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Steering Box

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Drag Link "WELDS"

Hard downshift into 1st gear

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A quick back story… Back in 2018 my 2013 Ram developed the dreaded Death wobble.. It took some time to find the cause which ended up being a set of very wasted XRF ball joints. I never thought they could have been the issue as they only had 30k miles on them and they offered a Million Mile warranty. But enough about them and their lack of honoring their warranty.
The very last time the truck had the Wobble happen it was bad, very bad I almost rolled it. Was doing about 64 when I hit the rough patch and all hell broke loose. Things got so violent that it ripped the wheel out of my hand. People around me scattered out of the way. I was able to get off the road and stop. But the damage was done. I tore the bushings on the new track bar. Damaged the tie rod ends on the drag link. After rebuilding the front end the truck never drove right. Always felt disconnected. I later found I had destroyed the bushings in the tilt wheel steering column. A new column and most lately a Borgenson (sp?)steering shaft I found the input shaft on the steering box had slop in it. I tried taking up on the backlash adjustment but I couldn’t get the slop out. I finally broke down and ordered a Red Head steering box. I really wanted to trade the truck in but the dealer only offered 17k for it. I really don’t want another monthly payment.
For anyone thinking about doing a new steering box pay someone to do it. Took me 3 hours hardest part was holding the new box in place and getting the mounting bolts started. It’s heavy and clumsy to hold with one hand.
Truck drivers like new now. I feel very in control for the first time in years.
When I was draining the old box out I found it very full of metal. I noticed the metal before I installed the new box and spent some time flushing the system out. The amount of metal was really concerning. Now that the old box is dry for shipping you can clearly feel something is broken on the input shaft. It’s been a long strange trip….
 
Ditto on Redhead Steering Box. I have had mine in for about 30K now and along with EMF Ball Joints (Really great customer service. I mean getting test message replies on a Sunday night! Don't think that you can get that from any other company) helped to solve problems. I also installed a delrin bushing in the bottom of the steering column from Rock Solid Steering. These three things did far more than the steering box stabilizer and the adjustable 3rd gen track bar. Not saying that they were not worth it, just that they did not make as much difference in the steering.
 
I took my old box from my 98 to RedHead in Auburn, WA at least 15 years ago. He was definitely a Right Wing guy with plenty of posters saying so. Probably 350k on it and still going strong. I had him do the 3 turn.
 
A quick back story… Back in 2018 my 2013 Ram developed the dreaded Death wobble.. It took some time to find the cause which ended up being a set of very wasted XRF ball joints. I never thought they could have been the issue as they only had 30k miles on them and they offered a Million Mile warranty. But enough about them and their lack of honoring their warranty.
The very last time the truck had the Wobble happen it was bad, very bad I almost rolled it. Was doing about 64 when I hit the rough patch and all hell broke loose. Things got so violent that it ripped the wheel out of my hand. People around me scattered out of the way. I was able to get off the road and stop. But the damage was done. I tore the bushings on the new track bar. Damaged the tie rod ends on the drag link. After rebuilding the front end the truck never drove right. Always felt disconnected. I later found I had destroyed the bushings in the tilt wheel steering column. A new column and most lately a Borgenson (sp?)steering shaft I found the input shaft on the steering box had slop in it. I tried taking up on the backlash adjustment but I couldn’t get the slop out. I finally broke down and ordered a Red Head steering box. I really wanted to trade the truck in but the dealer only offered 17k for it. I really don’t want another monthly payment.
For anyone thinking about doing a new steering box pay someone to do it. Took me 3 hours hardest part was holding the new box in place and getting the mounting bolts started. It’s heavy and clumsy to hold with one hand.
Truck drivers like new now. I feel very in control for the first time in years.
When I was draining the old box out I found it very full of metal. I noticed the metal before I installed the new box and spent some time flushing the system out. The amount of metal was really concerning. Now that the old box is dry for shipping you can clearly feel something is broken on the input shaft. It’s been a long strange trip….

comrade - how did you flush the rest of system? just curious. need to do that on a 70 bronco i have but keep putting that project off. nice review and write up on that box. thanks. cheers!
 
I kept filling the system with the hoses off. Engine idling Went through probably 5 gal of +4 fluid but a clean system and peace of mind was worth it. If I was going to do this again I would probably buy a cheap marine fuel / water sep filter asy and a bunch of filters. Then make up some hoses to re circulate the fluid and not waste it.
Was a bit of a pain to purge the air after but I just kept turning the steering wheel with the engine off as stated in the instructions from Redhead.
 
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