Ive found a few threads with people mentioning they bought them, and installing but not much on the after effects with the exception of 1 post where someone was mentioning a leaky seal on theirs that they fixed.

Ive noticed my Gear box in the truck seems to be leaking and been getting some noises when making turns too that i can feel in the steering wheel more than hearing it. (not like air in the system or over steering things like that).. feels more like a grinding/sanding feeling.. like when using aggressive gritt sandpaper on rough work piece..

anyways.. ive had a couple people recommend Redhead gear boxes.. but hadnt ever heard of them till they told me about it.

So was wondering if yall knew anything about the company and if anyones gotten them were there any major issues?? Biggest thing i keep seeing on non-factory gear boxes are mentions of sloppy steering.. or that they cant be adjusted.. quick failures.. ect ect... Worried id be wasting money getting something not-stock than if id had just bought it right from ford...

I can only regurgitate what others have said, as I haven't ponied up the money for them, as they are typically 2x as much as the remans from the regular parts stores. I repeatedly hear praises about how they maintain adjustment which is one of the biggest gripes on the Ford boxes is that they continually get loose. The Redhead boxes are supposed to be reworked and set up for longer life.

I have used them twice, and both trucks are still using that same box.
those are both raised trucks with over size tires.
They have a quick turn around on your box.

here is a link to the company
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...0LiHE6x4LMv0rYK0Q&sig2=ORldoXFVlQUxBE5pIdOoCQ

found it last night when i was looking.. but was wanting to hear peoples responses that have them..

the only part i dont get is the sector gear adjustment.. one guy said he still had to adjust his.. i have never had to replace one so no clue what this is or how to adjust one..

I didn't have to adjust either of these, just put them in and go

They replace everything in the box when they rebuild, and on some boxes they ad bushings and bearings that aren't there from the factory

On my 89 I went through 2 stock boxes to the 1 of theirs that's in there now, in the same amount of miles, so the cost has evened out, and I am now ahead

cool cool good to know.. managed to find where mine was leaking too.. wasnt where i was thinking either... thought maybe it was from where the hoses connect as ive heard the seal there had been known to fail on these.. but its actually from that cover thats on top behind them.. where the hoses are is bone dry.. that cover above where the pitman connects on the bottom is where its leaking at.. when i first saw it just had a small trail.. when i looked tonight that whole end of the gear box is saturated now

The seal on the bottom is a common failure point in my experience as well. They actually aren't too hard to change, but you have to take the box all apart. The power section remains intact, just the gears themselves are what you mess with. That top cover comes off, gear comes out, change the seal, put it back for the most part.

i dont trust myself to get it back together right... would like to have a JY one to mess with first ya know...

well i bought one... will see how this goes when it gets here... any tricks to getting the pitman arm off the gear box.. heard those can be a headache to remove if they havent come off in awhile...

Buy/rent the tool from advance, it comes right off with an impact gun.
some people use a puller, I have never been lucky enough to get the puller to stay lined up when it gets under pressure

Undo the column next, then the lines. drain the lines into a bucket, they make a mess, clean it up as soon as it gets done draining

Loosen the bolts to the box, all of them

Use a bungee, or something similar to go around the box to try to hold it while you remove the bolts, it is VERY heavy, and will hurt you when it comes out

Start removing the bolts, take them all the way out one at a time

wiggle the box out of there, and set it on the ground


Take some ps fluid, and put it in your tank, let it run into a bucket, you are trying to clean the pump a little bit.

I usually replace both lines when I do the box, ESPECIALLY on a diesel

put it back in like you took it out

shaft is splined, and has a flat spot, so does the pitman, so they only fit 1 way

thanks charlie... im going to try and reuse my lines for now.. especially since the brakes are hydraulically assisted off the PS pump.. was planning to change the fluid too.. and addiing a filter... its going to be inline either before the cooler or after.. havent decided yet..

Filter goes on the return line before the pump
Go to Ford, and get the magnetic inline filter for the FR70W transmission

im doing a spin on one... can use the same as what i use for oil changes on the mustang or the FL1A one.. technically anything with a 3/4-16 threading... cooler lines are easier to access since the filters going to be right there next to them.. also where theyve typically been adding the plastically inline ones too...

That's a pretty big filter.
Might be better wth a fl300 like the 4.6 uses. It's half the size

was looking at the FL1A's cuz they were easier to find... but compairing them to the one on my mustang the FL400S.. it looks like itd be the better choice.. (plus i have 3 in the garage.. free money lol).. FL1A has a burst pressure of 200psi and PSI relief valve of 12 psi... While the FL400S has a burst pressure of 250psi and PSI relief valve of 20psi..

Power steering pumps supposed to output 150psi at idle.. but where im connecting it they just have them little spring clamps holding the lines on so cant be that much pressure there...

got the parts ill need to install the new gear box on monday



then the box with the gear box sorta showed up...



that was one of the smaller holes...



but it appears to have arrived in one piece despite the box looking like crap...

Nice! Please keep us posted on how the Redhead works out.

Wow Shawn. Got a pre-abused one, eh?????

sure seems bloody thats for sure...

So to start off i pulled the driver side inner fender out so i could get easier access to the steering gear.. found a birds nest and a cashe of acorns hidden in there.. wonder which was there first... the bird or the squirrel...



just goes to show that it wasnt the lines leaking...



10 mins after the lines came off i had the gear box out..



makes a mess when turned upside down..



nice shiny new one in a bag...



prolly shoulda changed that line.. but after several unexpected extra expenses i cant afford it atm...



one of the unexpected expenses.. needed a bigger tool to accomplish the job..



worked great too...



the one wrapped around the pitman arm is a loaner.. gotta take that back..



new and old one next to it...

will get more pics tomorrow... after i got the new one in it was getting dark...