The steering box in my truck has quite a bit of play even after I adjusted it. It has annoyed me long enough:banghead:. Time to replace it with something better I think its an autozone special that the guy before me put on. I'm thinking about a Borgeson new box or a rebuilt one from Red Head steering. Any input from anybody out there that has used either would be greatly appreciated.

I installed the Borgeson in my 96. Installation is easy but I also installed a steering shaft and new pitman arm, since it was all new the install was easy. The parts kind of pricy, but once installed the drivability is a lot better. Eliminated almost all play in the steering. The steering touch is lighter and quicker. 3.5 turns lock to lock vs. 4.5 with stock.

Do you have a box brace in place or still running factory setup?

Brian, I do not have a box brace, however I plan to add one in the few weeks. I have driven a 96 like mine with stock steering gear and a box brace (DSS) and I could tell it was better than my stock setup before the Borgeson upgrade. I will also add that my front end had a lot of play and I suspect that ball joints and tie rods are also worn contributing to the play.

I was gonna tell ya they are very nice to have. Braces have become pretty affordable also. I have a PSC brace on mine and it has been rock solid so far. My 99 drives better than my 06 did.

  DRW said:

I installed the Borgeson in my 96. Installation is easy but I also installed a steering shaft and new pitman arm, since it was all new the install was easy. The parts kind of pricy, but once installed the drivability is a lot better. Eliminated almost all play in the steering. The steering touch is lighter and quicker. 3.5 turns lock to lock vs. 4.5 with stock.

X2^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Go with the Borgeson and don't look back,It was by far the best mod of all on my old 02. Had I done the 3.5 turn box as a first steering upgrade it would have saved me hundreds more on all the other stuff that makes minimal to no difference in actual steering feel. Also set your caster as high as the control arm cams will go, this will help eliminmate wander between those 2 it will be way better than new. Also get a 3rd gen conversion trac bar and kit too.

  Wild and Free said:

X2^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Go with the Borgeson and don't look back,It was by far the best mod of all on my old 02. Had I done the 3.5 turn box as a first steering upgrade it would have saved me hundreds more on all the other stuff that makes minimal to no difference in actual steering feel. Also set your caster as high as the control arm cams will go, this will help eliminmate wander between those 2 it will be way better than new. Also get a 3rd gen conversion trac bar and kit too.

Bill - what was that company you had dealt with (friend ?) that rebuilds boxes .... I remmeber talkinig with him and he seemed real good - I just didnt pull the plug at that time. You recommend borgeson over his rebuilds ? You recommend borgeson replacement over just a steering brace ? Wont the flex still be there ? link for "Also get a 3rd gen conversion trac bar and kit too." ?

  JOHNFAK said:

Bill - what was that company you had dealt with (friend ?) that rebuilds boxes .... I remmeber talkinig with him and he seemed real good - I just didnt pull the plug at that time. You recommend borgeson over his rebuilds ? You recommend borgeson replacement over just a steering brace ? Wont the flex still be there ? link for "Also get a 3rd gen conversion trac bar and kit too." ?

http://www.bluetopsteeringgears.com/ The link above. I bought a 3.5 turn OEM GM steering gear when they were still available before us Dodge boys all wiped out the world supply of them and they are no longer built and that is why Borgeson started building a newer version of that gear. This was also before I knew and worked with Ryan at Bluetop, he claims he can convert our 4.5 turn into a 3.5 turn so it would be a definate option to contact him on. In my opinion on the flex is that it is so minor and minute that it would not be noticabe, It became a problem with guys running bigger tires and or using them in nothing but slow speed constant turn areas like city queen driving or on heavy loaded front ends like bigger bumpers or snowplows, the normal user will see no benefit from a brace . Here is a link to a 3rd gen trac bar conversion, it consists of a simple bolt on bracket and a 3rd gen bar. It eliminates the junky pitman joint on the end of the second gen bar that wears out and bangs and causes a wandering front axle, If this is in place I think that it would cure a lot of flex that the steering brace is designed to absorb as well. http://www.puredieselpower.com/catalog/2nd-3rd-gen-dodge-25003500-trackbar-retrofit-kit-p-801.html

Thx boss

What if you want to go for aftermarket ? Not sure how easy to find a 3rd gen track bar ...., to fit the bracket

Just finished a Red head steering gearbx & NAPA PS pump. Also rebuilt the vacuumed pump, pulled PS & vac pumps together. Made job a WHOLE lot easier. Pulled gear box first then the rest.... So far steers GREAT, 100% improvement over stock. Turning wheel....little stiff after deairing of pump with wheels off grnd. Truck in sig.

Why would a guy get a new pitman arm? I just got the Box and the shaft, haven't put them on the truck yet, but didn't think the pitman arm needed to be changed or don't know the reason why it would be needed.

  alby96 said:

Why would a guy get a new pitman arm? I just got the Box and the shaft, haven't put them on the truck yet, but didn't think the pitman arm needed to be changed or don't know the reason why it would be needed.

Because they do wear out at the ball end.

A new pitman arm is not required, I made the decision to replace mine based on two factors. I had read that sometimes removing the pitman arm was difficult to the point of breaking tools and second my existing pitman arm had 200k miles on it. For the relatively small cost of a new part I chose to avoid any problems or frustration in removal of the arm and replace an old part with new.