Thanks for the video. It took me quite a while to get the lines bled though. Both engine off and on. Finally I was able to get all the air out and it works perfectly. Also, I broke 2 pitman arm pullers. Had to take the arm off attached to the box to get a breaker bar and a heavy guy on the other end to break it free. You made this look too easy... LOL. 3 days of hell and a garage filled with profanity later, my steering is perfect now. Thanks again!
Thanks, Brian. Changed out the steering gear box on my 1990 Suburban after watching your video. Mine was a whole lot easier to get to. No pitman arm puller needed since it uses a pinch bolt. The intermediate steering shaft wouldn't telescope so I slid the steering box onto the shaft first then lifted it into place. Thanks again.
Love all your vids Brian you have the best most complete and useful tips and explanations. Changing my steering box seemed very simple & strait forward but (yes there is a BUT) For instance in this video simply leaving the pitman arm connected to the tie rod was something I hadn't thought of and saved me an unnecessary procedure. Thank You.
I just bought a 2000 Dodge 2500 V10. I really appreciate you taking the time to make a video. I am not at all a mechanic, I have issues with my front end and I wanted to fix it myself. Your videos are very helpful. Thanks
Thanks for the response. I've read a lot online posts from folks who get defective remanufactured steering boxes and have to replace them again; sometimes twice. I ended up ordering a Boregson from PSC. Pretty dang expensive, but it is supposed to be a quality rebuild. Thanks for you help and video, Howard
Been changing a lot of parts on the 05 ram 2500 i got a few months back. It cracks me up every time I go to watch a video for a rough idea of what I am getting myself into because 9/10 times they are yours. Recognize your voice immediately every single time and know I'll get accurate information.
thanks for reply. i just put in a Red Head steering gear box, and it has helped a lot! I also added a Spohn performance Track Bar, while i was doing it. Was nice to have all this OFF to do the gear box, and do the track bar and the bracket. NOTE. when i took the stabilizer off the Bearing was bound up! does not have a grease fitting, and water and moisture sits in there and could cause more return trouble that good! I left off the bearing for now.
@spelunkerd The "POWER BRAKES" do. The brake master cylinder itself and the calipers etc. still use DOT 3. The hydro boost is run on the power steering pump. Diesels don't have any vacuum left over to spare because the intake has no restriction. It's wide open all the time. So this is developed to replace the vacuum power brake booster. GREAT QUESTION RIGHT HERE!
Hey I just did mine with the red head box.... good video !!!! thanks it helped me with mine... I felt it was easier to leave the fluid fittings on the steering box and I disconnected them at the cooler and then up above the tank... it was much easier to clean and re attach on the work bench...
YES! Mine did that when I first bought it and it was terrible on road trips when I had to stop for gas. I would purge the fuel filter can with the plastic lever and it would start right up, but I was leaving puddles of fuel where I'd fuel up. (felt bad) The fix was to replace the 0-rings for that little lever and the fuel filter cap top. Now It fires up awesome all the time. Cost from the dealership was $30 in parts. Took ten minutes labor.
It has air in the system. After replacing all the leaks- turn the wheel to lock (so it can pressure release and thus release air from gear) and hold there and rev it for about 15-30 seconds to clear the air and then let it sit for a half hour then top off to full cold line and drive it.
Hey, just wanted to thank you for posting this video. We had to repair this as we broke down way down a 4x4 road and this video helped us tremendously. One thing that we had trouble wig while out there was that the power steering connections were not the same. Close, but slightly different and very frustrating to deal with out in the sticks. If making a similar repair, I recommend getting compatible hoses as well so that you don't run into the same problem.
@whitedoggarage GREAT QUESTION! It IS a Dodge. It's made in Mexico. Many SAE sizes lapse the metric scale. What's nice is many car companies use the sizes that intersect the two systems. i.e. 13mm= 1/2 inch 3/4 inch = 19mm 5/16 inch = 8mm or at least close enough. 14mm wrenches fit onto 9/16 inch bolts/nuts but it's tight. What a mess huh?
