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Topic: Power steering gearbox leak (Read 504 times) previous topic - next topic

Power steering gearbox leak

Well I went down to Florida and back from Ohio. 
I knew my gearbox was leaking (about 1 drop every 3 or 4 seconds while the engine was running).  So I think I put about 4 qts in it from Ohio to Florida.
I was going to have it looked at along the way but decided I would wait till I got home.
The funny thing is that it stopped leaking.  I mean all the way from Georgia to home it didn't leak at all.
Any ideas. 
The service center up here (before i left for Florida) said it was an input shaft seal.
Is there a pump involved that could be causing this issue.
Rick & MJ Berry
1998 U320 40'
Ohio

Re: Power steering gearbox leak

Reply #1 –
Interesting it stopped leaking.  There are many of posts on the steering gearbox leaking.  Search for Sheppard or Redhead and you will find lots of good posts discussing it as well as links to videos on how to remove it if you want tackle that yourself.
40ft 1997 U320

Re: Power steering gearbox leak

Reply #2 –
The input seal is not usually a problem, the sector shaft is the one that fails on most coaches. The seal may have softened up from use.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Power steering gearbox leak

Reply #3 –
The drivers side seal on mine started leaking a few years ago (I have a 97 295). I removed the end cap and seal and discovered a blue sealant that had been put in the seal seat groove during manufacture had started to breakdown in chunks. Some of the chunks had gotten between the seal and the shaft allowing oil to pass. The sealant chunks were fairly soft and did not seem to cause any seal damage. There also didn't seem to be any wear on the shaft. Looks like the sealant just got old and broke down. I cleaned the sealant out of the seat and reassembled without any sealant (I have never seen sealant used on a seal seat like that). The leak never occurred again. The other side (pitman side) started leaking soon afterward so I did the same thing there (although more difficult). and it has been leak free also. I assume the composition of the sealant had reached its age limit (about 20 years) on both sides.
1999 U270 36, no slide

Re: Power steering gearbox leak

Reply #4 –
Interesting subject since I just this week spent just over $3,200 replacing the steering sector on my 1999 U295.  On a trip to Florida last week it began leaking so bad that it would empty the reservoir fairly quickly.  As a side effect you also lose the hydraulic operated cooling fans on the radiator causing the engine to over heat.  The steering sector alone was about $1,800.  Oh well it was fixed and operated just fine yesterday and today when I went back to Florida to pick up the coach and bring it home to Georgia

Nick Cagle
Nick
1999 U295 40'
 

Re: Power steering gearbox leak

Reply #5 –
Just had my Redhead installed a couple of weeks ago at NMS.  I couldn't be happier.  I had installed new seals in my old box last year and the leaks stopped, but it is night and day difference as to how smooth the Redhead is.  Price of the Redhead plus 6 hours labor, and I really like it.  One less thing to be concerned about.
Mark & Bev
2001 U295 36' Slide
Cummins ISC 8.3 350HP
Build #5802
Jeep Wrangler Toad