries. Why use Used, when you have a Used one now??
And don't put down all re-man's, most are done USA or in Mexico.
Re-man alternator, no, I get a NEW one for something like that.
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Cross-Country
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"And don't put down all re-man's, most are done USA or in Mexico."
I don't doubt the work may be dome in America, but I'll bet all the seals and such they use came from overseas.
A rebuilt box will have new seals and hopefully bearings, but will be used parts for the balance I suspect. I wonder if they re-grind the actual gears or just gauge them, if the latter then you have a somewhat random amount of wear int your gearing but you do have to assume they started with a bad gearbox since someone sent in the core they started with. Getting a used box from a vehicle this age that had other obvious problems and you are likely getting all USA made, union-assembled parts and you can search the yard for one with little wear.
It's encouraging that you've had good luck with the re-man's though.
thanks, and thanks for the extensive list,
I don't doubt the work may be dome in America, but I'll bet all the seals and such they use came from overseas.
A rebuilt box will have new seals and hopefully bearings, but will be used parts for the balance I suspect. I wonder if they re-grind the actual gears or just gauge them, if the latter then you have a somewhat random amount of wear int your gearing but you do have to assume they started with a bad gearbox since someone sent in the core they started with. Getting a used box from a vehicle this age that had other obvious problems and you are likely getting all USA made, union-assembled parts and you can search the yard for one with little wear.
It's encouraging that you've had good luck with the re-man's though.
thanks, and thanks for the extensive list,
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2012
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I just got a rebuilt one from AutoZone with a lifetime warranty for my '88 IDI van. Have about 100K miles on it.
Redhead was supposed to be the best box to eliminate steering play, but I have heard that their quality has gone way down.
Redhead was supposed to be the best box to eliminate steering play, but I have heard that their quality has gone way down.
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Cross-Country
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Pulled a box out of a '96 van today, ranged the yard looking at all the fitments to find one that was clean, dry, and tight so thanks again for the list. Not 100% sure that the one I pulled wasn't a rebuild though as the hose fittings looked like they had been wrenched-on, but I tried.
The steering box is really easy to remove, a bit tedious to get back in due to the steering coupling spline and hose alignment, but of course well worth the effort.
The steering box is really easy to remove, a bit tedious to get back in due to the steering coupling spline and hose alignment, but of course well worth the effort.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2014
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From: N Ca.
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Cross-Country
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Well, the line item for the box was $55.95.
Of course, once I was done buying a throttle cable, speedometer cable, a couple door bolts, paying sales tax and environmental impact fees it was about $120, another $12 in rags and fluid .
If it was just the steering box I bought it would have been about $65, I could have saved another few bucks if I had removed the pitman arm but wasn't in the mood to fight it at the yard. I realize this isn't much of a savings over a cheap rebuild box that might have been under $100. With gas and my time it might not have saved me anything really, but there was no core to return, no waiting, and after all, don't all owners of pre-1990 vans need to pick up a few things at the yard anyway?
Of course, once I was done buying a throttle cable, speedometer cable, a couple door bolts, paying sales tax and environmental impact fees it was about $120, another $12 in rags and fluid .
If it was just the steering box I bought it would have been about $65, I could have saved another few bucks if I had removed the pitman arm but wasn't in the mood to fight it at the yard. I realize this isn't much of a savings over a cheap rebuild box that might have been under $100. With gas and my time it might not have saved me anything really, but there was no core to return, no waiting, and after all, don't all owners of pre-1990 vans need to pick up a few things at the yard anyway?
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2017
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Minor thread hijack but exact same topic.
The steering box in my 1990 E350 blew out all at once. Went from no problem to a flood of fluid and a ton of play. Swapped in a reman from autozone and I think it might be worse than the one I took out.. Reluctant to get another one from them because my history with "rebuilt" boxes isn't good and just went through the same with a friend who had to swap three times to get a good one and it's a lot of work and a huge mess.
I grabbed a junkyard box from the same era van that is not leaking and seems to have very little play but have not put it on yet. I'm tempted to rebuild that one myself before putting it on but have not hade much luck finding a complete kit with everything besides just seals.
Any thoughts?
The steering box in my 1990 E350 blew out all at once. Went from no problem to a flood of fluid and a ton of play. Swapped in a reman from autozone and I think it might be worse than the one I took out.. Reluctant to get another one from them because my history with "rebuilt" boxes isn't good and just went through the same with a friend who had to swap three times to get a good one and it's a lot of work and a huge mess.
I grabbed a junkyard box from the same era van that is not leaking and seems to have very little play but have not put it on yet. I'm tempted to rebuild that one myself before putting it on but have not hade much luck finding a complete kit with everything besides just seals.
Any thoughts?
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 6,293
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From: South central, Minnesota
If you want a great quality rebuilt steering box check here:
https://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/
These work but be prepared to pay. These aren't the cheap parts store rebuilds. But they are worth every penny.
If they don't have one on hand for your vehicle they can rebuild yours. They also don't just rebuild, the make improvements to fix any stock issues the boxes had.
https://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/
These work but be prepared to pay. These aren't the cheap parts store rebuilds. But they are worth every penny.
If they don't have one on hand for your vehicle they can rebuild yours. They also don't just rebuild, the make improvements to fix any stock issues the boxes had.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 2,196
Likes: 5
From: N Ca.
good info 
If you want a great quality rebuilt steering box check here:
https://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/
These work but be prepared to pay. These aren't the cheap parts store rebuilds. But they are worth every penny.
If they don't have one on hand for your vehicle they can rebuild yours. They also don't just rebuild, the make improvements to fix any stock issues the boxes had.
https://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/
These work but be prepared to pay. These aren't the cheap parts store rebuilds. But they are worth every penny.
If they don't have one on hand for your vehicle they can rebuild yours. They also don't just rebuild, the make improvements to fix any stock issues the boxes had.
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Cross-Country
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I just swapped in my low-play,no-leak junkyard box and have been very happy with it.
I did nudge the preload screw just a tiny bit.
I do agree that a lot of cheepo rebuilds are awful.
If you want to do something, you can tear your new box down for inspection and seal replacement. I wouldn't let the lack of a "complete kit" stop that.
I did nudge the preload screw just a tiny bit.
I do agree that a lot of cheepo rebuilds are awful.
If you want to do something, you can tear your new box down for inspection and seal replacement. I wouldn't let the lack of a "complete kit" stop that.
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