I have. And I've still shot down to gear boxes. It does WONDERS for stiffening up the frame, but Dodge is brutal on gear boxes when you drive them like I do.
Great video! I have a 96 Ram 1500 lifted with 35's (bought it that way) and the gear box was just sloppy as all hell. If i put my hand on the top of the steering wheel, i could turn it all the way left to 10 o clock and right to 3 o clock with the pitman arm completely still. Thanks for the how to, it probably saved me an hour or 2 of figuring crap out.
If you have a ford. 01-2022 be advised that Ford used two type pressure hose ends for this period of vehicles. One used 'o' rings the other uses reverse flare tubing. Because some previous purchasers did not verify the reverse flare in the reman gear box someone tried to insert the square off tubing with "O" ring into the high pressure port and destroyed the internal reverse flare male brass fitting. Now Autozone has two damaged units that must return, and I had to find another supplier for the proper unit. My van is a 1992 ford e350 cutaway rv. I am now on my way to CarQuest/Advance parts to pick up another replacement unit and hoping it will not have damaged input pressure ports. Good Luck.
@Usernameinvalid16 No problem friend. It sounds like the idle circuit of the carbuetor or "air screw" is too tight. Try backing it out first. Look at the plug to see if it's too black after it's a new plug and idled on for 15 min. Also Oil Smoke is blue tinted. Too rich smoke is black. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Hi! I just picked up a 95 F150 for a few thousand bucks. It's going to need this kind of work. While our machines are different makes, your mechanical style seems's to fit how I work. I'm looking forward to watching more. CHEERS!
Thank you, showed me just enough to know, I should call my mechanic. Younger days maybe I'ld tackle it myself, not today, got more money then patience or skill
You make very informative videos! I watched your video on installing the steering gear box stabilizer. " I took an arrow to the knee"! lol , Skyrim. Tired of my Dodge wandering off the road into the ditch. Definitely looking like a DUI candidate. Thanks Brian! Cheers.
I rebuilt those power steering box in Portland Oregon I call that one p319 very easy to rebuild also any M100 or tas65 or hfb70 HF54 many differents gear boxes as well any manual ones from old cars great video
Hey Brian, Thanks for posting this. I need to replace one on a '94 Navajo. I would have struggled with a tie rod end puller, if it were not for your video. Yippee Ki Yay Partner!
Thanks dude. Just wanted to see what I'm getting into before I head to the auto parts store. Have to replace the steering box because my pitman arm is super STUCK. Completely stripped a pitman puller and while it had as much tension as I could get on it with the puller, me and another guy were literally hanging on a 48in snap on pry bar. When that didn't work we were driving down on it with that 48in pry bar and sledgehammer. Then we got another pry bar and tried both. Still stuck on like crazy.
Dave Kana lol nothing I was going to take the whole tie rod off with it but everything is super stuck, including the tie rod ends. I just need a impact rated ball joint separator, that will have to bought online probably, and a good impact gun but that's not cheap. I have a snapon account but I really want Milwaukee power tools :/
This video helped me a lot, thanks! I have a '93 C1500, and now that I got that heavy sucker off, all I've got is bolt on work. I should have the old girl running tomorrow :D
Great Job!!! I did this on my truck a couple years ago and need to do it again as there is a lot of play in it now. (Lifetime warranty woo whoo ) Now I just need to find the time to actually do it LOL
Try using a return line filter on these hydroboost style power steering/brake systems. If one unit goes bad the other is not contaminated as well. Magnefine is an inline "fuel filter style" filter that has magnets as well as a filter element with a bypass.
