Well, I finally took the advice of some guys on this site and bought the R-H gear. What a difference! I had to learn how to drive my X again. It finally goes straight and not all over the road. The final straw was when my son recently borrowed it to go fishing on the Outer Banks in NC. He told me he fought it the whole way. I guess I had got use to it.

Took about 2 hours. Removed the air filter assembly and the battery tray. The steering wheel was easy to get off along with the power steering hoses. A 5/8 crows foot works great for the hoses. Tie rod end came off fairly easy with the usual beating on the separator. The hard part was getting the sector arm off the old box after I pulled the old gear out. If you do the job yourself, you will need a heavy duty puller. I soaked mine with penetrating fluid for about 2 hours before I tried to pull it. Installed on the new box and torqued to 200 lbs-ft.

It went back in easy. the only adjustment was to re-center the steering wheel.

Highly recommend spending the money if your X wanders.

DSMMH

 

Yep. I've read a whole lotta threads like this one, mainly over in the 7.3 forum, but enough times to make me a believer.

I know when time comes, I'll be getting one too.

Stewart

 

Links? Price? Pictures?

 

Sounds good!
Lets see some pics.

 

Red-Head Steering Gears, Seattle WA - Red-Head Steering Gears Home

Stewart

 

Yep..I got one on mine too. Worth every penny!

 

What's The Price??

 

Dunno. Haven't bought my replacement yet. I've just had the site saved for a year or so, from back when I read so many great testimonials like this thread.

You need to call them or email them for a price.

Stewart

 

Or the OP could give us a price?

 

I believe they are a smidge over $300. On top of that you'll have a $100 core deposit and freight for the new box to get to you and also for your core to be returned.

 

I looked at RedHead for my replacement but went for the West Texas Offroad box instead. The only reason was that RedHead wouldn't drill and tap for hydro steering and I didn't want to tear into a newly rebuilt and setup box. The price I was quoted was $326 + $150 core + shipping.

FYI, West Texas was $100 cheaper on the box, drilled and tapped for hydraulic lines. The boxes are rebuilt but not to the level of the RedHead boxes.

 

Sorry I could not respond to the questions sooner. My Hughes Net has been nipples skyward due to weather and it comes and goes when it wants to. Got a tech coming Monday.

Anyway, no pics. Just impacts my time to stop, wash my hands, find the camera, etc.

My price was $506 total including shipping from WA to MD. I had to pay the core return shipping.

$325 for the gear
$1 for the environmantal BS
$150 core charge that is refundable if you send them a REBUILDABLE core.
$30 shipping from WA to MD
$506 total
$15 for me to ship the core back to Red-Head USPS.

Harvey is great to talk to. If you get a chance, spend a few minutes talking to him. He does not bad mouth Ford but will tell you how Ford quality is lacking in the HD steering gears and what he does to fix them.

DSMMH

 

Ordered my REDHEAD just an hour ago, can't wait to get it here to Finland and installed. Harvey is nice guy, I made the order by phone despite of my terrible English. I think he understood the most of it and I get the right steering gear

Mikko,
Suomi Finland

 

Nice to know stuff like this Red Head is available for our rigs.