Hi gang,

Has anyone hear adjusted their gearbox with success? I'm familiar with the nut and screw on top of gearbox.

Don't want to over do it and end up damaging the unit.

Thanks in advance.

 

Ha I'm about to try the same thing. Last summer I replaced my steering box with a reman
I bought at Advance Auto from Cardone and have only slightly less play than the one I replaced. ��

Apparently the trick is to adjust with the wheels turned to avoid binding/damage by going too tight since most play is "straight ahead". Will see how it goes!

 

that adjustment is preset, if you suspect a steering issue, look at your linkage before replacing the box.

 

In my case, at least, everything related to steering is brand new. I was hoping it wasn't the box, but it is.

 

Yep, same here.

 

If the box needs adjusting it needs replaced. A lot of rebuilds only replace what the rebuilder considers bad. Crap shoot on getting one your happy with. Adjusted a box years ago according to directions. Went app. 1 mile and the box locked up in a hard right turn. Luckily I wasn't going fast and no other traffic. What's your or someone else life worth?

 

The Excursion has the same suspension and steering as the 99 to 04 super duty and I hear good things about the Red Head re placement steering gear for this application. The OP has an 06 super duty and the replacment gear from Red Head is hit or miss for his application.

.

 

Somebody on here had a part number for a heavy duty version of of the box after market. I can't find it but they where very happy with it. It's new,not rebuilt and half the price of the Red Head. I not a big fan of their boxes. I know nothing of Blue Top boxes.

 

Red Head started out good but there have been a lot of complaints lately that include their customer service. I personally would give Napa a try.

 

Sorry to correct you but the excursion does not have the same suspension as the superduty. Although the architecture is the same (im talking 4x4), the springs are different. The excursion uses a flatter leaf spring than the superduty because its an suv and people wanted a lower ride height. Due to this the spring capacity is lower and that flat spring produces a terrible ride. The stock springs are code D in the front and code G in the rear. Thats why the weak rear springs in the excursion has that traction bar because of spring wrap. Since I tow with my excursion the stock springs are junk and I replaced the front leafs with code V superduty springs and Code B in the rears (without the helper springs). This raised the vehicle 2+ inches and gagve me better spring capacity of 500 lbs in the front and over 1,000 in the rear and a better ride due to the spring arch. I replaced the stock steering box with a red head the the rear sway bar (stock was 26mm) with an f-350 rear sway bar of 30mm and it steers and rides like a sports car. No more wander. the red head bow is super sensitive, probably too sensitive and I might slightly loosen it 1/16 of a turn and see if that helps.

 

I hope you find that link.

I also heard nothing but bad info on red head. I'm not interested in their products at all.

 

Search is your friend, with the right tags. The thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post17123258

 

Too bad they don't offer a beefed up unit for the pre-05 trucks. I guess Redhead it is...

 

Probably because the '99-'04s don't fracture like the later ones I'm guessing.

 

I didn't see any post about the difference with Red Head units. The OEM boxes use ball thrust bearings to the sector shaft to pitman arm and Red Head upgrades those to taper bearings.
They cut the housing to accept the roller bearings so that they last mucho longer since all the load is spread out better.

Good Luck with it.....