TBP - steering geer sh-t(box)

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

For those of you looking to get/buy a steering box, I say buy/go to a steering box builder like Red Head (add quality builders). I bought a 'new' box from TBP. Piece of crap. Cost $795. After installation, lots of play (way to much). Send it to Red Head Steering. They custom fit the balls and replace a cracked top. Also, they indicated, the 'new' steering box was from a RHD(right hand drive) Grand Cherokee. Full disclosure was not done and that is not right .

So, cost of 'new' $795
cost to repair 'new' $500 including shipping
Lonnie offered me $450 cash or $500 store stuff. (where is my middle finger).

My advice to anyone getting a steering gear box, is to get one from Red Head Steering Gear or (chime in). The venders need to name their suppliers in the catalogs. After going through this (and I'm not done) I'm rethinking dealing with TBP. Lonnie was nice to talk to, but I still got f'd.

so 'new' $795
fix 'new' $500 Looks like I bought a 'new' core for $295 and went through the ….screw it. Lonnie is F'd up

sykanr0ng · Nov 12, 2018

Blue-Top Steering Gears, Inc.

Former employee of Red Head, went into business on his own in an area with lower costs of living and doing business.

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

This information needs to be put out there. .why go through what happened to me. My six turn (or what ever) had no play. I found out sloppy steering boxes are not fun.

Broncobowsher · Nov 12, 2018

So did you contact Tom's before you sent it to Red head? It's not like TBP makes these steering boxes. The source and sell them. Completely possible they got a bad one from there supplier. That stuff happens.

Is this your first project car? There is going to be a LOT more stuff like this coming if you play with old cars very long.

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

Broncobowsher said:
So did you contact Tom's before you sent it to Red head? It's not like TBP makes these steering boxes. The source and sell them. Completely possible they got a bad one from there supplier. That stuff happens.

Is this your first project car? There is going to be a LOT more stuff like this coming if you play with old cars very long.

First, with all due respect to anyone I offend, dude , I'm 67, my father was a ford (sad) mechanic most of his life.
TBP probably gets lots of crap boxes. That's my point. They don't inspect them. Or I wood not have received the piece of ……...ohhh..crap that I did. Lonnie needs to put some hands on his products to check out the quality!!!

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

My buy history at TBP is in the thousands ($) for any body that cares.

Broncobowsher · Nov 12, 2018

So you want every box installed on a Bronco, taken for a test drive, then pulled off and shipped out? I'm guessing there is a rebuilder involved before TBP gets the boxes. Did you ever give TBP a chance to make things right before you went off and picked your own rebuilder? You state TPB gets lots of crap boxes, at this point I see a data point of exactly 1 bad steering box. You are going to have to come back with a lot better data sample then that for us to take your word on that.

I'm still trying to tell if you contacted TBP before you sent the box in for rebuilding?

Bad mouthing for the sake of badmouthing someone or even venting doesn't go very far on this site. Unless you really can back it, it just makes you look like the ass. Since you even state that there was a refund/credit offered (and a pretty good one) that makes your soap box that you are shouting off of that much more crumbly. We have been dealing with this stuff for a long time. Your story has way too many holes in it and missing a LOT of details.

bronconut73 · Nov 12, 2018

Easy Bowsher.
Charlie is just mad right now.

That's a lot of money to us regular guys.

We all know TBP are good folks. Charlie must think so too as he has made a large investment with them through the years.

Charlie is venting right now but I hope this thread will end like many of these do where everybody involved realizes that there is plenty of culpable negligence to go around.

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

Broncobowsher said:
So you want every box installed on a Bronco, taken for a test drive, then pulled off and shipped out? I'm guessing there is a rebuilder involved before TBP gets the boxes. Did you ever give TBP a chance to make things right before you went off and picked your own rebuilder? You state TPB gets lots of crap boxes, at this point I see a data point of exactly 1 bad steering box. You are going to have to come back with a lot better data sample then that for us to take your word on that.

I'm still trying to tell if you contacted TBP before you sent the box in for rebuilding?

Bad mouthing for the sake of badmouthing someone or even venting doesn't go very far on this site. Unless you really can back it, it just makes you look like the ass. Since you even state that there was a refund/credit offered (and a pretty good one) that makes your soap box that you are shouting off of that much more crumbly. We have been dealing with this stuff for a long time. Your story has way too many holes in it and missing a LOT of details.

Yes, I am the ASS of this 'story'. And I am sorry that some of you dicks don't mind waiting forever to get parts and putting them in. I not used to getting crap and having to send it back. If that's the way you do business, your screwed. Yes , I called Read Head first. The venders are 'just sellers'. I don't think they inspect anything that is prepackaged to them. Do they check the steering boxes they send out. I'm goeing to say no. WHY!!! Had I sent it back to TBP, I would receive the same quality, not inspected made by who.

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

Let me put this out their. Those of you having bought a steering box from any vender, are you happy with the play in the wheel. I might be the only one that received the 'bad' box.

bronconut73 · Nov 12, 2018

charlie6976 said:
Let me put this out their. Those of you having bought a steering box from any vender, are you happy with the play in the wheel. I might be the only one that received the 'bad' box.

I have seen boxes that people said had way too much play in them be put on another Bronco and they seem to have way less play. There's a lot of Tolerance stacking that can come into play when you start talking about steering feel. I am certain that I am not telling you anything you don't already know. My power steering box on my 73 is the original box. It likely has a good bit of play. Good Caster gives me good on-road feel so the play doesn't bother me as much

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

bronconut73 said:
Easy Bowsher.
Charlie is just mad right now.

That's a lot of money to us regular guys.

We all know TBP are good folks. Charlie must think so too as he has made a large investment with them through the years.

