almost there with the weather here everything halted. I have to cut my drag link and weld it. The box sits 1.25 inches off the frame

 

which box are you getting ? Do redheads suck. I'm in Canada so everything is doubled price. Gotta make the right move

 

As was mentioned, using a good track bar on a 4x4 suspension rebuild is extremely helpful. It's highly recommended to use a 3rd gen style track bar conversion (which requires the use of a conversion bracket at the ball joint end of the OEM track bar). I use an adjustable style 3rd gen track bar that I purchased several years ago from these folks and I'm very happy with it. I'm sure it will outlast the truck, as the only wear items are the poly bushings - http://www.solidsteel.biz/trackbars.htm

 

Brand new Lares from Rockauto.

Redhead doesn't suck per se, but I've had two boxes that were terrible. First one was good but squeaked like crazy. They said it needed adjustment. I'm thinking why. So I argued with them that their own instructions say "never adjust or warranty is gone" but he insisted. So I did exactly as they wanted. And then the box was loooose. So I told them that and said this is not making me happy and they had another box on my doorstep within two days. So I had to do the job again.

But the second box was so tight, it was like steering without a pump for five years. I've been fighting it so long I wonder what steering should feel like. I replaced the pump twice, new hoses, flushed oil twice, changed hoses, orings, and bled the system a bajillion times, and it's just sort of steerable now. So after replacing all my other steering stuff last summer, there was still movement and while the fiancee turned the wheel, I could see the entire shaft flexing in the case itself. Bad bearing, loose case. So customer service was good but in the end they are just "remanning" junk old boxes. And since no other reman gears get new bearings, I wonder if they touch them at all too. The bearings are crucial. But they can't make new what was already old. I'm done dinking around with them so I'm just going brand new.

I've done enough research on the Saginaw boxes that they should work well. Old, tried and true design. It's when the cases flex making bearings wear out (under high load like huge tires) they can start to wear out. This is why Moparfanatic got the new fatter, stronger design but they're big bucks. There's also some good vids out there of old timers working on these boxes. Really simple design that should last forever. Typically.

Here's a good video explaining the crucial bearing/shaft relationship:

 

I will say this other then my steering wheel being off and only driving it about 16 miles to pull a quad out with the winch, it's very very tight. I like it, would even say I love it. BUT before I recommend it I want to have some miles on it. I would like to install a steering brace but none are made to my knowledge for that box.

 

Man as a machinist myself I loved that vid! That's the kinda guy I'd love to apprentice under.

I was kinda surprised he just ran a chucking reamer in with a big drill press. I guess as long as it's quality and you're certain your table isn't sagging it's ok. I loved his jig to hold the box flat on the table - I enjoy making fixtures l like that.

Now I kinda wanna get a roller burnisher. I'm sure they're inexpensive (heavy sarcasm)

 

How I feel after Keith, Moparfanatic, or HeyYou enters a thread:

 

You are a valued member here, and your contributions to the site are most certainly appreciated.

 

Haha, I wasn't fishing. Just felt a lot less knowledgeable when Keith was using words I had never heard before!

 

Lol me 2 😄