I picked up my Red Head gearbox from the post office last week and have a question before I start the install.

The service manual I downloaded from the FAQ makes no mention of locking the steering column, while the Haynes manual does. Considering it’s pretty rare for my column to lock, am I going to have installation problems related to this? I was planning on tying the steering wheel to the brake pedal to keep it from turning, but will that be enough, especially once the front wheels are off the ground?

 

Yep, just tie it off to anything. That's plenty good enough. Btw, how much did you pay? Ifyou don't mind me asking.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. $443.00. $125.00 of that is a core charge. You have 60 days to return the core, after which your refund goes down 50%. It shipped priority mail, and I had it 3 days after I ordered it. I didn't catch the name of the guy I spoke to on the phone, but he was really nice, and patiently answered all my questions. I'd definitely recommend them.

 

OK thanks, that is right on par with how much they told me. What about shipping? I never asked them that. Sorry to be a pain.

 

Shipping was $32.00 to CO. The weight on the box was listed at 28 lbs., in case you're calculating shipping to your neck of the woods.

 

And another $32 to send the core back? Or is it prepaid by them? Like I said, sorry to be a pain. I should have asked this when I talked to them a couple months ago.

 

I'm not entirely sure. I think you can specify having return charges added into the initial price, but I didn't ask. Sometimes return shipping labels have a tight expiration date, and given my schedule, I wasn't sure when I'd have the time to get the box off and get it in the mail. I'm hoping to tackle this project later today or tomorrow morning, but the way things are shaping up, I'm having my doubts.

 

Alright thanks man. A $290 box can quickly turn into over $400 when shipping is factored in(NH). Thanks again

On a side note, make sure you flush the system good before installing the new box.

 

Everything that is going on is new: pump, hoses, and gearbox.

First thing I did on my plenum project was pull the fan/shroud/radiator. Once I saw how much room I had, I decided to do all the steering too. The pump was just as bad as box, and I decided I didn't want to wait any longer to fix them both.

 

Also oangewreck, let us know how you like it. I just rebuilt mine, but all things considered, I may have been better off witha redhead. Mine came out well and corrected my problems (along with all new tie rods and ball joints, pump, and goses), but it was a pita, espcecially the ball screw loading and adjusting.

Steering issues have been a frequent topic here. If you have "clunking" in the steering column after wyou are done, you might check this out also http://rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/.