I recently install a 15:1 Re Head steering box. Mongo like! However it's much tighter than the old one. I realized the old unit was probably a little loose but I'm wondering if anyone had similar experience. In other words it takes more force to turn.

 

Very common. they are much stiffer at first than typical cheapo Chinese reman boxes.

They'll loosen up but sometimes it takes a while.

 

Standard turning ratio was 18:1 was it not?

 

Yeah, mine is a little firmer than original, but feels perfect to me and everyone else that's driven it. Did you bleed / burp it properly? I bled mine a lot more than Redhead's instructions stated.

 

Mine firmed up with ReadHeadSteering box …
… because the ReadHeadSteering box eliminated all that slop that was there at just over 105,xxx miles … slop where the wheel moved a good deal before anything actually moved below the OEM box. .

Now, I can drive it and no longer swing the wheel left-right-left just to go straight. I had "sat on the fence" for several years wanting the ReadHeadSteering box and so I went for it in Dec 2013 as I recall …. very nice still. I never asked about a faster ratio like moving 18:1 to 15:1 (I ordered on a Monday, box arrived that same week, on Tuesday in Va., and then Friday I sent core back … and by the next Tues or Wed, had credit back on CC) but seems a good idea.

 

A little firmer is fine as long as there are no firm spots the effort should not change from lock to lock. Also be sure that you are using type F trans fluid for power steering fluid.

 

Thanks guys, and on to the next project!

 

Beartracks,
Check W/Ryan at Blue Top, he a cousin of the owner from Red Head. Ryan (Blue Top) used to work for his Cousin and then branched out on his own.