Redhead steering box.

Bustedknuckles

Bustedknuckles

Honey Badger
Sep 25, 2010
1,308
2
38
34
Hagerstown MD
Anyone have any experience? My steering is pretty sloppy and everything else is good so im thinking of replacing the steering box. A buddy of mine just put a redhead steering box on his cummins and he said there is a night and day difference, he wishes he would have done it when he bought the truck....
 
blitzin247

blitzin247

That didn't sound good...
Feb 9, 2013
137
0
16
Everywhere
Mine is terrible too, but I'm
Redoing control arms, pitman arm idler arm, and I'm
Just gonna rebuild my factory box...it's leaking terribly, then I will adjust it so it's as good as new, then if I'm still no pleased I'm gonna get the redhead, however instill plan on upgrading my stabilizer with a blistein too. There is a lot going on down there!
 
05LLY duramax

05LLY duramax

boostin
Apr 5, 2012
79
0
0
www.redheadsteeringgears.com
I been looking into 1 of these for my truck. I have replaced everything in the front end that i possibly could and my steering is still sloppy. It gets kinda scary sometimes because my truck is lifted and it wanders a lot. Has anyone put one of these on a duramax?
 
WVRigrat05

WVRigrat05

Wound for sound
Jan 1, 2011
3,124
26
48
38
French Creek, West Virginia
I've heard mixed reviews on them, almost bought one when I did my truck, but didn't want to be the guinea pig, anytime my others got sloppy I changed em til I learned they're adjustable
 
HDdave

HDdave

Member
Nov 16, 2010
175
0
16
Wilmington, NC
Yep ^ not many people know that..

I was thinking about one of the boxes too but idk.. Ive got 30k on my suspension setup so its time for a revamp.. Well see I guess.
 
THEFERMANATOR

THEFERMANATOR

LEGALLY INSANE
Feb 16, 2009
3,890
45
48
45
ZEPHYRHILLS, FL
WVRigrat05 said:
Yep, there's a allen screw on top of the box, I forget the specs for sure, ill look in my gm service manual
Click to expand...

The screw in top is for the sector shaft adjustment, and isn't the one that normally needs adjusting. Overtightening it will break the preload spring inside the box and make the steering VERY stiff. The input shaft adjustment is more important, but takes alot more work to do. i did a write up on how to adjust steering boxes on tts.
 
duratothemax

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
7,139
12
0
Wyoming
Unless you know what you are doing and have messed around with Saginaw recirc-ball steering boxes before.....leave the adjustment screw alone!!! Its super easy to go too far and not only destroy your steering box, but make the truck really sketchy to drive.......
 
duratothemax

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
7,139
12
0
Wyoming
and also...we put a Redhead steering box on Schulte's truck and the POS was trashed after 30k miles. I still say that the best replacement for your money is a used low-mile factory steering box from a junkyard.

IMO no "remanufactured" steering box to date has proven that it lasts as long as a "factory new" unit.

Its pretty hard to find actual "NEW" factory steering boxes. If you go to the dealer or any parts store, they will give you a remanufactured box.

What would be the ultimate badass setup would be to retrofit a 2011+ HD steering box. They have a quicker ratio (I think its 16:1, the 2010 and older HD boxes are like 20:1 or something???), much bigger/stronger. Unfortunately it wont bolt on to the 2010 and older frames...so you would need an adapter plate and some custom fab stuff.

Supposedly PSC was working on a 2011+ steering box retrofit kit, but they kinda shelved it due to the fact that they felt no customers would want to pay as much as it would cost for the kit.

Ben
 
WVRigrat05

WVRigrat05

Wound for sound
Jan 1, 2011
3,124
26
48
38
French Creek, West Virginia
duratothemax said:
and also...we put a Redhead steering box on Schulte's truck and the POS was trashed after 30k miles. I still say that the best replacement for your money is a used low-mile factory steering box from a junkyard.

IMO no "remanufactured" steering box to date has proven that it lasts as long as a "factory new" unit.

Its pretty hard to find actual "NEW" factory steering boxes. If you go to the dealer or any parts store, they will give you a remanufactured box.

What would be the ultimate badass setup would be to retrofit a 2011+ HD steering box. They have a quicker ratio (I think its 16:1, the 2010 and older HD boxes are like 20:1 or something???), much bigger/stronger. Unfortunately it wont bolt on to the 2010 and older frames...so you would need an adapter plate and some custom fab stuff.

Supposedly PSC was working on a 2011+ steering box retrofit kit, but they kinda shelved it due to the fact that they felt no customers would want to pay as much as it would cost for the kit.

Ben
Click to expand...

I'd be happy with the front differential out of a 2011, I like how they have an inspection cover and you don't have to split the front diff to work on it
 
duratothemax

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
7,139
12
0
Wyoming
WVRigrat05 said:
I'd be happy with the front differential out of a 2011, I like how they have an inspection cover and you don't have to split the front diff to work on it
Click to expand...

yeah, the 2011+ front diff actually looks like a "differential"! :D

Im sure its stronger, but on the other hand, its not like a lot of guys are blowing up the factory 2001-2010 front diffs...
 
blitzin247

blitzin247

That didn't sound good...
Feb 9, 2013
137
0
16
Everywhere
05LLY duramax said:
Ok Im not gonna touch that screw lol
Click to expand...
,

I understand Ben's point, but honestly, you have to learn somewhere, he did, and I did as well, which also means you can. Steering boxes aren't ridiculously expensive, so if you mess up, you could always just buy another one. (just dont mess up!)

Just do you research, buy the parts kit, (Rockauto sells all the seals for cheap) and go to town. The downside of this, is that your truck might be down for a bit, so it isnt a popular option.

I agree with Ben that factory new boxes are the best.... all the others are remanned and they usually dont last as long. Growing up, my dad had an 87 burb 1500 4x4, it died at 215k and the gearbox was the factory one, and it was as stiff as the day it came off of the show room floor. But then again, most things arent made like they were back in the day.
 
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