Steering Box swap on the road?

[7river]

Well after getting the bus back on the road I'm finding my steering box has 2+ inches of play. Never noticed it before but got some new Michelin's on her and she is all over the road.
We are on a road trip currently in Southern Wisconsin heading up around lake Michigan and eventually back to NY.

Any one know how hard are the steer boxes to swap out?
Are they adjustable or rebuild-able?

 

[Compu Doc]

You will need some heavy duty tools to do it on the road. A puller is also needed to separate the steering box shaft from the steering box. You can buy a rebuilt unit at Advance auto parts or similar places for not much money at all. You will also need to remove the drivers side front tire to have access to the steering box bolts that go through the frame. Also help holding the new box in place while you secure it with the bolts. The steering boxes on these trucks are heavy.

 

[ADV]

I am in the Sheboygan WI area if you would need tools of help. 1 Hour north of Milwaukee

 

[OLDBULL8]

Those Michelen will give you fits (wandering) if the steer box isn't tight. I see in your other post you raised the tire pressure, is that when you notice the play?
There is an adjustment on the box, should be an allen head bolt with a locknut on it, adjust it a little at a time, the worm gear will be wore in the center, turn the wheel left to right to make sure it don't bind after adjusting.

 

[franklin2]

I had the lower seal blow out on me about 1000 miles from home. I went to one of the parts places and bought a rebuilt box, and rented the tools from them necessary to do it on the road(at the campground) but as soon as I started to take the flare nuts loose on the lines, I knew I was in trouble. I ended up taking the rented tools back, and taking it to a local garage. They charged me almost $300 and used the box that I had already bought.

They had to cut the line and heat it on the bench to get it out. They slid the double D shaft apart to get the box out and messed that up(lost the plastic piece inside), and I saw when they pulled the pitman arm off, they used a impact on the puller and I didn't think it was going to come off, but it did.

They messed up some things, but I could not have done it away from home like that. And I did get back on the road with no trouble all the way back.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Try adjusting as oldbull said. I bet it will have you shooting straight down the road in no time. 1/4 turn max per adjustment on the box. A little dab will do ya.

 

[riotwarrior]

Try adjusting ....then look carefully at the u joint, the rag joint and the D shaft...my u joint and rag where good...D shaft had missing plastic bushing and that magnified to a substantial amount of wheel play, replaced shaft...all good now!

 

[RLDSL]

how much air pressure are you running in those new tires? Just because the sidewall says, max load bla bla lbs @80psi doesnt mean that you need to run the things at 80 psi. Look at the tire tag on your door frame and it should say something more like 58 psi. So unless you are *actually carrying* the kind of weight llisted on the sidewall, go by the factory setting and see what happens. You may find that it takes care of a lot of handling problems, not to mention being much kinder to your back and kidneys, unless you just have some sick urge to want to have to **** blood for some reason

Michilins have a hard enough case to begin with, they dont need much help from overpressure to make them miserable

 

[subway]

all depends on how crusty your vehicle has gotten over the years. i have done one in a couple of hours with no problems. just took some work to get the pitman off, after that it was a cake walk.

if its rusted fast its anyones guess, i like to have a few engine leaks to help keep the rust at bay

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

I am going to have to dis-agree a teeny bit with the popular (and respected) wisdom and say that lower tire pressures are gonna amplify your problem instead of helping things, ESPECIALLY with flimsy Michelins; they will squirm all over regardless.

Like already said, unless you have been religious about keeping the under-carriage pristine and in the habit of squirting a liberal dose of knocker-loose on every threaded fitting you see every time you walk past the truck, replacing the steering-gear is NOT something to be tackled anywhere except at home.

ALSO, and this would be the deciding point for me, a steering-gear should not be removed unless a shiny new RedHead box is waiting there to take it's place.

Also, if not already thus equipped, it is good business to have either a Borgeson or Flaming River steering-shaft on hand before starting the project.

Myself, I would max the tire pressure and live with the slop until I had a proper RedHead on hand and was at home.

 

[cowman79]

When I did mine I had to replace both power steering lines because they were rusted and would not come loose. The lines just twisted off.

 

[riotwarrior]

OK here about REDHEAD box...but know nadda bout them...whats the scoop folks? Costs? is it a reman stocker? LINKS plz?

I don't know but if I could get the tools or had the ones needed, I'd swap a box on the roadside..(AKA parts place parking lot) any day of the week!

 

[7river]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input on the steer box. I opted to wait till I got home...which didn't happen till September. I parked the bus and just got time to change the box. Got a new ford box someone was selling.
Lines wanted to twist off but I worked them for a while and got them free. Had to drop the steer shaft after spending 1/2 day trying to get the collar to slide off (pulled the bolt, just rust). Had to screw the box to a 4x10 beam to wrench that pitman arm bolt off!
I would agree unless you are super rust free, forget doing this on the side of the road.
Also noticed it looks like there was a PS cooler that was removed, maybe it overheated and the oil broke down?
Bummed out to hear your opinions on the Michelin's. I'll see how she runs when I get rest of the work done. Got the fuel tank down, the tubes in the pick up cracked.