Power steering gearbox bolt help

[496joe]

Hello all,

Hope everyone is doing well
My 2006 Mega Cab needed a new power steering gearbox. I got a Redhead one which is supposed to fit my truck. The problem is the new one takes bigger diameter bolts. The ones that were in the old gearbox are smaller and have some bushings /or sleeves that go in both sides of the frame and take up the extra space. Where do I get the bigger bolts? Hopefully not the dealer !

Thanks
Joe

 

[Jim W]

Are asking about the bolt diameter body size ? Not the thread size correct?

I would recommend that you use the same bolts size and use bushing to provide the correct fit in the hole diameter of the body. Why? Most bolts have the threads rolled into the bolt body diameter to form the thread diameter. Lower cost to produce than machining them! If I remember correctly and my machinist book is correct the diameter of the bolt is called the crest, than there is the root, pitch, thread angle and depth. The tread depth is the crest minus the root of the bolt. If you can find an oversize bolt diameter with machine threads, the bolt could be a lot more expensive to purchase than just using bushings!

Using bushings to take up the slop between a bolt (outside diameter) and an oversize hole in a body has been done in the industry for years!

 

[Ozymandias]

Must be a very strange box you got.
My 2008 upgrade box went in with the same bolts as the 2004 was fixed.
This is the first time ever that I hear from that the bolts dont match the box.

 

[496joe]

Must be a very strange box you got.
My 2008 upgrade box went in with the same bolts as the 2004 was fixed.
This is the first time ever that I hear from that the bolts dont match the box.

I'll take some pictures but yes the new box uses larger diameter bolts

I'll get in touch with redhead tomorrow
Thanks

 

[496joe]

Hopefully the pictures load. The short bolts are what it shipped with

Thanks

 

[Ozymandias]

I googeld a bit and found this, https://www.cumminsforum.com/threads/steering-box-bolt-bushing-upgrades.2522689/

Your truck is weird or someone changed the box before, the big bolt is what yiu want.
And they sell them at NAPA.

 

[496joe]

I googeld a bit and found this, https://www.cumminsforum.com/threads/steering-box-bolt-bushing-upgrades.2522689/

Your truck is weird or someone changed the box before, the big bolt is what yiu want.
And they sell them at NAPA.

My Naps looked at me like I had three years when I had them look it up.
Thanks for all the checking. Awesome to have people that are willing to help

Thanks again
Joe

 

[496joe]

This is from Redhead, "
hey Joe, so if those bolts aren't fitting then it sounds like the gear box came from a non OEM company. Typically they make you change those bolts. You can go to a dealership directly that will have the factory bolts that will work with that application. If they don't have the ability to get them you can contact Redhead directly and they might have them on hand. "

That seems to be the consensus, non OEM gearbox already in there. They use the bushings to make up the size differences. All good until you go to order the factory bolts and the long ones are NLA ! They clicked on the note and it all least tells you the size needs. I ordered them and hopefully it's all good now

Thanks again
Joe

 

[Ozymandias]

That's what they say in the Thread I linked. It's probably a Ford Box that was in yours.
Do you have Adapters on the hydraulic connections to the box?

 

[496joe]

No adaptor s were on it, but I never actually checked that fittings were the same. I'll have do that while I wait for the bolts

Thanks

 

[SquareDave]

Hello all, Hope everyone is doing well My 2006 Mega Cab needed a new power steering gearbox. I got a Redhead one which is supposed to fit my truck. The problem is the new one takes bigger diameter bolts. The ones that were in the old gearbox are smaller and have some bushings /or sleeves that go in both sides of the frame and take up the extra space. Where do I get the bigger bolts? Hopefully not the dealer ! Thanks Joe

 

[496joe]

That's what they say in the Thread I linked. It's probably a Ford Box that was in yours.
Do you have Adapters on the hydraulic connections to the box?

Ok. Now that I've gotten the bolts and got a look at it, I see that the gearbox I took off does have the adaptors. I'm guessing I won't need them with the new one ? The O-rings are shot too. Those must be something Napa has ???

Thanks
Joe

 

[Ozymandias]

Yes, for the stock box bo adapters needed.
O-rings you get at Napa right.

 

[496joe]

Yes, for the stock box bo adapters needed.
O-rings you get at Napa right.

I'm my haste to get it done I didn't immediately see the included new I-rings. Took off adapters and all is good

Thanks again
Joe

 

[SquareDave]

Hello all,

Hope everyone is doing well
My 2006 Mega Cab needed a new power steering gearbox. I got a Redhead one which is supposed to fit my truck. The problem is the new one takes bigger diameter bolts. The ones that were in the old gearbox are smaller and have some bushings /or sleeves that go in both sides of the frame and take up the extra space. Where do I get the bigger bolts? Hopefully not the dealer !

Thanks
Joe

I ran into the same issue when the seal blew out. 7 years ago an independent garage more or less rebuilt the front end and used a gearbox with the smaller bolts. The problem this time around was that there was a 5-day backorder for rebuilt units and even longer for new ones. My current mechanic wound up using a seal repair kit to get me back on the road.