Really need some help yall

[Randomrunner12]

Hey all,

Long story short, entire front end minus drive gears and power steering pump was replaced.

At the time, a redhead 2879 steering gear box was installed as well as a redhead steering brace. Fast forward 3000 miles and the gear box is bad and loud hissing under dash when turning, also cant turn to full lock sitting at idle in neutral or in park like I could with factory box no issue. I had the shop get a new box from redhead under warranty with supposedly upgraded internals as well as new power steering lines to hopefully fix the hissing.

So now second box is installed and I have roughly 65 miles on it and same issues are present again. Truck drove great for the shop as well as me on my way home (5 miles from shop). Drove the 60 miles one way to work and once at work that's when noises became present. (loud hiss and groan when turning) does it rolling or still and again, cant make more then 1 or 2 turns before steering wheel stops and kicks back on me.

What should I tell the shop, 4x4 suspension is an all new animal to me and from what I can pull and read online, I should either have a mopar 6 bolt box installed or a PSC steering box installed? At a loss of what to tell them. Not really wanting another redhead box and being down without my truck for another 1.5 weeks.

 

[Ozymandias]

Check first that the fluid level is really up to the Mark, a loud hissing often indicates that there is some air/foam is in the system.
Also make sure that they used ATF+4 for the fill and not power steering fluid.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Check first that the fluid level is really up to the Mark, a loud hissing often indicates that there is some air/foam is in the system.
Also make sure that they used ATF+4 for the fill and not power steering fluid.

Shop said that the used some fluid that redhead recommended called Dexcom ATF. Since the truck has been sitting for a while I am going to go check again that the fluid level is at the mark when cold as required. I hope that it is just a fluid issue but during my shift at work. I put my truck in neutral, and turned the wheel left and right. I was only able to turn the wheel 1 turn to the left before I got too much stiffness in the wheel and felt like I could snap the steering wheel right off, then I was able to get 2 full turns to the right and hit full lock.

From what I can find online the redhead 2879 is a 3 turn box meaning I should be able to to go full lock either way with only 3 turns of the wheel. Maybe I should have the shop step up to the 6 bolt redhead unit? They swear by the redhead boxes being that they are a specialty off-road shop and this type of stuff is all they focus on.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Checked fluid level after work this morning and it was at the add mark when cold. My dip stick only shows add and full hot. Should I add more fluid and how much. I assume just enough to get above the add mark but not enough to be over the max at hot line? Truck is going back to shop regardless today but I don’t want to burn out my power steering pump at 127k miles already.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Checked fluid level after work this morning and it was at the add mark when cold. My dip stick only shows add and full hot. Should I add more fluid and how much. I assume just enough to get above the add mark but not enough to be over the max at hot line? Truck is going back to shop regardless today but I don’t want to burn out my power steering pump at 127k miles already.

I would check when it's hot before adding any

 

[Randomrunner12]

I would check when it's hot before adding any

Was able to do both. Definitely had low fluid. Hissing went away once fluid s was added but Also confirmed with shop is a bad power steering pump. You can visibly see with cap off when turning wheel there is a stop in fluid flow but once you start pushing in the wheel to help the fluid starts flowing again.
It’s all in warranty and they are making it right so I have faith

 

[Ozymandias]

You don't need a magic Dexron ATF - you need the specified ATF+4 in your System.
There is way more involved then the box only, you also have a PS pump and a Brake booster.

I would have gone for the 6-bolt anyways and not from Redhead - fresh from the MOPAR assembly line.
My 6-bolt is a charm and still as tight and responsive as 150K ago when I put it in. Not the slightest wear.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Little update for everyone, new power steering pump was installed ( we were able to watch fluid flow stop while trying to turn wheels at low RPM but when we would push wheels, fluid flow would begin again so we suspected bad PSP) issue remained unchanged. After new PSP we were lead to believe that the HB was bad as the brake pedal would not hold pressure and would fall. It also wouldn't kick back when starting the truck like it would normally. So new HB was installed but that also made no changed. At this point the shop is sourcing another gearbox to install. I suggested a Mopar 6 bolt from dodge or a PSC unit since they are a modified version of the 6 bolt with a larger sector shaft. Not sure which route they are going to go but hopefully it wont cost me any further arms or legs since the problems have multiplied since they started working on it.