Steering box?

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Moparornocar0346

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Hello all so I have a question for u all and hopefully I can get some answers. So I have a leaky steering box on my 99 ram 1500 4wd I’ve been getting prices all day long being I have a commercial account I have gonna some pretty good prices. But here is my thing. I know that redhead boxes r suppose to be the best and stuff but I don’t have that kinda of money to fork out right now and my box is pouring the fluid. But in ur all’s opinions where would be my best bet to get my box?
Autozone is endurance
Advance is cardone
O’Reilly is masterpro
Don’t have a Napa in my area

They all have lifetime warranty’s but what would be my best bet.


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Okiespaniel

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PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTttt....I'm gonna let you in on a little secret.

All those steering boxes you listed, all of them...are you ready?

They're made by the same company! That's right. 1 company. They even rebuild NAPA's boxes. All of 'em re built by Cardone. I don't care what the box says, because I've seen where the boxes come from. I've sold them from 3 out of the 4 names you listed.

SHHHHHHHH...

All cores are sent to facility outside of Phoenix that tears them down. The parts are sent to Mexico, where they are cleaned and re assembled. There is no fixing, just new seals and rear shaft bushings, maybe.

After you've spent some time taking advantage of that "lifetime warranty" and are slamming that 3rd or 4th box up against that frame, you might consider what your time is REALLY worth. Not what your job pays but what your time under the truck costs.

At that point, you'll pony up for a Red head box and be done with it. Or you can do it the first time (like I did) and not have to f with it again. I poured power steering fluid in for 2 years, cut back on fast food and beer, then bought the Redhead.
 
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Moparornocar0346

Moparornocar0346

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PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTttt....I'm gonna let you in on a little secret.

All those steering boxes you listed, all of them...are you ready?

They're made by the same company! That's right. 1 company. They even rebuild NAPA's boxes. All of 'em re built by Cardone. I don't care what the box says, because I've seen where the boxes come from. I've sold them from 3 out of the 4 names you listed.

SHHHHHHHH...

All cores are sent to facility outside of Phoenix that tears them down. The parts are sent to Mexico, where they are cleaned and re assembled. There is no fixing, just new seals and rear shaft bushings, maybe.

After you've spent some time taking advantage of that "lifetime warranty" and are slamming that 3rd or 4th box up against that frame, you might consider what your time is REALLY worth. Not what your job pays but what your time under the truck costs.

At that point, you'll pony up for a Red head box and be done with it. Or you can do it the first time (like I did) and not have to f with it again. I poured power steering fluid in for 2 years, cut back on fast food and beer, then bought the Redhead.

Yea I hear ya I understand for sure but it can’t wait and I have nothing else to drive at the moment. And as soon as I put a pint in it’s coming right back out. I can’t keep fluid in it period. I have to do something. I would like to have a redhead yes but I just can’t afford it right now.


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Okiespaniel

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Hell, I thought you had a 55 gal of PS fluid in the bed...pints ain't squat. You didn't tighten down the factory preload set screw and crack the case did you? I've some fools do that too.

But Ok, well, it's your BBQ son.

Since you're going to pull the box anyway, why not put a seal kit in it? You could end up with a rebuilt box with more slop than your core. And because the shafts are going oblong those seals will start to leak as well.
 
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Moparornocar0346

Moparornocar0346

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Hell, I thought you had a 55 gal of PS fluid in the bed...pints ain't squat. You didn't tighten down the factory preload set screw and crack the case did you? I've some fools do that too.

But Ok, well, it's your BBQ son.

Since you're going to pull the box anyway, why not put a seal kit in it? You could end up with a rebuilt box with more slop than your core. And because the shafts are going oblong those seals will start to leak as well.

No I haven’t touched it, it just started doing this **** this right after I got off work. And no if I had to carry that much ps fluid I would have gotta rid of it a along time ago. But I understand ur point yes but I don’t but I don’t have a waiting period nor do I have that much funds to ford out at once. By the way u talk sounds like I’m better off to go to the damn jy and get one


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Okiespaniel

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No I haven’t touched it, it just started doing this **** this right after I got off work. And no if I had to carry that much ps fluid I would have gotta rid of it a along time ago. But I understand ur point yes but I don’t but I don’t have a waiting period nor do I have that much funds to ford out at once. By the way u talk sounds like I’m better off to go to the damn jy and get one


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Actually, I'd consider getting a junkyard box and installing a seal kit and running it. You've basically done what most rebuilders do.

Just make sure it isn't one of your hoses. If you're losing a pint a day, that doesn't sound like a box.

When boxes leak the fluid is localized under the truck. When a pressure hose starts in, fluid will spray everywhere.
 
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Moparornocar0346

Moparornocar0346

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Actually, I'd consider getting a junkyard box and installing a seal kit and running it. You've basically done what most rebuilders do.

Just make sure it isn't one of your hoses. If you're losing a pint a day, that doesn't sound like a box.

When boxes leak the fluid is localized under the truck. When a pressure hose starts in, fluid will spray everywhere.

No it ain’t a hose that’s for sure. I can watch it leak right out the bottom of the box


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Slowhand

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Being the original steering-boxes are a notorious weak-link on the 2nd-gen. Any new steering-box will be a big improvement that should last another 20yrs. i would go with the O'Reilly masterpro & change the hose too, since you're able to get a good deal on the parts. But it's a tough job if you're not using the right tools.
 
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Moparornocar0346

Moparornocar0346

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Being the original steering-boxes are a notorious weak-link on the 2nd-gen. Any new steering-box will be a big improvement that should last another 20yrs. i would go with the O'Reilly masterpro & change the hose too, since you're able to get a good deal on the parts. But it's a tough job if you're not using the right tools.

Just got done with the box last night. I went with the O’Reilly box. No leaks now. But I did see an improvement on steering and there is some slip but not much. Imma try to go and adjust it today and see if that helps any


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Slowhand

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I bet you're happy to get that job done, but there'll always be some play w/a steering box & if it's less than an inch of play at the steering wheel, than mission accomplished. The reason why Dodge switched to a rack & pinion steering system on the 3rd-gen.
 
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Moparornocar0346

Moparornocar0346

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I bet you're happy to get that job done, but there'll always be some play w/a steering box & if it's less than an inch of play at the steering wheel, than mission accomplished. The reason why Dodge switched to a rack & pinion steering system on the 3rd-gen.

Well it’s a little bit more than an inch. Like I said imma try to tighten it and see if that helps some


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Moparornocar0346

Moparornocar0346

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I bet you're happy to get that job done, but there'll always be some play w/a steering box & if it's less than an inch of play at the steering wheel, than mission accomplished. The reason why Dodge switched to a rack & pinion steering system on the 3rd-gen.

Well it’s a little bit more than an inch. Like I said imma try to tighten it and see if that helps some


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Slowhand

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Sounds good, but don't over tighten the steering-box adjustment b/c it'll prematurely wear-out. Keep in mind, there's a lot of steering-joints on a 4x4 so some of the excessive play you're feeling could be coming from a worn suspension part.
 
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Moparornocar0346

Moparornocar0346

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Sounds good, but don't over tighten the steering-box adjustment b/c it'll prematurely wear-out. Keep in mind, there's a lot of steering-joints on a 4x4 so some of the excessive play you're feeling could be coming from a worn suspension part.

Yea imma bout to do balls joints to after my balls joints I should be good bc everything else is new. Trying to whip it back into shape


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