It's very similar. On a Ford however, turn the wheel lock to lock left and right 20-40 times with the wheels in the air and check the fluid often. They are much harder to bleed due to the shapes of the lines and pressure feedback devices. Failure to do this will result in a noisy system/pump.
nice job brian...one tip is to tie your steering wheel off with the seatbelt before you start..i learned the hard way and had everything way off when i was done lol
I recommend pressure testing the system. If you had a small leak in the head gasket it would behave that way. Often when coolant gets low it makes a gurgle noise in the heater core.
Yes, this is very appreciated after some local store sold me the incorrect fluids which destroyed the seals in the powered steering box. The plus side is, I have learned a lot more about my Jeep. I measured the pitman drop arm NUT size and it appaired to be 32.5 mm which is NOT what you said [in the vid clip] so I set off looking for a 33 mm socket. And that's a weird size apparently? so ended up getting a 34mm socket for a powered driver. However, I now have to remove that stabiliser arm as its in the way but that's ok. Thankyou.
Thanks again! Getting ready to do this on my 3rd gen. I might separate the lines up top by the fluid reservoir and drop the box with the lines on. I don't have a crow's foot set.
@Usernameinvalid16 That does sound like valve stem seals. You can pull the spark plug crank the engine to bdc and stuff rope in the hole and rotate till tight and do them with the head on.
Great video bout to swap my steering gear box and was looking for a video to show how to do it and this video was very detailed and gave me an idea of what I was getting into thanks man
@Fonztheman01 I FORGOT! If they get real stubborn like that you can get the pressure on them and then whack the Pitman with a hand sledge and they pop off. Thanks for the reminder!
I want to post this hear so others will not suffer the same fate as I just did after replacing my gearbox. Ok I figured out where I went wrong. Once you install the gearbox do not start the engine even one time. If you start the vehicle even for a second you basically ruin the power steering pump. If you think you may have ruined the pump you can prove it by starting the vehicle, begin trying to turn the wheel - it will be stiff - and while you're trying to turn it momentarily punch the throttle. If you feel the steering free up when you punch the throttle then you have a reduced capacity steering pump. The FIRST THING YOU DO BEFORE YOU START THE VEHICLE IS make sure the fluid is full from the gearbox up through the reservoir. You do this by filling the reservoir and then turning the wheel left right from stop to stop while continuing check and refill the reservoir and you repeat this procedure 5 to 10 times. Afterwards if you really want to be sure no air is stuck in the system, you should pull a vacuum down to 20 inches of vacuum at the reservoir for 20 minutes. Then recheck the fluid. If it is still full and you performed the above proceedures you should be good to go. Don't forget to pray before you start the vehicle :P Note: On many makes especially trucks and vans the power steering pump also provides assist to the power booster for the brakes. This is why both steering and brakes are effected when the power steering pump fails to produce its intended pressures/capacities. I'll be replacing mine tomorrow and this is a mistake I will not make again.
What do you remove to fill up the reservoir? The only part that makes any sense is to remove the same piece that you use to adjust it IF it needs to be adjusted (and new ones shouldn't need it). My new one came marked with blue on the nut and inside piece and I took a gold sharpie and marked the nut and the unit itself so I could get it all back to exactly as it was, but I'm still nervous to remove that piece. Is there ANY other bolt I could remove to access the reservoir to fill it up and work air out?
Thanks for the video. You didn't have to do it but you did. I have an early 90's Chevrolet pick up and the principal is about the same. Good tips. Now I have an excuse to buy more tools (crow's foot wrenches). Thanks again.
Hey, hey, hey, buddy, I happen to have dark hair, albeit thinning and graying a bit, and dark eyes, and I love Brian the red beard guy! LOL! Brian is among the automotive gods! He is one of my automotive masters!
Thank you for the visual...I am replacing my steering gear box on 98 Ram 2500 4x4 diesel with 400,000+ miles.. I too have ordered dodgeramsteeringstabilizer and rocksolidramtrucksteering. What after market brand do you use for replacement parts for your Ram Truck for steering tierods and suspension?
