Well I'm in Glacier National park now and my steering gearbox has sprung a leak from the end cap...what's the best way to get this fixed asap?
I would contact these guys and ask for their recommendation for the nearest shop that can R&R the steering box. They are just north of Tacoma WA and are known for quality blueprinting and rebuilding Sheppard M100 steering boxes.
RedHead Steering Gears - Manual & Power Steering Gear Box (http://redheadsteeringgears.com/)
Be sure that the shop checks cut angles/steering stops, as going metal to metal on the stops substantially raises hydraulic pressure and materially raises the likelihood of blowing a seal.
I live near Redhead And have two gearbox cores in my pick-up Pm me if you like
Terrible timing for sure. Never goes smoothly. I am very mechanical just don't have source local for parts I will call the company listed thank you
Dang and it is Sunday nobody is open lol. Well might as well go explore
would be nice if I could replace the seals
I had mine spring a horrible leak. Luckily across the street was a hydraulics place and I was able to get a union that allowed me to disconnect the hydraulic lines at the steering box and connect them together to bypass the box. On the highway it wasn't too bad to drive...I avoided parking lots.
Krush that's what I'm talking about...deal with it when I get to Alaska or at least get me to a bigger city
Anyone got a seal part number?
Should be a Shepard kit #5545221 or International #2592442C91. I bought one from Rush truck center in Utah and changed that side out in KOA in Salt Lake. Did the side you have without pulling the gear. The other side takes a special puller. Now I don't leave home without either. Rush truck center in Boise (800) 541-3645. You'll need an oring pick.
Spoke with Darren, think he is going to get going with a seal or seal kit, he will be looking for one in the AM.
I am taking my two cores to RedHead tomorrow AM - I bought one for $500 plus freight from Colaw RV salvage. After I bought the one from the salvage yard, I paid $100 plus freight for the one that was circulating for "free" (the gentleman that sent it too me said that is what he had to pay for it) prior to my buying one from Colaw when I couldn't locate the "free" one. So with the $600 in payments foer the two cores and the $$$ for freight I have almost $900 in these two cores. Sigh.....
I will see what I can work out with Redhead to have a rebuilt M100 PDP1 on the shelf going forward (they can rebuild these in one day - only one of their employees does the M100 "Mr. M100". Was going to do this anyway this week, moved it up to Monday AM in case Darren needs a steering box shipped out tomorrow. I was told at MOT that this M100 PDP1 variant fits all coaches at least in the range of 1995 - 2003 - maybe more. I was also told by Redhead that this (PDP1) is not a common M100 model. Redhead does have other types of Steering boxes they rebuild in much higher volumes and they have cores and exchange programs for those fast moving steering boxes. Just not ours (yet.... :-))
FWIW, here is a link the M100 service manual .pdf that I found online. Certain seals can be changed out without removing the box as outlined in this document.
http://www.hydrosteer.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Mseries-Complete.pdf
I will start a new thread once I figure out what is the outcome of my discussions with Redhead. My box was replaced last month at MOT. took almost all of the "dead spot" in the steering out - is noticeably "stiffer" turning the wheel. Next up, checking front wheel bearings and setting them as tight as the manufacturer allows, or a "skosh" tighter. Lots of front end parts already put in the coach that were worn, plus a toe in check. Made great progress, trying to get that last little bit out. My OCD tendencies showing.......
A thanks to you for helping the forum out.
This forum is outstanding...and so is Tim thanks for all the help I pulled the end plate off the gearbox and the seal is dried and cracked I noticed the shaft seams to move a little in and out (axial play) Curious if that is normal?
There has got to be a way to get that seal in Kalispell? Spokane isn't far to deliver one, napa carquest or oreileys. Im thinking you can be back on the road tomorrow afternoon.
I'm gonna call around tomorrow morning...nobody was open today.
If that is the only seal that is leaking, count yourself lucky as it can be replaced without removing the box. A hydraulic shop should be able to do it. Or maybe you could do it if you have the tools and can find the correct seal. I don't know the part number.
My Cummins dealer shop foreman mentioned that running the fans in high speed constantly would damage the systems parts from long term high heat in the system.
Another reason to update the fan speed controller from the 180 to a 199 unit.
The 180 runs at low speed until 165 then starts going faster.
The other one runs at low speed to 184 then ramps up to full speed at 199.
The thermostats in our coaches do not open fully until 195.
Foretravels use of the lower setting full speed excessively heats the systems oil which can contribute to system issues in his opinion.
I switched from motor oil to hydraulic oil in my Fan/power steering system. Hydraulic oil is made for the task and has proper additives. Not saying it will make a difference, but it can't hurt.
As I have said before, changing from the recommended fluid to anything else is something I WOULD NOT CONSIDER.
The engineers at Foretravel speced a specific fluid for a reason. One would need to delve deeply into all the valving, pump, fan motors and power steering to determine what affect a change would make. Past my pay grade!
How do you know "it can't hurt"? What research and testing have you done to reach that conclusion?
Well, I am currently in a shop Fleetpride here in Texarkana. They are trying to find a whole gear box for me. Your data was just passed on to tech here. Hopefully they will be able to source the proper model.
Well I ended up sourcing parts from Finditparts.com as I couldn't get anyone to answer and didn't receive a call back from readhead until this afternoon and I needed the part either way kit delivered overnight is 150 now hopefully it arrives tomorrow
Well that's an expensive seal but in the grand scheme of things,not bad if you can get back on the road. Are you familiar with the sheetrock screw method of seal removal? Recently used it to reseal lower units with deeply recessed, stacked seals. Worked like a champ.
Hope you have luck with finditparts I did not!!! There address may give a hint
FinditParts
1308 FACTORY PL
APT 112
LOS ANGELES, CA 90013-2256
I don't know how you wound up with that address, I have bought from them many times without issue.
Heavy Duty Truck Parts Online, Medium Duty, Light Duty - FinditParts (https://www.finditparts.com/?srcid=CHL01SCL004-Nall-Dmdt-Gusa-Sbra-Mexa-Kfinditparts&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI28Wnu7Pg4gIVBr3sCh34qQqkEAAYASAAEgIjlfD_BwE)
I discovered a leak yesterday in the same spot on my steering box as Flatfisher53. I called Redhead today and spoke with the counter sales person (shame on me, I already forgot his name), He was super helpful. He spoke with the " builder" a few times after looking at the picture I emailed him. Identified the model and part number of what I needed. Gave me some install information, and got the parts shipped out to me. If there service is person is as good as there service over the phone, I highly recommend them !!!
Thanks to everyone for the information here, all very helpful.
Look at there contact info, I did after my experience.
I had an outstanding experience with them for my airbags so I hope this will be the same way
We like Finditparts and have used them.
I think Finditparts is one of a new breed of online sellers that use technology like Uber.
Finditparts may not inventory anything. I think they are a computer system that hundreds of parts sellers can connect to, list parts, get orders and ship parts. And everything looks like one operation.
And they are not the only parts seller using this method. It makes sense.
Foretravel is an OEM that buys components and puts them together into a larger system. They hardly dig into valve, pump, fan package. It's more likely the marketing people chose a specific fluid (motor oil) for the reason of convenience (owners do not have to source another fluid type). The system consists of a hydraulic pump, hydraulic control valves, hydraulic motors, and a power steering box. Every hydraulic system I've ever used was best filled with Hydraulic fluid, with other fluids being acceptable, but not optimum.
Said another way, it makes the most sense to me to use hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic system, since that is what the fluid (hydraulic) is designed for. But everybody is free to do as they please.
About 30,000 miles, 1000hours of run time, 4 years, and I also did look at Shepard documentation that lists hydraulic fluid as acceptable (you can find my post with Shepard documentation somewhere back in foreforums history). I think they weeping around my hydraulic fan motors may have slowed down a little bit when I installed hydraulic fluid, but it also could be placebo effect.
Well Finditparts pulled through again for me with overnight part into the middle of nowhere...changed seal in a matter of 15 minutes cleaned it up and so far so good just got onto ALCAN. Wish me luck lol
Also thanks again for all the help. The part number was correct and I still may end up getting a readhead unit once Tim drops them off and I arrive to AK.
Happy days! Keep on truckin bro, nice fix.
Well I made it safe and sound to Alaska where I will now reside. Thanks again for all the help. Overall the U270 pulled through great. I have some things to work now that I am here. Need new AC and fridge shrouds (bad cross winds on old shrouds), I have to order a solenoid for front 6 pack on air ride system, I have what I believe is intermittent alternator (or very inaccurate voltage gauge, I pulled out the meter to test it while on the ALCAN and discovered that it needed new batteries so more to come now that meter has fresh batts, also a very pesky intermittent generator overcrank fault. Otherwise a great test for the coach. And she pulled the steepest grades at 38-40 MPH and overall got 7.5-8.5 MPG pulling trailer weighing 7500 pounds. Safe travels and thanks again for all the help
C man that address is shown under the Contact us at bottom of their Web page.
JohnH
Well I'm sitting here at Disney's Fort Wilderness and discovered the same leak out of my gear box. Darren, you are saying the Shepard kit 5545221 on Finditparts was the correct kit to fix this problem? Thanks in advance!
Robert
Based on my experience of stopping for the evening and seeing oil all the way down the side of the coach, and reading this forum over the years I think any coach that is 2003 or older needs to have the gear box rebuilt with all new seals. What I am seeing is the seals are failing with age, not miles. When someone replaces just one seal it is not long before other seal let loose.
My opinion is that need to be added to the check list of anyone buying a coach or that owns one that has not had this done. If Coach is 16 years old, replace the steering gear seals. I feel that the question is when, not if. Lot easier to fix on your time instead of being on the road.
I took two cores to Redhead. They should have rebuilds in stock at all times. There will be a core charge, refunded when your rebuildable core is received back at Redhead Auburn Wa
I will post more at a later date. I dropped off the two cores a week ago.
Tim Fiedler
Gen-Pro.biz
630 240-9139
Just got off the phone with Daniel at Redhead. They are shipping me the seal kit so I can at least get out of the park. Hopefully it stops the leak like it did Darren's. Regardless, will being getting a rebuilt one in the future. Thanks for the input.
Removed and sent my box to redhead before winter (I think). Figured to have it done on my terms than to have to figure it out on the road... No leaks or issues at that point and wanted ti for peace of mind in the future and to help narrow down any issues in my steering.