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CUC/V Power Steering Gear box

cucvrus

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Anyone ever attempted to change the input shaft seal and the out put shaft seal on any CUC/V's steering box? I have a leaking one and I can buy a rebuilt one for $149. with a lifetime warranty. Heck the core is worth $90. Just asking. It may be a $3. seal and easy as pie. Or a $3. seal that takes 3 hrs to install then it is not worth the trouble,time or effort. Changing the entire box may be the answer. I would not even entertain the thought of putting a used 30 year old one on off another truck at that low $150. price. Share your experience. Happy Holidays. Oh yea it's Autozone remanufactured gear box.
 

TGP (IL)

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Use a screw and slide hammer on both.
Do not turn the adj. nut on the input side.
Not a bad job, but by the time you have the pitman arm and steering
Shaft off, just change it out, unless your sure your output shaft bushing
Is not worn out.(likely cause for leak)
Tom
 

cucvrus

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Like I thought. Thank you. I am just going to replace it and go on from there. It is leaking at the steering input shaft. It has well over 100K on it and 15 years of snow plowing on an industrial level. $150. is the way to go. Thank you for the quick reply. Happy Holidays.
 

cpf240

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Please let us know how it goes. I've read other posts here where the reman steering boxes are not that great. At the present time, I'm planing on sending mine in to be rebuilt when I get to that part of the truck.
 

cucvrus

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Everything is not that great is you read it on the internet. What is not great about them? If they don't leak and the truck has power steering that is great. That is all I expect. The truck drives and steers fine now. That is great. But it leaks. I put several on Ford's that i had in the past. They worked fine. It is a time and money issue. I feel my time and money spent is better with a remanufactured one. That is my opinion. I never had any issues with anything remanufactured that was not resolved easily. I will give it a whirl and report back. i am just going to give them a box I have laying around as a core. Happy Holidays.
 

Chaski

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If you want to try rebuilding one yourself it is pretty easy. A good Gates brand kit is about $30 off of rock auto. Do a search for Gates 350440.

Get the box bare, then remove the four bolts that hold the sector shaft cap on, remove the cap. Next pull the sector shafts out of the box, you may have to tap on it a bit with a dead blow. Next grab a pin punch 1/8"ish, and drive it into the hole (that may be full of crud) that is on the perimeter of the casting where the piston cap retaining ring is. This will knock the retaining ring out of the groove so that you can remove the retaining ring completely. Next turn the input so that it pushes the piston twards the endcap. If you keep cranking it should pop the endcap out, making is so you can pull the piston out and all the bearings from the ball screw will fall out everywhere (do this in a sheet pan or something similar to make sure you don't have a bearing roll off to oblivion). Next measure the protrusion of the input shaft "nut" You want to put it back about where it was. After you measure it knock the lockout loose, then use a spanner to remove the input shaft assembly. You can clean everything up and replace the sector shaft bearing and seal in the case. Pull the input "nut" off and replace the seal in it. Take the piston and remove the ball screw retainer(two screws), and the old Teflon seals. Wrap the edges of the piston with electrical tape and grease it up well with transgoo, then carefully stretch the new (warm) Teflon seals over the piston and into the grooves. After you get them installed wrap them with a layer of tape, then a layer of shim stock, then clamp with a hose clamp until you are ready to install the piston. Re-install the input assembly to the same protrusion as original. Take the clamp off the piston, grease it and the case up with transgoo and carefully insert the piston into the case (you do not want to pinch the Teflon seals). Next you get the piston far enough into the case and clocked around so that you can access the ball screen retainer from the hole in the top of the case where the sector shafts cap goes. The next part is the assembly of the ball screw. This part can easily be screwed up, you must be deliberate. I normally have the box with the mounting ears in a vise, the input to my right, the piston cap to my left. The ballscrew is right hand thread. I normally feed the balls into the left hole on the piston. The ball bearings are often different colors (chrome and grey chrome). Alternate the colors as you put them in. As you put them in on the left hole you must make sure that they are going down on your side of the ball screw... NOT GOING OVER THE FAR SIDE. Once you get down to 10 or so left in your pile look at the other hole between every bearing install. Stop as soon as you see a bearing in the right side hole. Take the remaining bearings and use transgoo to hold the in the ballscrew retainer, then re-install it. Next clock the piston so that the sector shaft can be inserted and mesh with the teeth on the piston. Grease up the end of the sector shafts and carefully insert it into the case. Put the new gasket on the sector shafts cap and install it with the 4 bolts. Install the piston cap and retaining ring with a new o-ring. Go ahead and give the box a try on the bench, if there is any crunchy feeling, or anything loose inside you need to take it apart again, retrieve the bearings and try the ballscrew assembly again. You can tighten up the sector shafts play with the adjustors on top of the cap, and can also adjust preload on the input if need be.
 

cucvrus

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No thanks. But thanks anyway. I already ordered a remanufactured one. I like they easy way. I heard rebuilding transmissions is easy work also. I never tried that either. This is not a very big dollar item and I need it in and out. That gives me a head ache thinking about the aggravation. And if it fails I have to try and do again. No I guess I am not into it that much. I like to do it the easier way. There is always more to it then the instructions give. Have a Great Day. Happy Holidays.
 
