2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Steering gearbox

[IdahoJim]

Hi guys...it's been awhile. The old '01 now has 258,000 on it, and it wanders a little. I put on a new trackbar 1n 2012, and a steering box reinforcing gizmo. That cut the problem in half. Now I'm thinking of pulling the box, and adjusting it. My questions is...would I be better off putting in a new unit, rather than adjusting the old? Far as I can tell, the old one doesn't leak. I figure it's just got a little worn, and needs to be reset to the factory specs. Looks like a PITB to pull, so maybe I'm better off replacing once I'm in there. What say you? Many thanks,
Jim

 

[VolsFan]

I have put two gearboxes in the second gen trucks, both at over 175k. Both boxes had play in them and were not leaking. Not too hard of a job especially if I can do it, the line closest to the frame was kind of a pain to take off put/put back on. Changing the box really made a dramatic difference for me in both cases. Have used the Napa reman box which was actually worse than the box I was replacing! Got a borgeson from genos and really liked it in my 99, esp. with the tight turn ratio. For the 01 I got a redhead and it doesn't have a tight ratio but a good box all the same, you do have to send a core in, since it's reman. Just some options to consider

 

[CM_Guest]

I put an AGR box on my '94 fairly recently. I think they're reman factory boxes they upgrade with better parts and some billet aluminum to jazz it up a little. It steers way better than the old one, but it had 300,000 on it to. I also put on a BD shaft brace and Borgeson steering shaft on while I was at it. I think the Borgeson shaft probably did as much to tighten up the steering as the new box did. My truck needs the bushings the bottom of the column replaced too but I've got a newer truck now so I don't know if the "restoration" I was planning for it will ever happen or not. I've got a death wobble problem that nothing seems to help and those parts didn't either. I'm pretty sure there's not enough caster on the front axle from when they welded the knuckles to the housing. The front-end of that truck looks like a prototype compared to later trucks. But they did make it steer MUCH better.

 

[NIsaacs]

I've got a death wobble problem that nothing seems to help and those parts didn't either.

Are you using OEM wheels and or do you have OEM wheel spacers? If it has the spacers on one side or the other, remove it/them and try it. Also check your toe in and increase it if it is not already too much. I like the toe in as close to 0" as possible without being toed out, however as parts wear slightly the toe in needs to increase as much as 1/4" if necessary. Some will say that will hurt fuel milage and or increase tire wear but if it stops the death wobble it is worth it.

Nick

 

[CM_Guest]

Yep. Factory chrome wheels. No spacers. 285/75R16 tires. I should have it aligned. I've put it off because nothing else has worked and I keep trying new things and putting off the alignment until I do something new and then I forget about it. I'm sure the tie-rods have issues too. That entire front end is just MADE to eat parts. Trying to push the front axle down the road just isn't ideal. And having ball joints instead of kingpins on the knuckles doesn't help matters.

 

[SnoKing]

I put an AGR box on my '94 fairly recently. I think they're reman factory boxes they upgrade with better parts and some billet aluminum to jazz it up a little. It steers way better than the old one, but it had 300,000 on it to. I also put on a BD shaft brace and Borgeson steering shaft on while I was at it. I think the Borgeson shaft probably did as much to tighten up the steering as the new box did. My truck needs the bushings the bottom of the column replaced too but I've got a newer truck now so I don't know if the "restoration" I was planning for it will ever happen or not. I've got a death wobble problem that nothing seems to help and those parts didn't either. I'm pretty sure there's not enough caster on the front axle from when they welded the knuckles to the housing. The front-end of that truck looks like a prototype compared to later trucks. But they did make it steer MUCH better.

So it does not have the caster adjustments at the rear end of the lower arms?

ON edit: Here is an old post on it.

"Most of the 94-97's are incapable of cranking the eccentrics enough to get 2 deg. of caster. Simply not enough adjustment. The later trucks like yours have a different eccentric and usually you can get 3-4 degrees (or more) which helps alot.

The earlier trucks respond well to an adjustable upper ball joint eccentric/sleeve to allow for enough caster."




Chris

 

[Houser]

BUY THE close ratio box from Genos. I put one on both of my trucks. Definitely worth the money. Whole new truck.

