Rebuilt steering boxes

[Ry-dog]

Anyone have anything good to say about the rebuilt steering boxes for 68-72 bus? BD has them and I also found a used one here on the samba from a 68. I plan to install one in my 70 westy. Colin indicated that the rebuilds are sometimes no better at all than a used original and I wanted to know if anyone had any good experiences with the rebuilds. Thanks.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

[Amskeptic]

I'll chime in here with a question for those who have purchased rebuilt boxes. I have had all of two experiences with them on customers' buses and found that the sector shafts (the shaft sticking out the side of the frame rail where the pitman arm attaches) were as wobbly on the new grey painted boxes as the old boxes were. How about yours?
Colin
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www.itinerant-air-cooled.com
www.facebook.com/groups/324780910972038/

[Bookwus]

Hiya Ry-dog,

I had to replace the steering box on my 70 this past summer. I went to a local front-end shop (they are well-respected and do a lot of work for local dealers) since I would have to have the front end aligned anyway. I wanted them to take a look at the old box and let me know if they thought I needed to replace it. Well you know the answer to that one.

The tech who looked over my Bus told me that when I did find a new steering box to be sure that the action was smooth all the way through the turn radius. He had seen others (bus rebuilt boxes) that wanted to bind at points. Apparently, "less-than-good" rebuilds are out there.

I bit the bullet and shelled out the bucks for a rebuild from Wolfsburg West. It was smooth as silk all the way through the turn radius. When the tech looked at, he was very impressed. He said that it was the best rebuild he had seen. It went in the Duck and it has been flawless since. If I should have to buy a rebuilt box in the (distant) future, I know where I'm going.

Mike

1970 Bus - The Ruptured Duck

[shiningstar76]

I got mine from rocky mountain last summer for my 71. I will never forget pulling the pitman arm off.......that took almost all day. Anyway, lthe first box had a quite a bit of play and leaked. I had to credit card a second one and send the old one back which i didn't really like. The new one still leaks a little but is tight. I went through the whole front end of my bus over about a year......It wasn't really right until I finally got to the ball joints. And the guy who had done them said that he would never do that job ever again for anyone But, the bus rides with so much more confidence now....I love it.

[sodbuster]

I was talking to the guys from Wolfgang int. at the OCTO show last summer and got some good info. most of the steering box rebuilds out there are a crap shoot at best. they are coming from the same source. if I remember right it's a rebuilder in Mexico. and alot of parts houses are carrying them. most times the rebuilder dose not even crack them open to look inside. they just drain them powder blast them to clean them up and repaint them. kind of like rebuild in a can. sometimes the sand from the blasting prosess gets onto the interals and causes an early failure. so you could go through a few of them before you find a good one.

Wolfgang int rebuilds them "in house" and it's a true "remanufactured" steering box. what parts that are not repaired are replaced out right. they require a core in exchange. the person I was talking to (the owner I think) told me that most of the cores they get in exchange are junk and they're core charge is kind if steep $$. so if you want to get the Wolfgang box and you know that your core is out and out junk expect to pay the core charge. also it's best to send your core to them first if you can.( if you think it's good) they will inspect it then send you the rebuild. they told me alot of people will send the core after installing the rebuld only to bit hit with a core charge after the fact. but I think it's worth looking onto.

the box in my '71 Westy is a little notchy. since I don't use it as a primary car I will be able to remove it and ship it to them ahead of time. yet another wintertime project on my already full plate.
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100% VW fleet.
1965 T.1 sunroof
71 Campmobile.
71 Transporter Single Cab.
2018 Atlas SE

I am my own best mechanic. You should be too!
Fahren nur mit verriegelter schiebetür!

[Amskeptic]

[Ry-dog]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Looks like wolfgang or wolfsburg are good bets.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

[sodbuster]

check them out here. www.wolfgangint.com
_________________
100% VW fleet.
1965 T.1 sunroof
71 Campmobile.
71 Transporter Single Cab.
2018 Atlas SE

I am my own best mechanic. You should be too!
Fahren nur mit verriegelter schiebetür!