Charlie is venting right now but I hope this thread will end like many of these do where everybody involved realizes that there is plenty of culpable negligence to go around.

I did wait until Monday, and talked to Jason who put me off to Lonnie. This is before I posted. I'm totally disappointed in Lonnie's approach to the situation.

Also, TBP did contact Red Head Steering about my rebuild. And they installed custom fit balls and a cracked top.

Like I'm trying to say, IF THEY DON'T LOOK IN THE BOX, THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT THEY SOLD YOU/ME. Maybe some comments from the venders.

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

bronconut73 said:
I have seen boxes that people said had way too much play in them be put on another Bronco and they seem to have way less play. There's a lot of Tolerance stacking that can come into play when you start talking about steering feel. I am certain that I am not telling you anything you don't already know. My power steering box on my 73 is the original box. It likely has a good bit of play. Good Caster gives me good on-road feel so the play doesn't bother me as much

What the hell are you talking about? I turn the input side (steering wheel) of the steering box, then look at how or whether the output shaft turns. That's all that happens.

yfz450sew · Nov 12, 2018

Sounds like Tom's offered to cover essentially the cost to repair the box, probably would have given you a refund if you had returned it to them first. I can see merit in the complaint about the quality of the part, but it sounds like they tried to do the right thing to me.

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

Still would like venders to respond. How many of these (steering gear products/boxes) do you sample any. I know Lonnie (or any one at TBP didn't check mine). This reverts back to trial and error. Put it in, if it doesn't fit or work send it back. NOT!!! A STEERING BOX SHOULD NOT BE TRIAL AND ERROR.

A lot of vender buyers that are 'nume' to there projects/buying objectives go to the venders like they are gods to Broncos.

Before buying ask the vender where /quality or do research and get better.

langester · Nov 12, 2018

I am sorry you had a bad experience however, I would say that no matter what vendor you use you have a good chance of receiving a bad part at some time. Even local parts houses get bad parts and end up exchanging or refunding your money. Happens all the time and not much you can do about that. The Q.C. should fall on the company that is providing the parts. If the vendors had to physically check every part they sell prices would go way up and more time would be spent rechecking something that should have been done right to begin with.
I think that at anytime there is a problem, the vendor that sold the item should be informed first so they have a chance to make it right. If you bypass them, that is on you. I would bet money on the fact that if a vendor gets enough complaints on a certain part being faulty enough times that they will discontinue that product and move on to a new supplier. Hence calling them first to make them aware of the problem first helps everyone out.
I am just stating facts here and not putting blame on anyone. This is just my opinion on what I have read here. I do not mean to offend anyone, if I did I apologize.

needabronco · Nov 12, 2018

I rebuilt my own with a seal kit from Napa for less than $50. There are adjustments that you can make on the box in less than 2 minutes to tighten them up. You can make a 4x4x2 box in a junk yard for about $100 if you do your homework.

Bitch all you want. If you cannot or will not do your own work, or work with a vendor who frankly has a very good reputation and would have made things right, then I guess your out of pocket money which is frankly your own fault. Everyone gets a bad part here and there. Even a brand new $80k Ford truck has defective parts on it....

Perhaps your dad could have taught you some patience, or how to turn your own wrenches, or that a $10 an hour flunky in a factory really doesn't care about the quality of the power steering box they are building, or that the box was mislabeled? But whatever keep bitching... The Bronco community is very small. People here, and the vendors can and will help you, but being unreasonable or impatient won't get you far.

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

yfz450sew said:
Sounds like Tom's offered to cover essentially the cost to repair the box, probably would have given you a refund if you had returned it to them first. I can see merit in the complaint about the quality of the part, but it sounds like they tried to do the right thing to me.

TBP -tried and doing are two different things. I don't like the words 'sounds like'.
Something is wrong with some of you. I ordered NEW. Not trial and error.
I understand Lonnie at TBP's doesn't get it! !!!

What is my time worth when the other guy (TBP) F's up. In a lot of places, you would be back charged for crap/bad product. The venders seam to get a pass.
Call Lonnie and check out my account. It's big. Just past no payment owed.

1strodeo · Nov 12, 2018

I've a feeling I may need a new steering box as well so I'm following this thread.

Just to clarify, once you determined the box was defective, what course of action did you take? I'm not understanding how Red Head got involved.

and thanks for the tip sykanr0ng!

charlie6976 · Nov 12, 2018

needabronco said:
I rebuilt my own with a seal kit from Napa for less than $50. There are adjustments that you can make on the box in less than 2 minutes to tighten them up. You can make a 4x4x2 box in a junk yard for about $100 if you do your homework.

Bitch all you want. If you cannot or will not do your own work, or work with a vendor who frankly has a very good reputation and would have made things right, then I guess your out of pocket money which is frankly your own fault. Everyone gets a bad part here and there. Even a brand new $80k Ford truck has defective parts on it....

Perhaps your dad could have taught you some patience, or how to turn your own wrenches, or that a $10 an hour flunky in a factory really doesn't care about the quality of the power steering box they are building, or that the box was mislabeled? But whatever keep bitching... The Bronco community is very small. People here, and the vendors can and will help you, but being unreasonable or impatient won't get you far.

Dude, I see you story above, do you now anything about me. I, at 67 years of age, for the first time in my life - I installed -david key trans
TBP rear disc
351c engine
Vintage A/C
Hel sway bars front and rear
from TBP
Tow bar TBP
and a lift kit
and yes, I had to get longer rods for Hellwig install- front and back.
Tilt steering from WH.
seat frames fom CJ
seat covers TBP
seat foam TBP
I'm only starting. No one helped me.
And the list goes on.
aux tank TBP
Sherman tank WH

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