Mike
Palmer, Alaska

 

[IdahoJim]

Thanks, guys. I'm going to pull the box, and adjust it. I'll let you know the result. I've got the factory service manual. Probably get to it Friday.
Jim

 

[NIsaacs]

If you are going to adjust it you can do it in the truck. Just pull the pitman arm off so you have no resistance to the box. There are only 2 adjustments that you can do externally. That is, the input shaft preload and the pitman shaft gear preload. The book will tell you the specs and how. Now if you are going to put a seal kit in, then yes you will need to pull it but I think you said it wan't leaking so.... that's your call.

Nick

 

[IdahoJim]

Thanks, Nick. I didn't realize I could adjust it on the truck. I just went out and looked at it. No way to see the input shaft preload adjustment nut...or the holes in it for the spanner. MIGHT be doable, but an ugly job. The overcenter adjustment looks like it's doable. I'll probably try it.
Jim

 

[NIsaacs]

I should have it aligned.

They will just want to throw some new parts at it first. The tow in is the most important adjustment on the whole front end in my opinion and it is something you can do yourself. Just get some help on the dummy end of a tape and check it.

Nick

 

[IdahoJim]

Well guys, I gave it up. Absolutely could not remove the pitman arm. I built a puller out of 3/8" plate, with a 3/4" x 16 bolt out of A36 steel. I've been in the concrete business my entire adult life, and though I'm now 65, I'm still really strong. Had so much torque on that bolt, it bent the bolt, and bent the 3/8" plate, too. It needed heat, but that probably would have ruined the seal, so, since it was not a big deal, I just put things back together and bagged it. I rarely give up on anything, but that pitman arm is ON there...LOL When the gear box gets really bad, I'll replace it. At that time I won't care about the seal...ha.
Jim

 

[VolsFan]

I took the gearbox out of my 01 with the pitman arm on it and took the whole thing to a machine shop and had it pressed off, took 35 tons, and only cost about $5. This was after countless attempts with a pitman arm puller. The one on the 99 was no big deal.

 

[IdahoJim]

Yup...I thought of that, but decided the steering wasn't so bad it was worth the trouble. If I was changing out the gearbox, I'd have just used some heat. Sure would be nice if the factory would use 2 cents worth of anti-seize.
Jim

 

[CM_Guest]

I would have tried a LITTLE heat. It's a fine line you have to walk when there's a seal involved, but sometimes it only takes a little to really make a difference. And a quick-heat/quick-cool cycle pouring a bunch of heat into it for 5 seconds and then immediately hitting with cold water can cause enough thermal shock to pop one loose. I don't put much faith in "pullers" in those applications. Because you're really talking about a taper fit situation where any corrosion is "locking" the parts together and pulling against it can make it tighter. My method? Slap some heat to it quick and apply liberal doses of BFH to the side of the arm. Same goes for tie-rod ends on machines with tie-rods they don't make "pickle forks" big enough for. Get the nut loose and backed off and 3 or 4 good whacks with a 3-lb hammer to the SIDE of the SOCKET part of the joint will knock it right lose. It's how the force is applied and not where it's applied that makes the difference when you're dealing with tapered joints. But I can't blame you for leaving it. There's a lot of difference between working on something for yourself vs. what you're working on for someone else. ESPECIALLY when the "for you" project has to be done to get you TO the "for them" JOB. Lol.

 

[seafish]

Couls also try soaking the spine shaft with Kroil a few times if you try again. It IS an amazing penetrant, far better then anything else on the market

 

[IdahoJim]

Duplicate post...please delete
Jim

 

[IdahoJim]

Trouble with the BFH method is the damage to the bearings. I agree about the heat, but as I said earlier, the truck steers OK. A bit loose, but not the end of the world. If I ruined a seal, or damage the bearings...then I have a real problem. I'll just use the heat method, and the puller, when I know I have to replace the gearbox. I did do some moderate whacking at the side of the arm...to no avail.
Jim

 

[IdahoJim]

Couls also try soaking the spine shaft with Kroil a few times if you try again. It IS an amazing penetrant, far better then anything else on the market

Yup...good stuff, but didn't help. Soaked it overnight with the pressure on.
Jim

 

[VolsFan]

When it does come time you want to swap it out, I would bypass the heat method. When I did the one on my current 01 I heated it up with MAPP gas plus soaked it in aero kroil. Even the guy at the machine shop said he'd never seen one like it.Sucker wouldn't budge. I think if it is already giving you this much trouble you'd be time and money ahead to pull it with the pitman arm attached and take her to a machine shop, that's just my 2 cents