I heard both opinions. I went cheap and lazy route several times already - buying Meridian-rebuilt units. They seem to last between 4 and 8 years, I can live with that. Come next time, I'll consider taking an old box to a different rebuilder.
Steering Box rebuild
- Thread starter mjbrox
- Start date
I used to rebuild a lot of vintage boxes, BIG ones (manual steering on some Bay City cranes). I think I'll take a shot at the rebuild and see how it turns out. The kits are cheap enough that it isn't a big loss if it doesn't work out.
Before that though I have to deal with this combustion gas in the coolant problem.
Before that though I have to deal with this combustion gas in the coolant problem.
I bought a box from the junk yard for $25 when I added power steering to my 90. Doesn't leak a drop. (yet.) Even if it was crap, I figure it would be cheaper than paying for a core charge.
when we were fixing them under warranty we were told that the pitman shaft is warped from heat . when they make it a left hand drive truck there is no longer a cooling loop in the pressure pipe
Interesting, I heard the same reason for NAS D1/RRC/D2 steering leaks and pumps going south.
So maybe install a small cooler on the return? I routed the hoses behind the steering box and put in a small heat shield to block the box from the ex manifold heat.
-Mike O
-Mike O
I had a leaking problem and decided to get one from Pull-A-Part. Worked great for nearly a month. Now it's leaking all over the place again. I am going to take a stab at rebuilding the original one but have to take it to a machine shot to get the pitman arm off. I broke TWO gear pullers on it !!!!
Ugh !!!!
Ugh !!!!
I used the "heavy duty" pitman arm puller from autozone. It has jaws you can clamp around the pitman arm, and then you tighten the big screw, and then you can hit it with a hammer. Rinse and repeat if needed. Worked great.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...rm-puller/_/N-264w?itemIdentifier=209523_0_0_
Anyone here ever lost steering when the steering column decided to do a 360 spin? No control what so ever, luckily I was in a parking lot when the steering shaft broke. The steering box locked up and the column broke, talk about scary. Discostew is that why they put a heat shield with snaps?
Yes. It caused me to take out the side mirror on a shitbox toyota in a Mediterranean buffet parking lot.
Insurance was puzzled at how my bumper hit a side mirror
LOL! I can believe it. I am so grateful I did not get on I-40 going 70 mph. That would have been a mess or death.
LOL... I figured nothing else was particularly wrong with that box, so we may just try replacing the seal in-situ. And we did, but I am not ready to call it a repair job that can be carried out on the trail. At the very least, I have to have a cordless drill with a 2-3 mm bit (The Trick did not work).
I've been have steering wobbles for a long time between 30-65 mph and I'm assuming that the steering box is the reason. I've replaced the steering damper and the I've checked the steering column which is fine but the funny things is I haven't had much of an issue since replacing my tires. I went from 255/70/18 to 285/60/18 so I assume the extra tire width is stabilizing the steering but is that an indication of something else being the issue?
Flat spots on the tires. Steering box will not cause a wobble, just vague steering.
