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Topic: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After? (Read 814 times) previous topic - next topic

Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Hello all, looking for before and after "reviews" on the steering box rebuild at Redhead.  Specifically looking for what mileage you had and how steering feel and driveability was before and after.  Just wondering if getting the box out is worthwhile or if I should just replace the seals.

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #1 –
To put all the seals in the box has to come out anyway. Mine wasn't leaking and the play was not bad but, all the labor to remove and install, the cost to rebuild vs. just resealing wasn't enough difference in my opinion. Some might want to save the money and just put in seals.
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: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #2 –
Probably more age related vs miles as far a seals go.
Ours drove fine before replacement but it does seem to have a little less play with the new redhead box.
Could be my imagination though.
Frank & Connie Williams
1999 U320 '36
Build: 5466
MC: 18335

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #3 –
We pulled ours because of slow leaks. Rebuilt at Chalk Truck Parts in Houston overnight. I am not sure how much they did internally but it is tighter than it was before (not bad before though).  Not a drop since.

Worth doing if it is leaking.  Hard to say if you have some play how much it will improve.  I drove another FT this summer that was very loose, maybe 3" of turn on the wheel,  no leaks. It would be worth doing on that one.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #4 –
Replaced mine at 82,000 miles with Redhead exchange. NMs did the replacement. We full time. Noticed a little oil weeping from cover as viewed from driver outside storage compartment in December. Went from a couple drops to plastic catch pan filled with soggy kitty litter in about 1,000 miles - rather rapid deterioration. Mine drove well with old box and with rebuilt box.  I did not try any additives. It went south a lot faster than I thought. Had to cancel travel plans. You pay a $300 premium for an exchange. Since we live in our motorhome we made the decision to do the exchange, within a couple weeks the supply of pre-built steering boxes for Foretravel were nonexistent at redhead. They were calling me and wondering when my box was going to arrive to be rebuilt, as they had three coaches waiting for steering boxes. That's my recent experience. Our coach is a early 1998.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Realmccoy –
Replaced mine at 82,000 miles with Redhead exchange. NMs did the replacement. We full time. Noticed a little oil weeping from cover as viewed from driver outside storage compartment in December. Went from a couple drops to plastic catch pan filled with soggy kitty litter in about 1,000 miles - rather rapid deterioration. Mine drove well with old box and with rebuilt box.  I did not try any additives. It went south a lot faster than I thought. Had to cancel travel plans. You pay a $300 premium for an exchange. Since we live in our motorhome we made the decision to do the exchange, within a couple weeks the supply of pre-built steering boxes for Foretravel were nonexistent at redhead. They were calling me and wondering when my box was going to arrive to be rebuilt, as they had three coaches waiting for steering boxes. That's my recent experience. Our coach is a early 1998.


And, was there an improvement in on-center feel/less play with the RedHead box?
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: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #6 –
Not much. Mine steered very well before it started leaking.
1998 36 foot U270 Build No. 5328 WTFE, 900 watts solar, Victron controller, B2B, bat monitor, 600 AMPH lithium with 2018 Chevy Colorado toad, SKP #110239, Motorcade #17781, 2021 Escape 17B for when Coach is broken down and campsites are too small, retired and full-timer since Dec. 2020. Part of RV family since 1963.

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 –
We pulled ours because of slow leaks. Rebuilt at Chalk Truck Parts in Houston overnight. I am not sure how much they did internally but it is tighter than it was before (not bad before though).  Not a drop since.

Worth doing if it is leaking.  Hard to say if you have some play how much it will improve.  I drove another FT this summer that was very loose, maybe 3" of turn on the wheel,  no leaks. It would be worth doing on that one.

Did Chalk Truck Parts remove and re-install?  Or did you have it pulled elsewhere?
Dan - Full timing since 2009
2003 U320 40' Tag 2 slide

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #8 –
We also did the exchange with Red Head.  We had approximately 126k on the coach and it started to leak when we were traveling through Texas and got worse when we arrived in Arizona.  Kitty litter, small plastic box, caught most of the mess.  I also put in a bottle of Bars Stop and it helped.  We were on our way to Mexico at the time.  Received the Red Head while in Arizona and had it replaced down in Mexico.  Sent the old one back when we crossed back into the USA.  We were told we had 45 days to return.  It was close, but made it.  Steering did tighten up some, but not perfect, at least in my opinion, since we owned a '98 before this one and it drove with one finger!  Just comparing apples to apples!  Hope this helps!
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: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #9 –
Dan, Chalk rebuilds, no removal.  But some years ago they told me the kit from Shepherd lost 2 parts.  So they buy the new kit and add the no longer provided parts in their rebuild.

As for tightening up the steering, there are 2 U-joints in the steering column.  Replacing them helps this as much or more than the steering box.

Very little play in U-joint really adds up at the wheels.
Rudy Legett
2003 U320 4010 ISM 450 hp
2001 U320 4220 ISM 450 hp
1995 U320 M11 400 hp
1990 Granvilla 300 hp 3208T
Aqua Hot Service Houston and Southeast Texas

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #10 –
And don't forget to consider the road surface that you're driving on.  Sometimes it's one-finger to steer, and other times it's white-knuckles like when you're between two semis in a urban construction area (Little Rock comes to mind).

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Rudy –
Dan, Chalk rebuilds, no removal.  But some years ago they told me the kit from Shepherd lost 2 parts.  So they buy the new kit and add the no longer provided parts in their rebuild.

As for tightening up the steering, there are 2 U-joints in the steering column.  Replacing them helps this as much or more than the steering box.

Very little play in U-joint really adds up at the wheels.

Thanks for this, I will make sure to scrutinize the U joints in the column very well as that's a good "while you're in there" type of thing, assuming the column can be detached completely.  I'm sure I'll have to look at the wiring.
 

Re: Redhead Steering Rebuild - Before and After?

Reply #12 –
Mine started leaking badly once I pulled into Antonio's paint Bay in Rocky point Mexico. I was able to get I believe juice squeezers box after it was rebuilt by redhead. The differences before and after for me was quite a bit although my steering wheel is off center by one or two notches now and I probably need a front end alignment. However I am much happier with the new steering gear and the new shocks. Since they were kind of done around the same time it's hard to tell if one had more of an impact on the other. I have 165,000 MI on it, and has already been said it's probably more due to age than miles, the seals get brittle after a while and start to leak. And since it's got to be done no matter what you might as well just get it done. Remember that there may be a waiting time for a rebuilt unit unless you send yours in to be rebuilt in which case you're going to have the turnaround time. Best to do like craneman did and just get it done before it starts to leak if you can.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
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Retired