Power steering box recommendations

[Camatruder]

My old box had too much play so i bought a remanufactured one from Rockauto but i was not satisfied with it. This unit had a lot of play too. So i adjusted it further but i could get it only a little better and only for a couple of days. After that it's like i did not adjust it at all.
This is my DD so this time i want a good new one at a fair price. Any recommendations?

Turning the adjustment screw voided my guarantee but it would have been too expensive to send it back anyway.
I have no play at other steering parts.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Do you remember which brand the one from RockAuto was?

 

[yevgenievich]

Need to adjust from the front where the input shaft is. There is a torque spec for turning the input shaft while tightening the outer nut. Or get one of the places like Lee steering to rework a gear box. From what I have been seeing, reman boxes are just resealed wore out boxes most of the time. I went through two boxes from AutoZone before getting an ok one.

 

[bucket]

When I worked at the shop, it would often take 2 or 3 reman GM boxes before we would get one that was actually rebuilt properly.

After reading about the process of rebuilding them the right way, it's no wonder the 10 year olds in Taiwan do a terrible job at it. There's two different sized ball bearings that are very close in size and they can be put in the wrong place. Or sometimes the wrong number of ball bearings get put in.

 

[spanky55amg]

Ewww. I was just about to replace mine. It is leaking like a stuck pig and has about 10 degrees of play. Maybe Ill just reseal it and see if I can adjust it and/or just live with the play.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

The one I bought from RockAuto was fine. The wheels start to turn when you start to turn the steering wheel. The only issue is a small takeoff shimmy, but I don’t think that’s the Saginaw box.

 

[Camatruder]

Do you remember which brand the one from RockAuto was?

A1 Cardone part nr A1 27-7524. I only paid 92 USD + 100 for the core, so maybe i was a little cheap.

Need to adjust from the front where the input shaft is. There is a torque spec for turning the input shaft while tightening the outer nut. Or get one of the places like Lee steering to rework a gear box. From what I have been seeing, reman boxes are just resealed wore out boxes most of the time. I went through two boxes from AutoZone before getting an ok one.

I checked that lee site, but they only sell remanufactured ones only. Are these boxes available new ?

 

[yevgenievich]

turn one box, but they cost more than most of my vehicles are worth

A1 Cardone part nr A1 27-7524. I only paid 92 USD + 100 for the core, so maybe i was a little cheap.


I checked that lee site, but they only sell remanufactured ones only. Are these boxes available new ?

 

[mtnmankev]

I bought a reman box for my 84 K10 from NAPA over 10 years ago, it was perfect and came with a lifetime warranty.
Luckily, I kept my receipt so when it finally developed some play after almost 10 years of hard usage on the horrible roads here plus the gazillion highway miles of travelling to the big city to shop, they gave me another one free.
I think the biggest problem for the rebuilders is a shortage of worm gears and sector shafts that are not worn out, explaining why so many rebuilt boxes have play in them.
If you are going to replace the input seal, NAPA sells the seal kit for around 8 dollars, takes 20 minutes to do the job, and you don't even need to remove the box from the frame as long as you can use a prybar to slide the steering shaft up enough to clear the box.
Just be careful you mark where the adjuster nut was before removing it, so you can reinstall in the same location.

 

[Camatruder]

Kevin, I checked that NAPA site and they deal in those CARDONE units that i bought at Rockauto. Neither my original box or the Cardone one leaks, just a lot of unadjustable play between the input and output shaft.

Anyone any experience with this new one from Rockauto: Lares 11263.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=8889456&cc=1061514&jsn=467

Don't know why but i kinda like this one from Summit: Performance Steering Components PSC SG441M
https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/pfn-sg441m/overview/
PSC has a cool website : http://www.pscmotorsports.com/
Fair price for a new box. Does anybody has any good or bad experience with this brand?

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

The one I bought was from BBB Industries out of Daphne, AL. It was the cheapest one I could find on RockAuto, which it still appears to be. They’re much pricier on eBay and such. I think they reman them in Mexico. Maybe you could give them a call for more info. I hope mine lasts, but I can’t make any guarantees.

 

[rpcraft]

There are companies like PSC that will sell you units that are supposed to be of superior quality but I'm certain that comes with a superior price upgrade. I've been considering going that route for my Jimmy, simply because I want to pop the old one off, reinforce the frame, and while there it's probably worth replacing the box. I know the PSC boxes have a machined billet crossover sector cap and base but I'm not sure what that offers in the way of strength. They also appear to be variable ratio, so they tighten up a little while at speed, instead of being loosey goosey.

This is a link for the 4x4 setup - http://www.pscmotorsports.com/80-91-gm-4wd-truck-suv-steering-gear.html

 

[shiftpro]

There are companies like PSC that will sell you units that are supposed to be of superior quality but I'm certain that comes with a superior price upgrade. I've been considering going that route for my Jimmy, simply because I want to pop the old one off, reinforce the frame, and while there it's probably worth replacing the box. I know the PSC boxes have a machined billet crossover sector cap and base but I'm not sure what that offers in the way of strength. They also appear to be variable ratio, so they tighten up a little while at speed, instead of being loosey goosey.

This is a link for the 4x4 setup - http://www.pscmotorsports.com/80-91-gm-4wd-truck-suv-steering-gear.html

Thanks for the link. Do you know what they mean 'w/o cross over steering' ?? Are they just reminding us a 4x4 box doesn't work for cross over..?
And also, I don't see the flat spot on the output shaft. Seems like something's missing... might just be my mind.
Can you please explain what the cross over section cap and base is..? Having a serious blond moment here... need help.
I'm actually very close to ordering one so any info is a big help. Thanks

 

[shiftpro]

Maybe answering my own question here, looking at this box 'w/cross over' and I see the splines required to move the arm forward.

 

[Camar068]

Ewww. I was just about to replace mine. It is leaking like a stuck pig and has about 10 degrees of play. Maybe Ill just reseal it and see if I can adjust it and/or just live with the play.

lol 10° of play.....my recent one I replaced had more than that and I was excited. Aren't there rebuild kits for these with directions? I'll do some digging but my steering isnt what it was 3 months ago.