Excellent on showing how it's done, now if there is a way to translate your video in Spanish my mechanic no abla English haha, oh and how you made it look easy I can fix it myself now, I'll save money by sending mr. Mechanico home with your video in Spanish haha thank you .....thumbs up!
great video. if i'm not mistaken those steering boxes were the same as the ones used on the chevy trucks at the time or was that previous years. i noticed you didn't need to unbolt it first before you took the pitman arm off. thats a downfall to the chevy ones it has to be unbolted, pushed back then there is room for the puller.
I have a 2000 Dodge 2500, my steering is not the tightest & my seal started leaking today, so I guess it's time to replace. How's a Reman from NAPA? Thanks for taking the time to make the vid, I can now do this. Never did a steering gear R&R. Dave.
I had the Craftsman flexi ratchet and wound up exchanging for a fixed one. The flex head was too floppy at times when I needed it to stay straight so I am back to relying on universal extensions.
Despite my need to make fun of people who buy "vanity trucks" i.e. Guys who will NEVER use their truck properly and just buy a big ass truck to feel "manly" (There's a LOT of them here in Cali), seeing this makes me want to buy a big ass truck! It just seems a lot easier to work on. As much as I love my little old Honda, sometime these caucasian hands are a little too big to get into important spots! Oh, and YES, I know you're not a "vanity truck" driver!
Bet it is the intermediate shaft in between the steering gear box and steering wheel. Like brian said, the U-Joint is probably shot. You should try pick-n-pull. Fairly easy fix i just did mine in about an hour.
I know enough Mechanically to be dangerous and you folks (like yourself) taking the time to do this is greatly appreciated.
Lol I'm the same way I'm no mechanic but I've done full exhaust systems changed rears rebuild a front end all from videos like these💪👍
Although changing my gear box didn't take 11 minutes, this video helped me out tremendously. Thanks Brian.
Thanks for the video. It took me quite a while to get the lines bled though. Both engine off and on. Finally I was able to get all the air out and it works perfectly. Also, I broke 2 pitman arm pullers. Had to take the arm off attached to the box to get a breaker bar and a heavy guy on the other end to break it free. You made this look too easy... LOL. 3 days of hell and a garage filled with profanity later, my steering is perfect now. Thanks again!
Thanks, Brian. Changed out the steering gear box on my 1990 Suburban after watching your video. Mine was a whole lot easier to get to. No pitman arm puller needed since it uses a pinch bolt. The intermediate steering shaft wouldn't telescope so I slid the steering box onto the shaft first then lifted it into place. Thanks again.
Love all your vids Brian you have the best most complete and useful tips and explanations. Changing my steering box seemed very simple & strait forward but (yes there is a BUT) For instance in this video simply leaving the pitman arm connected to the tie rod was something I hadn't thought of and saved me an unnecessary procedure. Thank You.
Nice video. Just finishing gearbox, pump and lines on my 94 f150, it was good to get confirmation of my bleeding method before I start her up. Thanks!
I just bought a 2000 Dodge 2500 V10. I really appreciate you taking the time to make a video. I am not at all a mechanic, I have issues with my front end and I wanted to fix it myself. Your videos are very helpful. Thanks
David Thompson You're welcome Dave. Getting thanks and having people appreciate them really makes it worthwhile.
Hey man just wanted to say thanks because I just completed this project on my 1997 ford f250xlt with the help of this video!
Thanks for the response. I've read a lot online posts from folks who get defective remanufactured steering boxes and have to replace them again; sometimes twice. I ended up ordering a Boregson from PSC. Pretty dang expensive, but it is supposed to be a quality rebuild.
Thanks for you help and video,
Howard
Been changing a lot of parts on the 05 ram 2500 i got a few months back. It cracks me up every time I go to watch a video for a rough idea of what I am getting myself into because 9/10 times they are yours. Recognize your voice immediately every single time and know I'll get accurate information.
Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to show the replacement. Very helpful to watch before doing it myself.
thanks for reply. i just put in a Red Head steering gear box, and it has helped a lot! I also added a Spohn performance Track Bar, while i was doing it. Was nice to have all this OFF to do the gear box, and do the track bar and the bracket. NOTE. when i took the stabilizer off the Bearing was bound up! does not have a grease fitting, and water and moisture sits in there and could cause more return trouble that good! I left off the bearing for now.
@spelunkerd The "POWER BRAKES" do. The brake master cylinder itself and the calipers etc. still use DOT 3. The hydro boost is run on the power steering pump. Diesels don't have any vacuum left over to spare because the intake has no restriction. It's wide open all the time. So this is developed to replace the vacuum power brake booster. GREAT QUESTION RIGHT HERE!
Never did one before, you gave me the courage to do the change on a 2000 Ram 2500 4x4! Thanks, was very helpful, Dave
+Dave Kana Success, thanks again, Dave!
Hey I just did mine with the red head box.... good video !!!! thanks it helped me with mine... I felt it was easier to leave the fluid fittings on the steering box and I disconnected them at the cooler and then up above the tank... it was much easier to clean and re attach on the work bench...
Excellent tutorial, no unnecessary blabbing.
YES! Mine did that when I first bought it and it was terrible on road trips when I had to stop for gas. I would purge the fuel filter can with the plastic lever and it would start right up, but I was leaving puddles of fuel where I'd fuel up. (felt bad) The fix was to replace the 0-rings for that little lever and the fuel filter cap top. Now It fires up awesome all the time. Cost from the dealership was $30 in parts. Took ten minutes labor.
Great post! Your banter (tips) helps me watch out as I proceed on my project. Many thanx.
It has air in the system. After replacing all the leaks- turn the wheel to lock (so it can pressure release and thus release air from gear) and hold there and rev it for about 15-30 seconds to clear the air and then let it sit for a half hour then top off to full cold line and drive it.
Hey, just wanted to thank you for posting this video. We had to repair this as we broke down way down a 4x4 road and this video helped us tremendously.
One thing that we had trouble wig while out there was that the power steering connections were not the same. Close, but slightly different and very frustrating to deal with out in the sticks. If making a similar repair, I recommend getting compatible hoses as well so that you don't run into the same problem.
@whitedoggarage GREAT QUESTION! It IS a Dodge. It's made in Mexico. Many SAE sizes lapse the metric scale. What's nice is many car companies use the sizes that intersect the two systems. i.e. 13mm= 1/2 inch 3/4 inch = 19mm 5/16 inch = 8mm or at least close enough. 14mm wrenches fit onto 9/16 inch bolts/nuts but it's tight. What a mess huh?
I have. And I've still shot down to gear boxes. It does WONDERS for stiffening up the frame, but Dodge is brutal on gear boxes when you drive them like I do.
Great video! I have a 96 Ram 1500 lifted with 35's (bought it that way) and the gear box was just sloppy as all hell. If i put my hand on the top of the steering wheel, i could turn it all the way left to 10 o clock and right to 3 o clock with the pitman arm completely still. Thanks for the how to, it probably saved me an hour or 2 of figuring crap out.
If you have a ford. 01-2022 be advised that Ford used two type pressure hose ends for this period of vehicles. One used 'o' rings the other uses reverse flare tubing. Because some previous purchasers did not verify the reverse flare in the reman gear box someone tried to insert the square off tubing with "O" ring into the high pressure port and destroyed the internal reverse flare male brass fitting. Now Autozone has two damaged units that must return, and I had to find another supplier for the proper unit. My van is a 1992 ford e350 cutaway rv. I am now on my way to CarQuest/Advance parts to pick up another replacement unit and hoping it will not have damaged input pressure ports. Good Luck.