[DurocShark]

What about the "new" ones? Can't get rebuilt for my 73.

Another $300 out the window... LoL!
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No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow.

[Amskeptic]

Ahh, go ahead and blow the money, steering, unlike any other part of the car, is something you are connected to *constantly* when you drive, make it feel as excellent as you can. My steering box is 27,000 miles shy of half-a-million miles They will last with good oil, correct adjustment, and a studious avoidance of potholes.
Colin
_________________
www.itinerant-air-cooled.com
www.facebook.com/groups/324780910972038/

[DurocShark]

I know... but $300 is a lot of Top Ramen!
_________________
No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow.

[phj]

Hi,

I spent over $300 for a rebuilt. The first one clunked and sucked, so I returned it and got a replacement. Fun having to do the same job twice, but my vendor, Always V Dub here in Portland, was totally behind me and let the supplier know his dissatisfaction.

The second one was fine, although still pretty loose in the play. At least it doesn't clunk and skip like my old one.

Patricia

[Ry-dog]

Little follow up info - confirms sodbuster's findings that Wolfgang has the best.

I called WW and asked about the quality of their rebuilt boxes 68-72. They told me they have been having problems in the past with theirs and couldn't offer any guarentee that it would be a good one.

Emailed and spoke with Steve at Wolfgang and he took the time to explain to me how they do the work there at their shop and how the other rebuilders fail. Without doubt, they have the best units out there. Got one on the way now - it is expensive, but doing the job more than once can/would cost even more.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

[Ry-dog]

Little follow up info - confirms sodbuster's findings that Wolfgang has the best.

I called WW and asked about the quality of their rebuilt boxes 68-72. They told me they have been having problems in the past with theirs and couldn't offer any guarentee that it would be a good one.

Emailed and spoke with Steve at Wolfgang and he took the time to explain to me how they do the work there at their shop and how the other rebuilders fail. Without doubt, they have the best units out there. Got one on the way now - it is expensive, but doing the job more than once can/would cost even more.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

[Schmooey]

Colin,
I've seen references to using STP/moly grease mixtures and other strange lubes for the steering box. I assume VW knows best, so I keep topping up the box with oil.
Any opinion on this?

[Amskeptic]

Opinions galore! yes I do. Use the gear lube recommended by VW, a nice mineral based hypoid gear oil 80/90 . . . We have been having a discussion about gear lubes over at the STF transaxle site, turns out that the good old stuff has superior anti-scuffing, top Porsche engineers say so too. Molybdenum disulfide will not remain suspended in a static environment like a steering box. If STP treatment promises to stop leaks I would not use it, sure it will swell the seals but then you have swollen seals If your steering box is motivating you to add potions, then your steering box needs real attention. It is not like a transmission where you can go ahead and blow it up and catch a ride home. . . nooo, you'll catch a tree or sumpin'
Colin
_________________
www.itinerant-air-cooled.com
www.facebook.com/groups/324780910972038/

[Schmooey]

Thanks Colin,
Mine leakes a bit, so I just top it up with 90 hypoid since it works fine, but leaks do attract attention.
Wolfgang International sends some sort of mystery formula with its rebuilds. Wonder what's in this secret sauce.

[stevo]

doesn't bus boys still do in-house quality rebuilds? the box i installed on my doublecab came from there last year and a half ago, and i have been okay with it. short-term experience though - anybody had a bus boys box for a while that can vouch?
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When you cross an Irishman, they never forget. I mean, never.

[ratwell]

Wolfgang and Bus Boys are only about 4 miles frm each other. Hmmm.
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'78 Westfalia CDN
'76 Doublecab Sweden
Read the Baywindow FAQ

[Ry-dog]

Wolfgang told me to use their secret mystery lube is 3 parts STP to 1 part moly grease that they are shipping with the unit.

Explained that 90 weight will eventually leak, moly grease alone will not heat up enough in the gear box to be effective, so they made that mix and highly recommended that I use it, and I will.
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'70 Westy
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel