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Old 10-04-2021, 06:41 PM   #1
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Join Date: Dec 2016
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Year: 1995
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Engine: DT466
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Steering gear box

How many of you have had issues with your steering gear box?

My bus decided to gift me with a new project on my last exercise drive. My steering gear box sprung a leak. I have had issues with it for a while. Sloppy steering with lots of wondering and it also would not turn the wheels without the bus rolling. A fluid changed help a little. My pins and tie rods are tested good with a fresh Alignment.

128k seems kind of low mileage for a steering box or is that normal

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Old 10-04-2021, 06:53 PM   #2
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Location: topeka kansas
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Year: 1954
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Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
128k miles

I find it highly unlikely your bus has that low of mileage. I have not seen a bus yet with less than 200,000 miles most are around 250,000 miles.

My chassis was 15 years old and had over 220,000 miles.

I bought a new steering box- cost about $830.00

Not a rebuild, new.

William
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Old 10-04-2021, 07:03 PM   #3
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The mileage is correct, to many signs that it’s not. Records, talking to the district, I etc

A new box for mine was 2800.00. I found a reman on eBay for 350.00. How good of a deal that is remans to be seen Lol


Quote:
Originally Posted by magnakansas View Post
I find it highly unlikely your bus has that low of mileage. I have not seen a bus yet with less than 200,000 miles most are around 250,000 miles.

My chassis was 15 years old and had over 220,000 miles.

I bought a new steering box- cost about $830.00

Not a rebuild, new.

William
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Old 10-04-2021, 09:09 PM   #4
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A box gone too soon

That is premature failure. Which shaft is leaking? Do you have a printout that shows the amount of caster you have? Any tells showing signs of front suspension damage? Kind of rare for any halfway modern vehicle to wear out steering gear that soon.


I take it you bought the eBay steering box.
William
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Old 10-04-2021, 09:52 PM   #5
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The top of the box is leaking so that is the input side from the steering wheel. I do have print out but it’s outside in the bus. It was all within in spec he said. He checked the king pins and all the linkage all check out good. I did get the eBay box guy said it’s was marked as two years old from the place he got it form so it’s likely 2-5 years old. Low demand I assume they likely worte it off. And sold it cheep to him.

The bus was used as a training bus so maybe all the low speed/parked steering wore out the box.

Quote:
Originally Posted by magnakansas View Post
That is premature failure. Which shaft is leaking? Do you have a printout that shows the amount of caster you have? Any tells showing signs of front suspension damage? Kind of rare for any halfway modern vehicle to wear out steering gear that soon.


I take it you bought the eBay steering box.
William
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Old 10-05-2021, 07:41 AM   #6
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Year: 1991
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Chassis: International 3800
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Ive replaced the gearboxes on 2 of my busses.. not due to leaking but due to wear.. one bus is 31 years old, the other is 43 years old..
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Old 03-17-2022, 01:57 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
Ive replaced the gearboxes on 2 of my busses.. not due to leaking but due to wear.. one bus is 31 years old, the other is 43 years old..

How tough was it to change out the steering gear? Did you consider rebuilding your own? Mine has a pretty good leak on the input shaft (coming from top and flares look dry). I don't have sloppy steering, but i loose more fluid than i like and my wiring harnesses bundled below keep getting soaked. A new seal kit is ~$140, but a rebuilt one is roughly $500.
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Old 03-17-2022, 04:12 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fo4imtippin View Post
How tough was it to change out the steering gear? Did you consider rebuilding your own? Mine has a pretty good leak on the input shaft (coming from top and flares look dry). I don't have sloppy steering, but i loose more fluid than i like and my wiring harnesses bundled below keep getting soaked. A new seal kit is ~$140, but a rebuilt one is roughly $500.



on my 91 IH the hardest part was one bolt has a nut inside the frame. i used a stubby wrench to get on it then I could use my impact on the front site to get it loose.. putting it back together I greased the nut so it would stay in the wrench and slid it into the frame and gingerly screwed the bolt in and it worked..





I didnt consider rebuidiong my own, Power Steering Specialists are right here in central ohio and do a really nice job of building gearboxes.. it was easy to just go get another one and put it on..
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Old 03-17-2022, 09:28 PM   #9
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Join Date: May 2018
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Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
steering box on mine

2005/2010 f-450 I wanted to start off as new as I could from the start. I bought a new steering box. Cost with core charge was $800 for new.

Tough to swallow, I almost did not buy it. I then thought back to other vehicles I drive with 200,000 miles or more. The on center feel of used vs brand new sure makes a difference driving down those long straight roads in the desert. I dont have to rock that steering wheel back and forth for two hours. Was worth it to me.

william
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Old 03-18-2022, 07:50 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigskypc50 View Post
How many of you have had issues with your steering gear box?

My bus decided to gift me with a new project on my last exercise drive. My steering gear box sprung a leak. I have had issues with it for a while. Sloppy steering with lots of wondering and it also would not turn the wheels without the bus rolling. A fluid changed help a little. My pins and tie rods are tested good with a fresh Alignment.

128k seems kind of low mileage for a steering box or is that normal
I just scanned the "steering" Section from my Amtran Service Manual.
Hope you find the info you need to go forward on the repair.
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Old 03-18-2022, 03:17 PM   #11
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Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by magnakansas View Post
2005/2010 f-450 I wanted to start off as new as I could from the start. I bought a new steering box. Cost with core charge was $800 for new.

Tough to swallow, I almost did not buy it. I then thought back to other vehicles I drive with 200,000 miles or more. The on center feel of used vs brand new sure makes a difference driving down those long straight roads in the desert. I dont have to rock that steering wheel back and forth for two hours. Was worth it to me.

william

well worth it to me to replace the ones in my busses.. chances are if I went to rebuild it I was going to find worn hard parts anyway from dirty fluid so i may as well get a new one and done.. bolt it on, and issue solved
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Old 03-18-2022, 03:30 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
well worth it to me to replace the ones in my busses.. chances are if I went to rebuild it I was going to find worn hard parts anyway from dirty fluid so i may as well get a new one and done.. bolt it on, and issue solved

Is there an interchange where i can use a newer part number? Currently i have TRW tas652280 on the existing one. Don't see any new ones out there, but there's a ton of similar looking ones
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Old 03-18-2022, 04:01 PM   #13
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Join Date: May 2009
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Year: 1991
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Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by fo4imtippin View Post
Is there an interchange where i can use a newer part number? Currently i have TRW tas652280 on the existing one. Don't see any new ones out there, but there's a ton of similar looking ones

you can try and get the numbers off the end.. I had to Brakleen and wire brish a lot of dirt to see mine.. then called these guys.. they are local to me(central ohio) but they do ship..



https://www.pss1.com/tas/


-Christopher
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