@Usernameinvalid16 No problem friend. It sounds like the idle circuit of the carbuetor or "air screw" is too tight. Try backing it out first. Look at the plug to see if it's too black after it's a new plug and idled on for 15 min. Also Oil Smoke is blue tinted. Too rich smoke is black. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Needed a little reassurance, had not replaced a steering gear in years. Thanks
Hi! I just picked up a 95 F150 for a few thousand bucks. It's going to need this kind of work. While our machines are different makes, your mechanical style seems's to fit how I work. I'm looking forward to watching more. CHEERS!
@Vacmasterthegreat Usually you use a pitman arm puller on an idler arm...... You're welcome! Thanks for being a part of it.
Turning the wheel and removing the air out of the system before reattaching the linkage was a great tip; thanks for that!
Old Rocker to bleed it do you just have to turn the steering wheel while it's off ???
Thank you, showed me just enough to know, I should call my mechanic. Younger days maybe I'ld tackle it myself, not today, got more money then patience or skill
You make very informative videos! I watched your video on installing the steering gear box stabilizer. " I took an arrow to the knee"! lol , Skyrim. Tired of my Dodge wandering off the road into the ditch. Definitely looking like a DUI candidate. Thanks Brian! Cheers.
I rebuilt those power steering box in Portland Oregon I call that one p319 very easy to rebuild also any M100 or tas65 or hfb70 HF54 many differents gear boxes as well any manual ones from old cars great video
Hey Brian, Thanks for posting this. I need to replace one on a '94 Navajo. I would have struggled with a tie rod end puller, if it were not for your video. Yippee Ki Yay Partner!
Thanks dude. Just wanted to see what I'm getting into before I head to the auto parts store. Have to replace the steering box because my pitman arm is super STUCK. Completely stripped a pitman puller and while it had as much tension as I could get on it with the puller, me and another guy were literally hanging on a 48in snap on pry bar. When that didn't work we were driving down on it with that 48in pry bar and sledgehammer. Then we got another pry bar and tried both. Still stuck on like crazy.
+Will Dawson That sucks! What finally made it come apart?
Dave Kana lol nothing I was going to take the whole tie rod off with it but everything is super stuck, including the tie rod ends. I just need a impact rated ball joint separator, that will have to bought online probably, and a good impact gun but that's not cheap. I have a snapon account but I really want Milwaukee power tools :/
That must really be stuck!
what she said
+Will Dawson what about some PB blaster and a torch
This video helped me a lot, thanks! I have a '93 C1500, and now that I got that heavy sucker off, all I've got is bolt on work. I should have the old girl running tomorrow :D
Great Job!!! I did this on my truck a couple years ago and need to do it again as there is a lot of play in it now. (Lifetime warranty woo whoo ) Now I just need to find the time to actually do it LOL
Чувак, ты настолько крут, что даже я все понял! )))
Dude, you are so cool that even I understood it all! )))
From Russia with Love!
Try using a return line filter on these hydroboost style power steering/brake systems. If one unit goes bad the other is not contaminated as well. Magnefine is an inline "fuel filter style" filter that has magnets as well as a filter element with a bypass.
It's very similar. On a Ford however, turn the wheel lock to lock left and right 20-40 times with the wheels in the air and check the fluid often. They are much harder to bleed due to the shapes of the lines and pressure feedback devices. Failure to do this will result in a noisy system/pump.
nice job brian...one tip is to tie your steering wheel off with the seatbelt before you start..i learned the hard way and had everything way off when i was done lol
Man you are great. I have been dreading this job for over a month. I am trying to build up the courage to attempt it. It looks tough.
Good video.....Got the confidence to change mine this weekend. Thanks.
Thank you both, for your straight forward awesome instructions. Very helpful and encouraging. God bless in all your endeavors.
Thanks... ❤️ Your educational video is very useful in today's war on potholes. 🎯
thanks man this helped I'm doing the same truck but mine is covered in rust and giving me pain to work on so far has taken me 2 months
This worked great for me, thanks for the time saving steps, reman is just what the Dr ordered!, Thanks again, Dave!
I recommend pressure testing the system. If you had a small leak in the head gasket it would behave that way. Often when coolant gets low it makes a gurgle noise in the heater core.
