Some of you may recognize me as the 'noob' who also has a posting about a 4wd actuator problem on this forum. I decided to post this separately so I don't end up with confusing threads. My truck has between a third and a half a turn of play in the steering. I have replaced everything except the steering box in the last month. So, steering box and addition of a brace are next. On the main forum everyone swears by Redhead steering boxes but it seems that we can't get them here in Canada. What brand of steering box do you locals recommend and is there a particular brand of steering brace add-on that we can get locally that is good? The truck is 10 years old so I expect jobs like this but I really like to do them right the first time so I am not doing them over again a year down the road. Again, thanks for all the local help.

 

I just ordered a steering brace from peak diesel. its a 'darins steering stabilizer' and looks like a decent piece. Peak has always done me right in the past. I'll let you know how i like it. by the way, arent these steering boxes adjustable

 

BD Diesel has a steering brace also

 

In case it helps with defining local - Dalemead is a tiny little map dot 25km SE of Calgary (between Langdon and Carseland)

 

Might want to look into adjusting the gear lash in the gear box, if its available. I've never looked in mine. That should take the play out of the box a bit.

 

BD is as close as local as you will get, they are in BC

 

So is PEAK Diesel Performance. Harry is just up the map from BD and sells the original DSS made by Solid Steel. Thats my vote..

 

forgot about that,, good call Jay

 

The braces are pretty much all identical, whoever has the best price is the one to go with lol. I got the BD one in my truck, it helped cut down on the wandering some. New steering box is what really helped tighten up the front end though, can't remember what got put into mine though.

 

Tall

We can get the redhead boxes in canada just fine.

Call Harvey at Redhead, and he'll quite happily sell you a steering box. I have done a couple now, and his work is second to none.
As far as the steering box braces go, I will only install the original DSS brace, from Solid Steel in Weyburn. They were the first, and Russell and Darin are stand up guys.

 

Funny that you guys mentioned the brace from Weyburn. An old farmer I know who has a hlaf dozen Dodge 3/4 ton trucks recommended a brace from Saskatchewan but he couldn't remember the details at the time and he has been harvesting just about 24x7 for the last couple of weeks.
I had kind of figured out that neither the brace nor the box on their own would solve my problem long term. New box will tighten up the steering and brace will increase the lifespan of the new box.
Thanks for all the help.

 

I just looked in the 'store' section of the board for contact info for Redhead. They aren't there. Does anyone have a phone number or any other type of contact info for them?

 

I would do the adjustment on the steering gear backlash, like Tate suggested first prior to doing anything else. If you have access to a shop manual, it gives you pretty good procedure, if you don't forward me your email address, I send you the instruction in PDF format. I would post it here, but...

Dodge still makes steering gearboxes for these truck, I bought one last year from dodge. Its not one of those junk rebuilts, like you can get elsewhere. You could also try a 3rd gen gearbox, but that a wee bit of fabbing to get it to work. My issues with the 2nd gen gearbox, you don't get as much turning radius with it. My 4th gen can turn circles around my 2nd gen. Those steering braces, only help to prevent steering gearbox failures on the lower bearing that goes into the pitman arm.

 

I do have the FSM for the truck so I will read that wrt adjusting gear backlash before I try anything else - as suggested. No point spending time or money unnecesarily. Thanks.

 

I've done the adjustments on both of my boxes and it hasn't made a bit of difference.The brace does stiffen up the front end a nd supports the bearing on the steering arm had mine for 4 years now a Weyburn orignal. I need to replace my box again as the slop is getting pretty bad.