Steering box keeps breaking
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Steering box keeps breaking
I have a 95 F150 351 5 speed recently I broke my front radius arm on my passenger side. I drove it back home which caused my power steering pump to become hot and melt the insides together. Shortly after that my steering gear box broke with a small crack causing all the fluid to leak out. I went and bought another box and shortly after install it did the same thing but worse. I went and got my replacement part same box and installed it. This time the box lasted a little longer but it did the same thing again. The first box lasted about 30 miles of driving and the second one lasted about 45 miles. Do I have a different problem that's causing these boxes to break or am I getting unlucky with these parts?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
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From: San Jose, CA
How much lift? How big are the tires?
Have you jacked the front end up and with the box disconnected from the linkage, tested the different components by hand just to make sure they're not binding up?
I've seen a lot of bound up components over the years, but never seen any of them cause the gearboxes to break. Plenty of the old weaker Early Bronco boxes cracking at the cases, especially with larger tires, but even those lasted more than 40 miles!
Good luck. Very interested to see/hear what else is going on here.
Hopefully it was just pre-broken boxes getting past the rebuilder's inspections.
Paul
Have you jacked the front end up and with the box disconnected from the linkage, tested the different components by hand just to make sure they're not binding up?
I've seen a lot of bound up components over the years, but never seen any of them cause the gearboxes to break. Plenty of the old weaker Early Bronco boxes cracking at the cases, especially with larger tires, but even those lasted more than 40 miles!
Good luck. Very interested to see/hear what else is going on here.
Hopefully it was just pre-broken boxes getting past the rebuilder's inspections.
Paul
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Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2017
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From: Northern Ontario
When I first read your description of the problem, my first questions were...
how much lift, how big are the tires, and how much offset.... tough on the front ends on a light duty half ton. A lot of pressure turning all that weight and friction, especially when not rolling.
Call: RedHead Steering Gears in WA. They can steer you in the right direction with a unit that will stand up to the job. They probably build up the best gear box’s out there. Factory and modified. Might not be the cheapest, but worth it in the end.
how much lift, how big are the tires, and how much offset.... tough on the front ends on a light duty half ton. A lot of pressure turning all that weight and friction, especially when not rolling.
Call: RedHead Steering Gears in WA. They can steer you in the right direction with a unit that will stand up to the job. They probably build up the best gear box’s out there. Factory and modified. Might not be the cheapest, but worth it in the end.
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Tuned
Joined: Jan 2018
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From: State of Confusion
If it's the case itself that's breaking, check the frame behind it.
The box in my dad's '87 broke when we were trying to get it onto a trailer. I was trying to turn the wheels without assist, Armstrong style, and something inside the box just let go. The input/steering shaft would screw in and out when I tried to steer. Stock height, stock tires. Given how little force it took to snap it off, I suspect it was damaged before we got to it.
The box in my dad's '87 broke when we were trying to get it onto a trailer. I was trying to turn the wheels without assist, Armstrong style, and something inside the box just let go. The input/steering shaft would screw in and out when I tried to steer. Stock height, stock tires. Given how little force it took to snap it off, I suspect it was damaged before we got to it.
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When I first read your description of the problem, my first questions were...
how much lift, how big are the tires, and how much offset.... tough on the front ends on a light duty half ton. A lot of pressure turning all that weight and friction, especially when not rolling.
Call: RedHead Steering Gears in WA. They can steer you in the right direction with a unit that will stand up to the job. They probably build up the best gear box’s out there. Factory and modified. Might not be the cheapest, but worth it in the end.
how much lift, how big are the tires, and how much offset.... tough on the front ends on a light duty half ton. A lot of pressure turning all that weight and friction, especially when not rolling.
Call: RedHead Steering Gears in WA. They can steer you in the right direction with a unit that will stand up to the job. They probably build up the best gear box’s out there. Factory and modified. Might not be the cheapest, but worth it in the end.
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 17,445
Likes: 2,767
From: Northern Ontario
I don’t know. Worth a quick call to them. Check their website, and then give them a call and let them know what the issue is your having. They are not outrageous prices, just more than the cheap remans from local auto parts suppliers. But they last.
They are the steering gear experts.
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