Yes, this is very appreciated after some local store sold me the incorrect fluids which destroyed the seals in the powered steering box.
The plus side is, I have learned a lot more about my Jeep. I measured the pitman drop arm NUT size and it appaired to be 32.5 mm which is NOT what you said [in the vid clip] so I set off looking for a 33 mm socket. And that's a weird size apparently? so ended up getting a 34mm socket for a powered driver. However, I now have to remove that stabiliser arm as its in the way but that's ok. Thankyou.
@GerryJ08 I'm glad it's working out for you. I sure love to teach and fix cars, but I'm on this island all day with Wilson.
Thanks again! Getting ready to do this on my 3rd gen. I might separate the lines up top by the fluid reservoir and drop the box with the lines on. I don't have a crow's foot set.
Check all the seals and connections on the fuel system. O-rings for a fuel filter cap, fuel hose connections etc.
@rfcbeach Alignment- specifically the column to shaft and/or tie rod gross possition is too far to one side.
@Usernameinvalid16 That does sound like valve stem seals. You can pull the spark plug crank the engine to bdc and stuff rope in the hole and rotate till tight and do them with the head on.
Great video bout to swap my steering gear box and was looking for a video to show how to do it and this video was very detailed and gave me an idea of what I was getting into thanks man
@nas979 Yes. Something is bad in the system. Could also be the power brake unit if it's on the same system.
@Fonztheman01 I FORGOT! If they get real stubborn like that you can get the pressure on them and then whack the Pitman with a hand sledge and they pop off. Thanks for the reminder!
@2LateIWon I hear that! I just got my gear box brace in today!
I like to run the seat belt through the steering wheel, then click it in. That way if it does move, it won't move very far. Great video by the way.
The shafts are keyed up. It's a good idea to have the wheels all straight (3) before tear down to avoid confusion.
soo much help!!!!!! ive had a terrible whine from the power steering, guess ill drain it and try again so i dont have the suspended bubbles
You just made my life so much easier! Thanks man!
Thanks for the Video! after watching it twice i could do mine almost blindfolded!
Great job Brian, thanks so much..............you are the BOSS
I use a MAC universal coolant pressure test kit. Mine was $200 and worth every single penny and more!
I want to post this hear so others will not suffer the same fate as I just did after replacing my gearbox.
Ok I figured out where I went wrong. Once you install the gearbox do not start the engine even one time. If you start the vehicle even for a second you basically ruin the power steering pump. If you think you may have ruined the pump you can prove it by starting the vehicle, begin trying to turn the wheel - it will be stiff - and while you're trying to turn it momentarily punch the throttle. If you feel the steering free up when you punch the throttle then you have a reduced capacity steering pump.
The FIRST THING YOU DO BEFORE YOU START THE VEHICLE IS make sure the fluid is full from the gearbox up through the reservoir. You do this by filling the reservoir and then turning the wheel left right from stop to stop while continuing check and refill the reservoir and you repeat this procedure 5 to 10 times. Afterwards if you really want to be sure no air is stuck in the system, you should pull a vacuum down to 20 inches of vacuum at the reservoir for 20 minutes. Then recheck the fluid. If it is still full and you performed the above proceedures you should be good to go. Don't forget to pray before you start the vehicle :P
Note: On many makes especially trucks and vans the power steering pump also provides assist to the power booster for the brakes. This is why both steering and brakes are effected when the power steering pump fails to produce its intended pressures/capacities.
I'll be replacing mine tomorrow and this is a mistake I will not make again.
What do you remove to fill up the reservoir? The only part that makes any sense is to remove the same piece that you use to adjust it IF it needs to be adjusted (and new ones shouldn't need it). My new one came marked with blue on the nut and inside piece and I took a gold sharpie and marked the nut and the unit itself so I could get it all back to exactly as it was, but I'm still nervous to remove that piece. Is there ANY other bolt I could remove to access the reservoir to fill it up and work air out?
