ok what about the read head gear box? ive been reading about people putting them in but what about yous who had them for a year, two years, three years now plus????? My 2004 is starting to wondering a little down the road and the box is the only thing i didnt replace yet, if im gonna spend the money i want to hear from yous who had it for YEARS no a few days to see if they are really holding up or not??

 

I've had my stock one for 11 years and it is tight as can be.

 

I just sold my '99 F250 and it was also steering like I just took it off the lot. I wore out the General tires that came on it and was on the second set of Michelin M/S 235/85-16s when I sold it a few weeks ago.

However, the '02 F350 I bought to replace my F250 had a steering gear that I knew was the culprit of excess steering play within 5 min of driving it away from the place of purchase. I did not know exactly how much trouble it was going to be to fix and I was hoping that I would be able to simply adjust it, but it turned out that the easiest way to remedy the symptoms was to replace it. I am sure part of the cause was the 35 x 12 x 16.5 tires that were on it were over the load the steering gear was designed for.

I found out from speaking to many sources that these Superduty trucks are notorious for worn out steering gears, so I wanted to replace mine with something better than stock. The F350 I just acquired has been changed down to 285s from the 35s, (but not the probably stock 235s it likely shipped with), so the gear will have a bit more load on it than my first Superduty.

I am happy with the Red-Head I installed last weekend. I cannot speak for how it long it may last with the current load in my new truck; but if you read this thread in it's entirety, I think the OP says his has worked for him for several years now.

I felt good about putting my RH gear in based on this information and the many other endorsements I have read on this and other forums around the web.

My two cents and probably at least 2 bits more...

 

im a firm believer that certain parts on Super Duties are not super duty by any means. i have my 2004 F350 and a 1978 F150 4x4 thats my hunting/mud truck. it has original steeringsystem turning 36" tiresfor the past four years. i can be stopped on the street and turn the wheel with no problem, my SD wont do that.I have to be moving for it to turn tiny 285 75R16! Even my first truck in high school, a 1985 F350 crew cab with 460 turned 38" when i lifted it. Even though i only had it for my junior and senior year it still could do it

 

shoot my cousin has a 1976 K30 with 10" lift and he runs 44" super swamper boggers and that POS turns them sitting on the street.

 

I've had mine for over two years and 17,000 miles and it's still doing great.
Good for you! Now go eat your cookie.

 

thanks monster-4

 

Thank you everyone for your recommendation......just installed the Red Head Steering Gear Box in the Excursion(actually J&M did the installation & alignment) and it drives so much frackin better! WOW! Wow! and Wow! It is so nice to be able to drive in a 20-30 mph crosswind without having to constantly turn the steering wheel 4-6 inches before it would actually start to turn the wheels. Just freakin awesome to be able to drive without wandering in the lane. What a great product! I called and thanked them today......

FYI - I did adjust/tighten the stock gear box a few times. Even though it did make a big improvement - I just wasn't satisfied. Now I am....

 

Monster,
I just finished installing my new red head steering gear box to try and fix a wandering problem. I got it all back together and when I went to check the steering out the truck makes a low roaring noise and the steering is difficult to turn. I tried several times to turn the wheel left and right but it is still very difficult and the low roaring noise become intermittent. It almost sounds like the power steering pump that is making the noise. I did refill the power steering before starting the engine. When I looked at the power steering fluid it was foamy. What did I do wrong? The power steering lines to the steering box are sized so that you can't cross them, Also not sure if this is related or not but when I press the brake peddle the peddle pushed back almost line the ABS is working, I don't know why this is happening but it didn't feel like that before I changed the gear box... Any help would be appreciated..

 

I would have changed the pump first to eliminate any problem there. Call Red Head.

 

It sounds like you may still have air in the PS lines.

 

What Greg B said. Make sure you jack up the front end so the wheels are off the ground. Start the truck and turn the steering wheel from lock to lock half a dozen to a dozen times. Check and refill the PS reserve as needed. Post back if the noise goes away or is still present.

 

Too bad yours isn't or wasn't that good. Send me some cookies.

 

I resolved the issue by jacking the front wheels up off the ground and bleed the system with 3 quarts of Mercon V ATF fluid was dirty and had lots of air in it. Guess the noise was the power steering pump cavitating due to the air in the system.

 

good info but i heard the f550 zf steering gear box is different and way stronger?