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doghead

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A wise man once told me, "The older you get, the less value a lifetime warranty is..."

Paraphrased to conform to site rules.
 

Hasdrubal

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Here's my steering box story. Went to an alignment shop, tells me I need a new box, too much play to do an alignment. So I order one from a local parts supply chain store. Rebuilt, turn in your core arrangement. Pick it up, its clean, new paint on it, drop it off. Get a call 2 hours later, go down to shop, this box has more play than my original box he just removed. So, takes it off, I take it back, tell them what a piece of junk they supply. Then guy at shop tells me I should only source a box from a shop called precision steering, that's all they do, steering boxes. He calls them up and gets one delivered that afternoon. Would have been nice to know this beforehand. So be aware of these so-called rebuilds.
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
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Jonestown Pennsylvania
A wise man once told me, "The older you get, the less value a lifetime warranty is..

Well since 3 generations have the same name I think we got that covered. Good enough?

That wise man not so wise. He not think things out to well.
 

Skinny

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The problem is most remans don't have a high enough quality control. So excessive wear on the gears is not too much of a concern. If it is shiny and holds fluid, it ships. It's a numbers game. With a lifetime warranty pitch, they make the sale at a lower price and hope that whatever junk you bolt it on to doesn't last long. Aftermarket parts is a tier system. People with new vehicles typically get repaired under warranty with OEM parts. Cars with say less than 100k still have value so most people seek OEM quality aftermarket parts. Someone milking an old clunker along rarely pay a premium for parts so lower priced replacements are not going to be of the highest quality.

Since most CUCVs are pretty low use/low mileage, you would be better off rebuilding what you have.

On another note, both of these boxes could probably have been used with a sector shaft preload adjustment. Unless the input or output shafts have play in them, it is the backlash causing the steering wheel freeplay most of the time. They would be seeping fluid if this wasn't the case. The other thing is that the alignment could of been performed with no issue, the steering wheel may wander from center due to the gearbox freeplay but it won't wear the tires.
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
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Jonestown Pennsylvania
On another note, both of these boxes could probably have been used with a sector shaft preload adjustment. Unless the input or output shafts have play in them, it is the backlash causing the steering wheel freeplay most of the time. They would be seeping fluid if this wasn't the case.

I read that and wondered. What are you talking about? I just received my remanufactured steering box. I don't need a lesson in relativity. This is not rocket science. If it's broke replace it. I am a simple man not a brain surgeon. My sector shaft preload has been blown by you analysis. I do not know what you are talking about and have made it into life this far without knowing and it never seemed to affect me. Thanks for the prognosis Dr. Skinny. I have a steering box to replace. WOW. Sorry I ask about the seals. No offence but I really only wanted to know if the seals could be replaced. The 1st post after my question gave me the answer. Not worth the time and effort. Thank you all for your replies. It has been educational and entertaining to say the least. Happy Holidays. I have my problem solved.
 

Skinny

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You asked for information regarding seal replacement vs. replacing what you have with a reman. I offered up something for you to condsider regarding a reman box which apparently to you seemed like "rocket science". You can take my opinion for what it is but I think your attitude and tone in doing so is really uncalled for.
 

cucvrus

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Jonestown Pennsylvania
Really. Give me a break. It was plain and simple humor. Don't get all bent out of shape. You are not a Woman are you? It was a joke to me that you came up with this huge explanation about a leaking power steering box seal. Be real. I can take a joke anytime.
And if you look at the second post I had already made up my mind that I was going the remanufactured way. I even have low mileage takeoffs and don't want to use them for fear of dry seals. Thats me. You do it your way on your stuff. Peace man. Freedom of speech and expression is still that FREE. Happy Holidays.
 

gimpyrobb

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Really. Give me a break. It was plain and simple humor. Don't get all bent out of shape. You are not a Woman are you? It was a joke to me that you came up with this huge explanation about a leaking power steering box seal. Be real. I can take a joke anytime.
And if you look at the second post I had already made up my mind that I was going the remanufactured way. I even have low mileage takeoffs and don't want to use them for fear of dry seals. Thats me. You do it your way on your stuff. Peace man. Freedom of speech and expression is still that FREE. Happy Holidays.
He probably posted that info for someone with a brain, that can fix their own equipment. If it doesn't apply to you, just let it go.

You might not be the only person that uses this forum.
 

saucegodactual

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Columbia, SC
Behold, the resurrection of a contentious thread!

Since the topic is CUCV steering gear box and whether to refresh the original or replace with a remanufactured one, has anyone replaced their CUCV steering gear box with a Red Head steering gear box or had them rebuild one?
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
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Jonestown Pennsylvania
I will give you my 6 year report on the rebuilt box. It was still working and plowing snow until 2 weeks ago when the transmission went out. I think that CUCV will be heading to the scrap pile after this. Shame but that is the way things go in the cooperate world. New is nice and I need some new stuff. Just wanted to let you know how the remanufactured box held up. https://www.autozone.com/suspension...ring=search&isIgnoreVehicle=false&model=power
If you are not mechanical $210. is a deal. They were only $159. 6 years ago. Take Care Be Safe.
 
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