I fixed a lot of my Excursion wander issues with steering box adjustments and caster shims & 5* of caster. Problem is when towing I still had a white knuckle ride. After my ProPride hitch install didn’t really fix the wander while towing I made the decision to replace my steering gear box.

There were only three options in my mind: a Ford Reman, Redhead, or a Blue-Top steering gear. Others have rebuilt the gear themselves or had a racing/custom rebuilder do it. I didn’t want my Ex down that long so eliminated those options. Many here have had good luck with either the Redhead or Ford remains. Redhead quality control and customer service seem to have gone downhill judging by posts and comments here at FTE, which excluded them from my decision. I randomly decided on the Blue-Top over the Ford reman.

Blue-Top steering gears are located in ND and have been around since 1986. But, fairly recently a former Redhead employee bought and reorganized the company, pushing sales nation-wide. Blue-Top Steering Gears, Inc..

Not being 100% sure what model gear I needed, I talked to Ryan and he had me get the part number off my Pitman arm (turns out it was 36 spline). I ordered part #2764BS online and it arrived three days later via USPS large flat-rate box. It cost me $410 for the gear, $150 of that being the core charge. There was $22 for shipping on top of that. I have no idea what the other gears cost, but I’m pretty sure it was more than the Blue-Top.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...8b1c0ebe2.jpeg


After a couple weeks of poor weather I finally got it installed a week ago, following sammie0126’s fine instructions. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post12565770. According to Blue-Top’s warranty instructions I also did a PS system flush.

First impressions: steering was better. It wasn’t horrible after my other wander fixes, but there was still a dead zone. That is 95% gone now. This last Friday I towed my 7000 pound travel trailer to a repair shop. The steering/sway was so much better there is no comparison. Take all this with a grain of salt as I don’t have anything to compare it to. I just know it is better than I had before.

I shipped my old gear off to Blue-Top last week via USPS large flat-rate box for $18. It arrived there Friday. I got my core refund today (Monday). I was holding off on this review until I received my core refund. So far so good. No leaks and the steering is solid with virtually no wander.

I have no association with Blue-Top. Just a so-far satisfied customer.

I got the Pitman arm part number off the Pitman arm. Googled it and thought it might have been 36 spline. Ryan at Blue-Top confirmed it.

Yep, my core charge was $150. I’m pretty sure the Redhead and Ford reman’s were $200, last I looked.

I probably tightened the adjustment screw on mine about 2-1/2 turns over about 4 months. It helped immensely, but like has been said, it’s more of a bandaid. Apparently you can tighten it too much and then you are screwed. I didn’t want it to come to that so went with a replacement. I might have been able to tighten it up a little more, but just wanted to be done with it. I never did have any leaks in my factory steering gear. It was just too loose.

I had a full 4” of slop in my steering wheel when I bought the truck 14 months ago. The adjustment screw got it down to around an inch. New Blue-Top is at around 1/2” now.