WTF steering boxes... Gurrrr....

[CSIPSD]

About a year ago Chelseas broke on the Excursion turning on to the main road... Slow speed/high loading.

Last week Jimmys broke coming out of his driveway... Same thing, slow speed and high load.

Tonight I am backing out of a parking spot at the hospital and snap...

The Sector shaft snapped right off on the pitman arm. 3 boxes, three exact failures.

Anyone else experience this?

 

[JLDickmon]

sector shaft is the input from the steering wheel..
pitman shaft is where the pitman arm is..

which one broke?

don't matter, Ford boxes are notorious for breaking... especially with big-ass tires.. that's a shload of torsional load, man.

 

[Big Angry Hillbilly]

Your failure was likely contributed to by the tires you're running.

I can't speak for the other two.

I've never seen a box fail like that on a super duty with stock wheels and tires in 10+ years of working on them.

 

[OBS F350]

I was turning at a low speed, probably 5 mph into a gas station when mine exploded in my 96 f350. I could still drive it but it cracked in half over the sector gear cover, obviously wouldn't hold pressure so I had no power steering... That was a fun drive to the shop with 36's haha... Good thing is it took all of 20 minutes to change.

That crack would get much larger when you turned haha. I put a "Heavy duty" gear box off of a super duty, IDK how heavy duty it is but I never had problems with it, other then I needed to replace my P/S pump (I know you always replace the pump if you have to replace the gear box, didn't have the cash).

 

[Dslfumes]

I've had 2 of them fail like that.

 

[91turbogsx]

I have saw one break with stock tires and wheels. But he was off roading and wasn't easy on it. Haven't saw one break in a normal situation.

 

[Fl Stroker]

I too have snapped mine. I was told the issue is more pronoun with the CCLB due to the turning radius and putting slot of stress on shaft on a full turn and watch dose curbs.

Next time I plan to try these guy http://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/.

 

[Aaron S]

I dont see the red head box being the solution to broken shafts since its just a rebuilt box.

There are some trucks with steering systems that are able to turn the wheels at a stop and some that can not. I know CSI has said his personal truck will. I wonder if this fluke extra turning strength is what is breaking some shafts.

My truck can barely turn 33x11.5 tires while sitting still an it had 38s on it for 50,000 miles but has never broken the box.

The easiest solution I see is to install a ram assist so the cylinder will take some of the load off of the steering box.

Another potential solution is install the box off of a 05 to 07 truck. The output shaft is much larger. The frame has to be drilled some. The pressure line has to be changed. The two biggest problems is the pitman arm is a little shorter and the tapered hole for the drag link connection is larger on the newer box. Im not sure how you would overcome this aspect. Custom drag link maybe.

 

[CSIPSD]

Pitman shaft... sorry.

Be changing it today in the parking lot at the hospital.

Fun fun fun...

I broke one on my 97 years ago, but I hit a snow bank when it happened so I just marked it up to that.

 

[moose99psd]

http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/hydrosteering.html

 

[CSIPSD]

Ya... Thats not happening.

 

[TyCorr]

Mine turns really easily too. I can turn my 37's from lock to lock while parked with no real effort. My 03 was like that too.

Im hoping mine doesnt break. Although I need to replace my PS pump anyway.

What did a stock box set you back Joe?

 

[CSIPSD]

$171 at Napa... Lifetime warranty.

its on and done. Still a little air in the system so its harder to turn right now, but by tomorrow I am sure it will be fine.

 

[MadDiesel73]

If you can't turn the tires your PS pump is worn out.

I'll be doing a redhead , PS pump , and hydro boost.. Trying to fix steering slop and weak brakes

 

[CSIPSD]

New box is great! Turns the 37's like nothing, and no slopp anymore! Adjusted the old one several times over the years.

Sucks to spend the 200 bucks, but it was not that bad.

 

[JLDickmon]

well, personally, I don't think it's not all that common..
but again, it's not uncommon, either...

 

[Layson]

Joe do you turn the wheel and hold down on the brakes alot?

 

[TyCorr]

If you can't turn the tires your PS pump is worn out.

I'll be doing a redhead , PS pump , and hydro boost.. Trying to fix steering slop and weak brakes

People with new trucks saying they cant turn the wheel unless the truck is rolling. I dont mean 6.4's, I mean NEW trucks and everything older than them. I dont know why some turn effortlessly and others are hard to turn, reportedly. Ive never witnessed it. Ive had two diesel superduties, one gasser, and driven bunches of both. I dont think Ive had one that was tough to turn.

 

[CSIPSD]

Joe do you turn the wheel and hold down on the brakes alot?

I dont stomp the breaks and attempt to turn. I will lightly hold the brakes and turn, without issue.

 

[bigwheel]

I have had this same issue with my 2000. I am on my 3rd box now. What are you guys doing to help out the box and tie rods? I have been thinking about doing hydro to help on the stress.