@midlantic1 Not with the slots the way they are and if the re manufacture does it right. (knock on wood.)
@rtzapper You're welcome. I give Tyson your regards as well. ; )
Excellent explanation step by step…
Thanks for the video. You didn't have to do it but you did. I have an early 90's Chevrolet pick up and the principal is about the same. Good tips. Now I have an excuse to buy more tools (crow's foot wrenches). Thanks again.
Thanks for the video. Makes my job much easier!
Hey, hey, hey, buddy, I happen to have dark hair, albeit thinning and graying a bit, and dark eyes, and I love Brian the red beard guy! LOL! Brian is among the automotive gods! He is one of my automotive masters!
Thank you for the visual...I am replacing my steering gear box on 98 Ram 2500 4x4 diesel with 400,000+ miles.. I too have ordered dodgeramsteeringstabilizer and rocksolidramtrucksteering. What after market brand do you use for replacement parts for your Ram Truck for steering tierods and suspension?
Excellent on showing how it's done, now if there is a way to translate your video in Spanish my mechanic no abla English haha, oh and how you made it look easy I can fix it myself now, I'll save money by sending mr. Mechanico home with your video in Spanish haha thank you .....thumbs up!
Excellent video Brian!!!! You are the Steven Spielberg of CZcams. 😉
great video. if i'm not mistaken those steering boxes were the same as the ones used on the chevy trucks at the time or was that previous years. i noticed you didn't need to unbolt it first before you took the pitman arm off. thats a downfall to the chevy ones it has to be unbolted, pushed back then there is room for the puller.
This was a good video!! I have to replace my gear box on my 94 chevy Z71!
@iworkforbudlight Once you sipe them in the center they ROCK the frozen tundra!
nice video.i have some slop in my wrangler and i'm pretty sure it's the box. thanks
I have a 2000 Dodge 2500, my steering is not the tightest & my seal started leaking today, so I guess it's time to replace. How's a Reman from NAPA? Thanks for taking the time to make the vid, I can now do this. Never did a steering gear R&R. Dave.
Thanks Bud I've got an 87 & 89 F250 that both need this done I feel like I've got a better grip on what to do now.
You can find one in a link in the description.
I had the Craftsman flexi ratchet and wound up exchanging for a fixed one. The flex head was too floppy at times when I needed it to stay straight so I am back to relying on universal extensions.
This was such a good resource! Thanks for sharing this info!
@84W150 Good tip. Thanks!
Fantastic.
Lol when you used the air gun in the wrong direction using the puller!!! Great videos.
Thank you- you're very kind!
Nice thanks for posting this! Tyson is the man
+Jaxon1127 Welcome- yes he is! I look forward to his return in March.
Great video and explanation! I'm a great fan of Moog suspension parts as well)
Thanks- will do.
Thanks for the video. Very helpful.
Who puts out a better repair video. Our man Brian or our buddy Eric the car guy??
Thanks Brian and your genuis assistant
Man this video really help me. Esp with the PAP. Thanks Bro
Despite my need to make fun of people who buy "vanity trucks" i.e. Guys who will NEVER use their truck properly and just buy a big ass truck to feel "manly" (There's a LOT of them here in Cali), seeing this makes me want to buy a big ass truck! It just seems a lot easier to work on. As much as I love my little old Honda, sometime these caucasian hands are a little too big to get into important spots! Oh, and YES, I know you're not a "vanity truck" driver!
Bet it is the intermediate shaft in between the steering gear box and steering wheel. Like brian said, the U-Joint is probably shot. You should try pick-n-pull. Fairly easy fix i just did mine in about an hour.
@posqvole You're welcome!
@rfcbeach It's either a bad steering rack, OR the U-joints in the steering column are bad.
i used a torch on the pitman arm which helped alot
Ah yes. The formidable and effective heat wrench for the win!
@hp11208 You're welcome!