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Topic: Red Head Steering Box FYI (Read 989 times) previous topic - next topic

Red Head Steering Box FYI

Mine is fine, just thinking I might RnR it. Why not, did everything else.

Here is a return Email I got today:

Hi Chris,
Thanks for reaching out to us!  The starting cost to rebuild your gear box is $496 + tax and shipping & handling. Turnaround time right now is about 3-4 weeks in house.

We do have a couple of cores that we are circulating through; however, there is already a wait list on getting one of those and I suspect it would be a few months before we would have one available for you to do an exchange.

Please let me know what questions you have.

Thank you!
Christina

 

Red Head Steering Gears

4302 B Street NW

Auburn, WA  98001

1-800-808-1148 or 206-364-3333

Fax:  253-246-7826
Chris and Tammy White  CDA Idaho
Previous owners 1997 U295 36' 3126 Cat 300 HP Build # 4998
Former Foretravel tech & RVIA certified tech
Former owner Custom Satellite home/RV satellites 
Former owner Vans LTD  van conversions
Unemployed, panhandler, drag racer NHRA #6348

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #1 –
Is it primarily a seal leaking that causes most of the grief ?    Other than of course tightening up some wheel play also. 

  Last year I switched out the oil and added some Lucas oil treatment.  Doing that stopped a small seep that I had at the pump.   
 
  I'm hopping that the Lucas also helped the power steering gear box and the hydraulic fans ??

  Having said that sounds like I should order the Red Head for next fall.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #2 –
My opionion is if you can let them rebuild yours,the shipping will be the same either route.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #3 –
The coach is parked for 5 weeks or more ?
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #4 –
Quote from: John44 –
My opionion is if you can let them rebuild yours,the shipping will be the same either route.
I was able to have them send me a shipping label at their shipping cost and add it to my bill. Much cheaper than I could ship to them myself.
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: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #5 –
Yeah it seems like a lot of these boxes are starting to leak and owners are replacing them. I still haven't been able to get the mechanic out to redo mine but I talked to him a little while ago and he said next week. if I don't have anybody here Tuesday then I'm going to start working it myself. I'll be shipping my core out from Tucson on April 10th but I'm sure it's already promised to someone. If I didn't have to be moving I would have pulled it sent it in for rebuild and then put my own back in but it wasn't really an option for me I thought. But in the end I probably could have done it, stuck in the paint Bay for 3 weeks but I would have had to have done it right away.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #6 –
As mentioned on a number of the steering box thread, be SURE to set the plungers so that the Sheppard box does not push the steering knuckle hard against the stop.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #7 –
Yes I know Redhead is the preferred rebuilder but just about every large city will have a company that specializes in rebuilding these boxes.  I used a company in Phoenix and am pleased with their work, and others have used Chalks in Houston.  So if in a bind I'd consider other options.  It might save you a bunch just in shipping costs.
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: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #8 –
Shipping cost may pale in comparison to the reduction of steering wheel play with the RedHead.     
And then there's the pretty red paint job.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #9 –
There were some posts a while back about Redhead using different size bearings to "blueprint" their rebuilds,that's another
reason I would go with them.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #10 –
They put on my receipt the size of the balls that it took to take the play out. I believe it was a +3 but I will look at the receipt again and post if different.
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: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #11 –
Chris I to have been considering getting my box rebuilt but have little noticeable free play and am currently 100% satisfied with its performance. I believe because I only have 55k miles on it I will replace all the seals and gaskets and reinstall. Worse case I'll end up removing in a 100k miles from now and get it blueprinted. But I am concerned about a on the road failure. No leaks yet. If you have acceptable free play blueprinting may not be needed.
Scott

Re: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #12 –
Correction on the ball size to remove steering play. It was +5 and a note that it would remove approximately 2" of steering wheel play. 
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: Red Head Steering Box FYI

Reply #13 –
Quote from: craneman –
Correction on the ball size to remove steering play. It was +5 and a note that it would remove approximately 2" of steering wheel play. 
So there is a very good chance that it was originally assembled with a "+ or -" number ball. I would think like every thing they were hand fitted when new and there was a required blueprinting during assembly. I have seen that in other steering gearboxes and CV joints also. Just saying I wouldn't be surprised. Also the competency of the tech originally building the unit. Some people care more than others and are craftsmen and some are employees.
Scott