Redhead or Bluetop?

[TFaoro]

My parents are looking to replace the steering box on their 2000 Powerstroke Excursion. There's only 110K on the dang thing, but it steers worse than my truck with 205K.  I know it's a Cummins Forum, but it's basically the same box and I would ask the exact same thing if I were replacing the one in my truck. So, what say you? I've read good about both, of course a couple bad about both but it looks like the blue top is cheaper than the redhead.

Edited July 15, 2016 by TFaoro

[CSM]

5k on my blue top.  No issues and price was right.  Ryan at blue top also is willing to put a high pressure or quick ratio box together for not much more.

[dripley]

I have looked at both in the past and seem to see about as much good and bad about both. So if I had to choose one I would probably just go with the cheaper of the two or maybe rebuild mine if I had the time.

[CTcummins24V]

I'll tell you in a week or so when I install the Borgeson sitting in my closet. Rehead was loose after a couple months and Bluetop was loose out of the gate. Local builder in Ohio was loose after a couple months and had no low rpm assist. There's my debbie downer story

[Buzzinhalfdozen]

I have a blue top rebuild in my 68 F100 and very happy with the quality. 

Borgeson... I won't buy another one. For what they cost it's nothing special. 

[CSM]

Imo... these trucks generally arent going to be fixed with a box... they need a whole front end to be back to right.  

[Mopar1973Man]

I would rebuild the stock box and save huge amount of money. I've rebuilt a ton of sagnaw boxes and they are not hard. Seal kits are super cheap these days too. I know we had the member attempt and end up destroying a seal. As for making them tight again is all done doing the reassembly of the box you can adjust all slack out of the box. Just doing search for the seal kit it roughly $20 to $30 buck for a rebuild kit.

Edited July 16, 2016 by Mopar1973Man

[oldbeek]

11 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Mopar man says, "adjust all the slack out of the box"   That is exactly what i used to say. BUT!  My truck had to be steered continualy after i had the front end rebuilt and aligned in Alaska. Took it to my states side front end and tire shop. He said loosen it up. I was sure he was nuts. Always snugged them up. WELL, He was right. Loosened a 1/4 turn, huh , better. Carried my tools and kept loosening over time i ended up backed out 1 1/2 turns.  Steers like new. Needs to be loose enough to let the caster setting do its job.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

It's adjustable... Most don't maintain the adjustment ill you steering more than 45* angle from center to turn the truck. That excessively sloppy. So even if you tighten it down and then backed it off some it better than having buy a steering box when all you need to do is adjust your current box. 

[dripley]

I turned mine somewhere near 1/8 to 1/4 turn several years back and it is still almost play free. If you turn it to far it will get so tight you have to turn the wheel both ways, in other words it will not return on its own.

[TFaoro]

We adjusted the over-the-center and it took out some of the play, but the box became tight like you're saying. It would not return to center and was MISERABLE form the 2300 mile round trip to California, not to mention unsafe.

 

My dad really hates this vehicle, so I doubt he's willing to rebuild it himself. More problems with 100K on it than his 12V with 170K. Not to mention he hates all PS engines! Don't pull well at all, drink tons of fuel, etc.

 

I'll update this on what he decides.

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

after i did the 1 ton upgrade i adjusted the box and its been fine since. its old yes but still driveable without issue. i plan on doing a heavy duty red top someday so i can turn the 35's easier on pavement when stopped. until then i just get it rolling a little and it works

Edited July 21, 2016 by CUMMINSDIESELPWR

[Mopar1973Man]

On 7/18/2016 at 9:22 AM, TFaoro said:

We adjusted the over-the-center and it took out some of the play, but the box became tight like you're saying. It would not return to center and was MISERABLE form the 2300 mile round trip to California, not to mention unsafe.

 

My dad really hates this vehicle, so I doubt he's willing to rebuild it himself. More problems with 100K on it than his 12V with 170K. Not to mention he hates all PS engines! Don't pull well at all, drink tons of fuel, etc.

 

I'll update this on what he decides.

 

 

 

I went ahead yesterday just to understand the feel I cranked mine to dead bottom tight. You are right is very stiff feeling, require constant steering, won't track very well at all, kind of like sticks in one spot. Return home, then adjusted from bottom I loosen 1 full turn and I was back to good free steering and still responsive.

Edited July 20, 2016 by Mopar1973Man

[TFaoro]

7 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

I went ahead yesterday just to understand the feel I cranked mine to dead bottom tight. You are right is very stiff feeling, require constant steering, won't track very well at all, kind of like sticks in one spot. Return home from bottom loosen 1 full turn and I was back to good free steering and still responsive.

That is where we have it back to no, and it steers okay but my mom doesn't like how it's "loose." It doesn't bother me, but it's hers and she's really the only one who drives it.

 

Sticky really is scary.... ever been going 80 around a corner, through a mountain pass and having to pull the wheel in both directions instead of steadily releasing the steering wheel and allowing it to return to center? Makes you look like a drunk moron driving -__-

[dripley]

Used to have a S-10 pickup with worn out steering. Tightened it up until it would not return and it was definitely a bad feeling trying to steer. It's a bad feeling driving anywhere with steering that stiff.

[Mopar1973Man]

10 hours ago, TFaoro said:

That is where we have it back to no, and it steers okay but my mom doesn't like how it's "loose." It doesn't bother me, but it's hers and she's really the only one who drives it.

 

Sticky really is scary.... ever been going 80 around a corner, through a mountain pass and having to pull the wheel in both directions instead of steadily releasing the steering wheel and allowing it to return to center? Makes you look like a drunk moron driving -__-

 

 

So you might be stuck buying a reman'ed box to resolve the issue.