4x4x2 box with reman'd box

[gunnibronco]

Why do you think @Madgyver is using a Chinese box? His pics show a media blasted and restored Ford box.

Looking closer you are right, that picture shows a Ford worm gear on a Ford box. I thought he meant his rebuilt worm gears were Chinese and worked in the Ford box, but that's not what the picture shows. I think he and I are miscommunicating. I realize a rebuilt Ford worm gear will work in the 78/79 Ford box.

 

[gunnibronco]

I just picked up a 2nd rebuilt box from Oreily's today and it's a Ford box/worm gear. I also lucked into an unused rebuilt & ported "x2" box with the ports on the input/worm gear section that will get bolted into my 78/79 box. I think it looks like it will work and put me that much closer to hydro assist which is a necessity at this point.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xchGqWrDVzhCG4dx8

 

[jamesroney]

Looking closer you are right, that picture shows a Ford worm gear on a Ford box. I thought he meant his rebuilt worm gears were Chinese and worked in the Ford box, but that's not what the picture shows. I think he and I are miscommunicating. I realize a rebuilt Ford worm gear will work in the 78/79 Ford box.

Yeah, I figured you had bigger fish to fry...

Go fix your Bronco...

 

[gunnibronco]

Yeah, I figured you had bigger fish to fry...

Go fix your Bronco...

That's the plan, just need to finish up work for the day.

 

[ksagis]

@gunnibronco, checking in if you got things sorted out.

 

[gunnibronco]

@gunnibronco, checking in if you got things sorted out.

Yes, I got out on Saturday. Everything went well and the truck is driving great. There was a misdiagnosis and misunderstanding involved and the steering gear was not the problem. I'll be adding my new ported 4x4x2 box and hydroassist in the near future.

 

[1969]

What ended up being the problem?

 

[gunnibronco]

What ended up being the problem?

My front locker hadn't unlocked. It was my first trip with an ARB in the front axle. I knew the locker would make steering "harder", I didn't know it would make it completely impossible- like zero steering. It really felt like a failure had occurred. I flipped the ARB switch off and pulled backwards about 5 feet, but the steering remained in-op. I assumed the locker would have unlocked at that point.

I was also pressured by someone who "diagnosed" my rig and wanted to get off the trail because it was going to get dark. As time passed, I became more and more suspect of his diagnosis process, and of what was really wrong. So a lot of it was my fault. I was not surprised when I got back to the rig, reconnected the PS hoses and filled/bled the system and everything was fine. Lesson learned.

 

[Madgyver]

Glad you got it out... I had a similar incident but with electrical. It was getting dark and I had my kids with me. they were younger and were always out wheeling with me. It got me anxious to get out of that trail as we were about 8 miles in away from any pavement and up in the mountains. got home safe at 2am with a tow with my Toyota friends. it took 2 22R 4-cyclinder rigs with doublers on to get my V8 bronco off the trail. (inside joke now)
I found out later the next day that a simple jumper of a circuit could of got me running. lesson learned.

 

[gunnibronco]

I've been reading and watching videos about power steering boxes and pumps. I'm starting to suspect that the pressure relieve valve in my PS pump is bypassing when the strain on the steering gets too great. This would explain why I experienced a loss of steering several times during the trip. Every time it was when I was in a difficult obstacle, and the locker was locked. Sometimes I had problems steering left, other times right. I don't remember it happening in both directions at the same time, but I could be mistaken.

If this is the case, I know I can make some adjustments to the flow/pressure valve in the pump, but at this time it's just "stock" out of the box. From what I understand, hydro assist would also prevent this problem by taking the stress off the steering gear. I'm also running hydroboost so there is some extra demand on the system, so I need to make sure the flow is adequate once I add hydro assist. I've been running h-boost for years, but never with a locked front axle.

 

[Viperwolf1]

I have seen a 4x4x2 box that broke the center tooth off the sector shaft. That broken tooth initially got wedged in and prevented turning to the right. Later it popped loose and the steering seemed fine. Might want to look at that just in case.