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doug bugg
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2003
Posts: 367
Location: Minneapolis
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 Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 10:20 am Post subject: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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I have a few other things to check on my ‘68 but if my gearbox is the issue should I replace or rebuild? It looks to be original and the roller shaft adjustment screw is stripped at the top. I’ve used threadlock to help keep the nut in place.
If I outright replace the gear unit, is there a brand that I should go with or “steer” clear of? |
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VW_Jimbo 
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016
Posts: 11035
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 11:44 am Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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Rebuild what you have. All of the boxes are worn out, so you would need to rebuild anything you buy used. Some of the rebuilt ones need rebuilding once you get them. Might as well start off with the one you know. Start with a cover from a used steering box!
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Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
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OTTO 1303
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2020
Posts: 709
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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If it is the OG, rebuild first.
If it is so bad that it can’t be rebuilt, buy another used OG and rebuild that one, or a used OG that is already rebuilt.
Good Luck
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74 Super - DANZIG
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 7441
Location: Houston, Texas
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Starbucket
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2007
Posts: 4199
Location: WA
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 3:02 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| There are two adjustment points on the steering box, the obvious one and the Big nut on the front, so make sure you have adjusted them all before rebuilding. |
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viiking
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013
Posts: 3103
Location: Sydney Australia
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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I rebuilt my original 68 steering box. 54 years old and still in good shape. It's not nuclear science. Check the worm and roller for damage, bearings and replace the seals. It is really great to look at these old parts that have been over engineered and when clean look like new. The damage is usually caused by people incorrectly tinkering with the adjustment screw, not the parts themselves.
Seals are available from bearing supply houses. Your cover plate if damaged should be replaced. Use John Deere Corn Head grease to repack the steering box. Not EP oil, not wheel bearing grease. You need a grease that thins under shear (movement) and returns back to a semi-solid when not under shear.
Or buy from the advertisement posted.
From what I have heard, all the after-market units are problematic and out of the box are usually more defective than the original part that you are trying to repair.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3 |
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 7441
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2022 4:59 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| viiking wrote: |
From what I have heard, all the after-market units are problematic and out of the box are usually more defective than the original part that you are trying to repair. |
That's not the case anymore.
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baldessariclan
Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016
Posts: 1989
Location: Wichita, KS
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 7:17 am Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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Hey, so what is the story on the "TRW tooling" steering boxes currently offered? Are these new steering boxes originally suppled from TRW, and then rebuilt by somebody else with correct quality components and adjustments? Just curious...
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 7441
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 7:49 am Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| baldessariclan wrote: |
| Hey, so what is the story on the "TRW tooling" steering boxes currently offered? |
TRW stopped making boxes. I was looking for a replacement box and was looking at tooling up to make the parts. A manufacturer dropped in my lap. I sent the box to a steering rebuilder to look over. Long story short - the boxes are as good, if not better, than TRW. These are new boxes.
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www.vwnos.com sales@vwnos.com
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
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viiking
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013
Posts: 3103
Location: Sydney Australia
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 4:39 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| heimlich wrote: |
| baldessariclan wrote: |
| Hey, so what is the story on the "TRW tooling" steering boxes currently offered? |
TRW stopped making boxes. I was looking for a replacement box and was looking at tooling up to make the parts. A manufacturer dropped in my lap. I sent the box to a steering rebuilder to look over. Long story short - the boxes are as good, if not better, than TRW. These are new boxes. |
From your ad
This steering gearbox is the best on the market. It is made from TRW template. It is better than TRW as it has items in it that TRW removed in the past. The old TRW boxes also needed to be rebuilt when new. These do not. There is quality assurance on my end to make this box ready to bolt onto your car.
Not to be a pain, but your explanation is inconsistent. In your ad you say "the boxes are as good if not better than the TRW". and here you say "the old TRW boxes also needed to be rebuilt when new".
In short you need to remove "as good if not better" to just better in your ad.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3 |
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Cusser
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Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 32905
Location: Hot Arizona
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 7441
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| viiking wrote: |
Not to be a pain, but your explanation is inconsistent. In your ad you say "the boxes are as good if not better than the TRW". and here you say "the old TRW boxes also needed to be rebuilt when new".
In short you need to remove "as good if not better" to just better in your ad. |
The TRW boxes were good for parts. You could take them apart and rebuild them with the same parts and make them really good. They just needed to be rebuilt. My box would still be just a little bit better as they put back some parts that TRW had removed. It does not have the TRW name on it. It's also good out of the box and doesn't need to be rebuilt. TRW had a really good name behind them. So are the two equal, is one better than the other, etc is hard to say. A lot of people would buy TRW just for the name. People now just want a good box without having to filter through all of the crap that is out there. From your comments it looks like you've seen a bit of this.
How to quantify the above is not so straight forward so I stand by my choice of words. I appreciate your comments.
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www.vwnos.com sales@vwnos.com
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
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Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
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chris914x181
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2008
Posts: 53
Location: Sunny San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 1:50 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| heimlich wrote: |
My box would still be just a little bit better as they put back some parts that TRW had removed. |
I'm interested in replacing my +25 year old TRW gearbox. It feels fine but has leaking seals that are covering everything in grease.
What are the parts you put back in yours that TRW took out?
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1972 2.0L Porsche 914 Autocrosser
1973 2017 VW Thing
1974 2.0L Porsche 914
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 7441
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 2:00 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| chris914x181 wrote: |
| heimlich wrote: |
My box would still be just a little bit better as they put back some parts that TRW had removed. |
I'm interested in replacing my +25 year old TRW gearbox. It feels fine but has leaking seals that are covering everything in grease.
What are the parts you put back in yours that TRW took out? |
The top bushing was put back in. Here's a writeup on it: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10000050
_________________
www.vwnos.com sales@vwnos.com
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
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chris914x181
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2008
Posts: 53
Location: Sunny San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 3:31 pm Post subject: Re: Steering gear rebuild or replace? |
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| heimlich wrote: |
| chris914x181 wrote: |
| heimlich wrote: |
My box would still be just a little bit better as they put back some parts that TRW had removed. |
I'm interested in replacing my +25 year old TRW gearbox. It feels fine but has leaking seals that are covering everything in grease.
What are the parts you put back in yours that TRW took out? |
The top bushing was put back in. Here's a writeup on it: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10000050 |
For clarification are any of these things done to ones that you're selling?
| OKType3Tim wrote: |
| Using those items, along with original FAG bearings, new gasket, double lip seals, and corn head grease; I assembled the unit in the far right of the picture. |
_________________
1972 2.0L Porsche 914 Autocrosser
1973 2017 VW Thing
1974 2.0L Porsche 914
1986 Skateboard
2004 7.4L Roadtrek Versatile
http://www.cassidy-online.com |
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