IIRC the borgeson has a quicker ratio resulting in about 1 turn less lock to lock.

Supposedly aftermarket braces will not work with the Borgeson without "heavy" modification.

Never been impressed with the OEM box and it doesn't sound like you are either.

 

Mine has 103,000 miles on it

Ran 35s since 40,000 miles and 37s for the last 15,000

It's sloppy and worn out

I definitely want to run and retain my steering shaft brace and I need it to accept a drop pitman arm

 

i was thinking about a redhead, but all internet stuff

 

Redhead or Mopar HD. That Borgeson box is absolute junk. The quick ratio is nice but they have a ridiculous amount of slop on center, and their customer service is a joke. Been there done that. Sent the Borgeson box back twice it was so bad. They "inspected" it, did nothing, and sent the same exact box back both times. No experience with the PSC.

 

Borgeson:
Borgeson 800121 Dodge Box 03-08 Brand New

Borgeson HD....can't use aftermarket pitman arms:
Borgeson 800116 03-08 Dodge Upgrade Gear Box

Mopar HD.......don't think my drop pitman would work because of the thicker sector shaft:
http://www.pscmotorsports.com/vehic...70214aa-steering-box-kit-2003-to-2008-dodge-ram-2500-3500-and-1500-megacab.html

Redhead:
http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/...cts.com/p-7082-red-head-steering-gear-box-03-08-59l-67l-dodge-cummins-2879.aspx

 

FWIW, 3 of my buddies have put a new (not reman) Delphi 680 box in their 2nd gens. Nice quick ratio. no slop in the middle.

I think they got them from Borgeson... they fit their existing steering braces.

 

I just put in a PSC rebuilt box w/ hydro assist ports.

It was between PSC or Redhead. I just couldn't justify the money on the newer style box as I just did the steering upgrade (need new pitman arm, again) and my sector shaft support bracket would have to be reworked at the least.

I went PSC simply because I'm going to put a ram on the truck. All the other fixes are to try and help the sector shaft deal with the weight of the engine and wider tires we inevitably put on, a ram is going to help that better than anything else.

I seem to remember the PSC box with assist ports was ~$425 to my door.

As far as a review on it, I haven't had it in long. It's not dripping fluid everywhere like my stocker had started doing though, so that's good:flipoff2:

 

The alignment shop out here in the middle of BFE highly recommends Redhead boxes for Dodges. They'll put on boxes from other sources but will not stand behind them at all. I put one on in October, it seems tighter than the OEM box that got taken off (especially at subzero temps,) I've been happy with it.

 

I have a 2001 2500 and I have the same problem with the sloppy steering. I have been looking into getting a better box just like the OP and I haven't heard of the red head boxes till I just read this thread. I have put the steering box brace on and that fixed the slop a little. After that I went with the lukes link and then the 2012 steering upgrade, and there is still too much slop to me.

I need a box that will work with the steering box brace and it sounds like the redhead will.

After all the positive feedback I have seen on here and cumminsforum about the redhead and on I am going to go with the redhead box and the borgeson steering shaft and see how that works.

 

Be cautious..... I've read more bad than good about the Borgeson steering shaft

 

I have hard time seeing how the steering shaft helps. As long as there's no slop in the u joints and or the slips, it's fine.

 

Exactly. The Borgeson shaft may well "hold up" better over time overall, but it also has a lot of slop built into the joints. I highly recommend an OEM shaft if one is required. To make matters worse, the Borgeson shaft converts to a much weaker splined design on the ends, as opposed to the OEM style which is actually quite strong. If anyone is looking for tightness on center, the Borgeson stuff is not where to look. As I recall, it's also one of the most expensive (ironically).

 

I, too, was not aware of Redhead. Cool!

I had a friend/client with a '99 1500 where a local shop had diagnosed the box bad and in need of replacement at 70k miles. I thought surely they were wrong and tried adjusting the worm gear preload, but ZERO change. Crazy, I don't know how a box fails before 70k; it had been a "grandpa" truck and was otherwise immaculate.

 

An alternative to the redhead box is the straight line steering box. It's a high-quality rebuilt with additional bearings to support the sector shaft.

While I usually avoid their products like the plague, in this case I run a lifetime warranty A1 cardone box. It's a poor quality rebuild, but it's a lot better than the 200k old box it replaced.

Has anyone considered running hydro assist instead of spending the money on a high dollar steering box?

 

Has anyone considered running hydro assist instead of spending the money on a high dollar steering box?

I went PSC simply because I'm going to put a ram on the truck. All the other fixes are to try and help the sector shaft deal with the weight of the engine and wider tires we inevitably put on, a ram is going to help that better than anything else.

Still $$$ into a box, but the parts store rebuilts just have new soft parts. The same slop from worn hard parts exists in them so a more expensive box from one listed in the OP is kind of necessary.

I believe I had to buy a Snap On CJ119 or CJ119A pitman arm puller last time the arm had to be removed

Normal puller broke and there wasn't enough room to seat the pullers jaws

I just used the same $10 pitman arm puller I've been using for years. It's a little thinner than factory from grinding to pull pitman arms on my Chevy and a little wider than factory from grinding to pull pitman arms on my Dodge but it never fails to work. You guys have a lot of salt on the roads or something?

 

I have put a few Red Head boxes on for my Dodge customers over the years and have no complaints.

 

Super stupid question..... just unbolt the three frame mounted box bolts and remove the lines and reinstall the new box?

Need to bleed anything?

Would be a good time to flush out the old fluid with fresh stuff too?

 

Basically, just don't forget the pitman arm, will need a special puller for that and a 1 5/16" socket for the nut.

You need to bleed the power steering system afterwards but that is pretty simple and I always flush the old fluid out when I put any new box or pump on.

 

I remember reading years ago that someone put a Cherokee steering shaft on his 2nd gen dodge with very little modification, or at least I think it was a Cherokee shaft. Guy said it took a lot of play out of his steering wheel. Maybe someone can confirm this?

 

I believe I had to buy a Snap On CJ119 or CJ119A pitman arm puller last time the arm had to be removed

Normal puller broke and there wasn't enough room to seat the pullers jaws

 

Anyone know where else I can find a sector shaft "extended" nut for my steering brace

I am running a PSC brace, and the extended nut is seized on....just will be easier to replace it with a new one, on the new box

DT Pro Fab sells them, but they are $45!

02023-007 DTSS SECTOR SHAFT NUT

 

Another vote for redhead, I ran one on my 07 2500 and had zero complaints.

 

My understanding it that the splines/sector shaft is much larger on the Mopar HD box, so I would also need a new drop pitman arm, and then I also would not be able to use my current PSC steering brace......

$650+ for the Mopar HD Box

Strapt Performance - Mopar 68170214AA Steering Box Upgrade Kit

New Drop Pitman arm......$65 to match the Mopar HD box:

Strapt Performance - ProComp Dodge Drop Pitman Arm

 

Subscribing for later

 

Just a quick Google of the Mopar 68170214AA HD box, I was able to find it for close to $500

68170214AA - Genuine Dodge

68170214AA Mopar POWER STEERING KIT PKG $510.60

$485:

http://www.davesdiscountautoparts.c...ntautoparts.com/item.wws?sku=RL106835AG&itempk=1621977&mfr=MOPAR PARTS&weight=1

 

The last two require a core back or you eat the core charge.

 

Ok, so with the Mopar HD68170214AA box, you can still use a PSC brace correct?


Strapt Performance - PSC Steering Box Brace

Also, the stock power steering lines and stock steering shaft will bolt up completely fine?

Just R&R the box?