2013+ steering gearbox in older trucks

[Fall Guy]

I talked to OBSWIZ yesterday about an order. Just email him (listed on his website) & he will get back to you

 

[co04cobra]

Had a chance yesterday to do some comparisons with a F-550 box.

Box we had laying off was from a 06' F-550 4x4. I test fit it on a 02 and 15 frame.

The bottom 2 holes could be made to work, but the top hole is to far forward.

The box can't be slid back without modification because it contacts the engine cross member.

The bolts that hold the 550 box are massive. Bigger then the 11-15 bolts and triple in size compared to the 99-04 trucks.

They look to be the same as the leaf spring front eyelet bolts as a comparison.

I think the 550 box "could" be made to work with further modification, but definitively is not a bolt in upgrade.

 

[m_j]

I know why everyone says to use 6.0 headbolts. pricing at Fastenal for 14x2.0-150mm bolts is about $20each

 

[dsberman94]

I got a free set from the u pull it yard. They couldn’t price 4 bolts so he said happy birthday and I left.

 

[co04cobra]

I know why everyone says to use 6.0 headbolts. pricing at Fastenal for 14x2.0-150mm bolts is about $20each

F-550 box bolts look to be 16x2.5. They are for sure bigger than 14x2.0.

 

[13fist]

Gotta be a year/part number thing because I used M16-2x130mm bolts when I did the 2016 gear. I guess it makes sense the 550 box could use M18, but I certainly don't know that.
The only reasonable place I found bolts that size was boltdepot.com and I don't see M18 there.

 

[Charles]

Came across this thread quite some time ago when googling for steering gear upgrades and couldn't remember what forum it was on. Finally found it. I'm doing this to my '01 Ex.

What I have done is go with a used gear I found for less than core charge so I could do a mock up, source fittings etc., and make sure it was going to work before committing to it. An added bonus was the used gear came with the lower part of the input shaft, providing me with the input coupler & rag joint to swap over as well.....

How exactly did you handle the rag-joint to get the correct input shaft coupler into play with your existing steering shaft?

 

[13fist]

The coupler was almost a straight swap. I did have to drill out the holes for the bolts I had.
I left the rag joint on the newer coupler and took everything off the steering shaft.

I think I remember running into what you're seeing. it looks like the coupler isn't going to line up right, but it is. pretty sure the bolt will end up in the same orientation as the original. Once I had it together, centered the steering wheel up and the pitman arm went on pointing straight forward by the eyeball anyway.
I'll take some pics of the pertinent parts when the sun comes up.

 

[13fist]

here's a quick shot through the wheel well. I'll try to get a better pic later on if needed.

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[Charles]

Well, my point being, I had originally intended to make the change over at the rag joint myself, but after taking it apart saw that the rivets were "stepped", such that they have a shoulder in the shank that bears the tension of the clamp load instead of placing it on the flexible rubber joint. With a non shouldered bolt you will be sandwiching the rubber bushing in the clamp and not be able to truly tighten things up.

I was wondering if you solved this with a shouldered bolt, or a rivet or what.


On Edit:

I see the picture now. You smashed the rubber and as it relaxes the bolt tension will continue to drop. The parts are not actually tight like that unless I'm seeing it wrong. There should be a shoulder that passes through the rubber with a smaller threaded section that then passes through the coupler past the rubber. That way the coupler is tightened metal, to metal.

I will look for a shouldered bolt of the right size and shoulder length.

 

[13fist]

I see what you're saying now. yeah those bolts are, or were, supposed to be temporary. I had forgotten about them until I went to take the picture.
I think the original plan was to cut some tubing for the rubber holes or pilfer hardware from a rag joint kit.

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[co04cobra]

I've been changing out the whole steering shafts. It requires drilling 2 holes at the firewall where the shaft boot goes through because the boot design changed.

It covers the previous hole perfectly. I use the factory 8mm self tapping bolts to secure it to the firewall.

That's also how the oem setup is on 08 up trucks.

 

[13fist]

I didn't go with the whole steering shaft for simple lack of availability. Nothing that new at my local pick n save. What I've seen of them is a much beefier construction at all points, so it is on the to do list if I find a decent deal on one.

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[Charles]

I've been changing out the whole steering shafts. It requires drilling 2 holes at the firewall where the shaft boot goes through because the boot design changed.

It covers the previous hole perfectly. I use the factory 8mm self tapping bolts to secure it to the firewall.

That's also how the oem setup is on 08 up trucks.

So you buy everything from steering column under the dash all the way to the steering box? The connection at the column is the same and the connection at the steering gear is the non-threaded version starting in 08?

If I buy a complete steering shaft with firewall boot it will bolt right up to this 2016 steering gear and my old 2002 steering column with the simple addition of two screws in the firewall?

If so, that's what I need to do.

 

[Charles]

I can't find a single place that sells this shaft. WTF am I supposed to be looking for? You'd think I was asking google for a 2008 martian.

I can get the bottom piece only, or a bunch of chinese ricer crap from borgeson, but nobody wants to talk about the whole OEM shaft that I can tell, and I remember early on every salvage yard laughing when I asked them for exactly this, everything from steering column to steering box.

Is there some kind of a run on these things? Do they not last in the newer trucks or something? All my 20+ year old superduty's still have the original steering shaft. So why the *** are the newer ones such a hot commodity?

And where the hell do you buy one?

 

[co04cobra]

I have a super duty parts yard, so I don’t buy them new, but I can get you part numbers or sell you what you need.

Connection at the steering column is the same. 08 was a split year from what I have found on the splined connection, but most seem to be non-splined from late 08 on.



On edit: This is one of the first things that popped up on google for me.


https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-part...MIzI7G0dSp4AIVRp7ACh0HigDSEAQYAiABEgJ0dfD_BwE


That is only the lower half but that blow out shows both pieces and the boot.


On 2nd edit. Quick search on ebay

https://www.ebay.com/p/Ford-OEM-Steering-Shaft-9C3Z3B676A-Image-5/1811144060


My guess is the 7c part numbers are splined lower halves and 9c are all going to be smooth.


Going roughly off what I see there I can probably sell the steering shafts for $150 shipped if anyone has any interest. That would be from column to box and include the firewall boot.

 

[Charles]

Hell I spent more than that on the lower I messed up by drilling out before realizing the deal with the rivets being stepped...

Send me one. For $150 send me the complete deal. Damn. How do I hit Buy it now?

lol.

How to I get ahold of you?

 

[13fist]

no kidding, I never find deals like that on my own.

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[Charles]

Well I got the steering shaft a few days later and finally had a chance to mess with it this past Monday. Bolted right in, and looks cleaner than the original 2002 model it replaced IMO. I did have to extend the extremely tight upper slip section with a hammer and punch, so something must be about 1/2" longer on my 02, but other than that it was straight in.

Thanks.

Problem solved.

 

[co04cobra]

Well I got the steering shaft a few days later and finally had a chance to mess with it this past Monday. Bolted right in, and looks cleaner than the original 2002 model it replaced IMO. I did have to extend the extremely tight upper slip section with a hammer and punch, so something must be about 1/2" longer on my 02, but other than that it was straight in.

Thanks.

Problem solved.

Good deal! I had sent you a PM to see if you had got the shaft. I would guess the length difference is in the box size itself.

The 05 box vs the 02 ones are a bit smaller.

Did that place in the boot at the firewall cause you any issue? It was crudely packaged, I apologize on that. I had hopes that usps wouldn't be able to damage a steel shaft though.