Skip to main content
Topic: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild (Read 2051 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #25
Something you did not mention in the steps is cutting about an inch off of the front panel of the gen fan box. Doing so gives more room to slide the gear box sector shaft out of the frame.
40ft 1997 U320

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #26
Something you did not mention in the steps is cutting about an inch off of the front panel of the gen fan box. Doing so gives more room to slide the gear box sector shaft out of the frame.
If you go out the side no cutting required.
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: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #27
I took mine out the front by cutting the panel out about 6" x 6" but I took the fan out to go back in and realized it would have been easier to take out the side as Craineman said  I had a friend help with taking fan out but did Sheppard box both out and in by myself. I guess I'm just old and determined!!  when I finished I welded the panel back in!
Chris
1999 U 320 DGFE
Build Number 5523
Chris & Elka Lang
In the field, Lonoke AR

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #28
How difficult is taking out the fan?  Do you also take out the radiator or just the fan?  Appears to be three bolts on the front and three on the back there might be difficult to get at.
40ft 1997 U320

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #29
The fan and radiator are held in by  the same 6 bolts and nuts. As mentioned before if you have the fan out you can move the capacitor to a location for easy replacement. I didn't do mine the way Chris did so I can't compare how one way or the other is easiest. I know the lines and the steering column were not hard to do from the side.
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: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #30
If you pull the genset radiator that's a good time to have that radiator pressure tested and cleaned.  I had mine done while it was out when the shop changed out my steering box.
Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
no longer 1999 36' U320 build #5522
2013 Rzr 570 & 2018 Ranger XP1000
2006 Lexus GX470
2011 Tahoe LT 4x4
Previous 1998 45' 2 slide Newell, 1993 39' Newell

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #31
David,do you think a trans jack would be any help?Sounds like the 270's with the different fan may be easier.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #32
Okay well the new steering box is installed! Yippee! $65 an hour I paid for two guys, and this is from a guy that twig knows.
Took them 4 hours and they had to leave for a little bit for the hex bit to get the nut off the pitman arm. Having no front headlights helped quite a bit it seemed but they tried to pull it out the front and in the end still had to go out through the generator squirrel cage.
Getting the pitman arm took a little finagling of course but with my three-quarter inch breaker bar and the 42-in extender bar that I have to put over it that I bought to do the shocks with they will get it off without applying heat. Probably took a good 35 to 50 minutes of work on that one. Haven't started the generator up yet hopefully everything's put back together there well. I did remember to take the start capacitor off but the strap that's holding it in place is not long enough so I'm going to have to figure out something there. I did as crane man suggested to turn the steering wheel side to side before hooking up the pitman arm to try to get some air bleed through the system I don't know if it worked or not. afterwards we hooked everything up I started the engine I wound up putting a gallon of 15w 40 in. My plan is to change out the fluid completely but I'm not going to do it here on the beach I'll let it run for a few days to make sure that it bleeds everything and then I'll change it out.
As far as I can tell the hard stops are set properly. I didn't drive it afterwards for several reasons. But I'm leaving at the end of the week so I'll know then.
I also gave them each of 400 peso tip about $20. It's a Saturday and holy week for them but they work on Saturdays so it wasn't anything special for them.
I'm just glad it's done one less thing to worry about now. So Chuck yeah now I get it LOL.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #33
Good to hear you got er done Bob!  Sounds like those guys did you right!
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

 

Re: Sheppard Steering Gear Rebuild

Reply #34
Let's hope so Joe!
I leave Puerto Penasco in the morning. Right now it's 8:00 local time and I'm still waiting on the delivery of an item I need before I leave. I'll leave that for a different thread.
In the meantime anybody that is waiting for a shepherd core to be sent back to redhead for a rebuild, mine is being dropped off sometime tomorrow in Tucson. UPS doesn't pick up on Saturdays so that means that it'll get picked up on Monday and should get to redhead by Friday which means that by the following Monday or Tuesday it should be out the door. When those guys say they keep you on the list they really mean it. They'll tell you what number you are on the list. A good company to deal with.
After the install I thought I saw some oil dripping and I thought maybe one of the hydraulic hoses was loose but they were both tight I think it was just left over oil from the install. Let's hope. After driving a little while I will definitely pull over and check the fluid level in the hydraulic oil reservoir. Right now I have it fairly full. I was going to change out the oil and put the new filters in but I think I'll wait until I get up to New England to do that.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired