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Steering Box for 3rd Gen Cummins — Steering Box for Cummins / Photo by Randy S. Russo

If your vehicle doesn’t respond according to the direction you’re providing using the steering, driving won’t remain comfortable for sure. You need to struggle to keep the vehicle on the right path when the steering can’t control it. In such type of situation, the issue is hiding inside the steering box mostly.

The steering box is the part of your vehicle that instructs the wheels to move according to the direction shown by the steering. If it is jammed, clogged, or troubling, it won’t support you in driving. In that case, you need to change the steering box and upgrade to a better one.

I guess you own a 3^rd Gen Cummins that requires the steering box upgrade. An issue with this model is you won’t find so many options while looking for steering box changing. However, I’ve surfed through the options and found the best steering box for 3^rd Gen Cummins.

The options I’ve talked about here are picked after thorough research on the available options in the market. Opinions of experts, manufacturers’ claims, user experience, etc. are focused on while selecting the products. So, hopefully, you’ll get the best options here.

Let’s not talk much and start discussing the best Cummins steering boxes.

Best Steering Box for 3^rd Gen Cummins in 2022

1. Detroit Axle – Power Steering Gear Box

If you’re looking for a stable and durable steering box, this one from Detroit Axle is a good pick for sure. It transmits the movement and rotation signals correctly from the steering to the wheels. As a result, commanding the vehicle becomes super smooth.

The steering box and its components are made with high-quality material for ensuing smooth movement as well as superior strength. The box is sealed properly from the outside to ensure a leakproof shell for durability.

Inside the box, the rods, shafts, and grooves are designed and constructed for efficient operation. A super smooth structure with lubricating grease allows you to enjoy smooth control over the vehicle. As it is made to perform better than your OE steering box, you’ll feel a noticeable improvement.

Detroit Axle has designed this box to be the exact replacement for the OE box. So, installing it won’t be an issue at all. The products it offers to the market are carefully tested and accepted by experts. Don’t worry about the quality. Just make sure that you’re picking the one that is made for your vehicle.

Pros

Made ensuring superior quality
Built using strong and quality material
Designed to be the exact replacement of the OE box
Offers smooth control over the vehicle
Worth the money you spend on it

Cons

Might need servicing after a few months

2. Borgeson 800123 Power Steering Box

Looking for a steering box improvement would take you to this, the box from Borgeson. Being professionally designed and perfectly built, this steering box is going to offer you a smooth and perfect experience of handling the vehicle, I’m sure.

While talking about it, we need to talk about the design first. It comes with a large piston diameter and a modern variable valve to offer incredible smoothness and a satisfactory experience. It uses pitman shafts for ensuring uninterrupted movement. This massive power steering box is made to work flawlessly.

It comes with an exceptional build quality too. A strong outer shell with proper sealing ensures its durability. It is safe from corrosions as well as outer elements. It can handle more-than-moderate shocks too. So, you can use this steering box for a long time.

You can get it mounted in your vehicle’s steering system without any problem. It comes with a similar dimension to your OE steering box. So, installing won’t be a pain for the mechanic. Just make sure that you’re going to someone who is experienced.

Pros

Direct replacement to the OE steering box
Can serve you for a long time
Strong outside and smooth inside
Can be installed without any problem
Offers satisfactory driving experience

Cons

Might need some modification for performance

Best Steering Box for Cummins Buying Guide

Compatibility

Compatibility is the most important thing to focus on. If you buy something that doesn’t match your vehicle, you can’t get the benefit it offers. Also, there won’t be any positive results of the modification. In fact, a wrong choice can destroy your vehicle. So, you need to spend sufficient time to make sure that you’re picking the compatible steering box.

Type of the Steering Box

You’ll find several types of steering boxes in the market. We suggest picking the exact type that was in your vehicle. This would save you cost a lot. Picking a new type would require additional changes that would increase the cost.

If you don’t know the type of your old steering box, check the vehicle manual thoroughly and you’ll get it. You can take help from experts too.

Additional Changes

Some steering box asks for additional changes when you add those to your vehicle. This would cost you more. So, before picking any of those, check whether it needs additional replacements or not. I suggest going for the ones that don’t need additional changes. But this should not be the only factor to consider when you have several options.

Cost

Installing a steering box might not be your job, you need to go to a mechanic for that. So, you need to calculate the overall cost as budget matters. So, check the price and estimation of labor cost. A steering box that is tough to install might need high labor costs. On the other hand, easy ones don’t need that much labor cost.

Durability

Installing the steering box is a huge investment. You don’t want it to get damaged within a few days. So, while searching for one, make sure that you’re picking the most durable one. Otherwise, if the new one gets damaged again within a few years, you would have to replace it again. This would cost you a huge chuck of bucks again.

Check user reviews and expert opinions to know whether it is durable or not.

Signs Saying that You Need to Check the Steering Box

1. Fluid Leak

If you see any fluid leak near the steering box, check it carefully. The seal might break for many reasons. As a result, the fluid leak happens.

Try to repair the seal, if possible. If it is not possible, you need to change the whole box.

2. Cracking Sound

At the time of turning the steering wheel, if you hear a cracking sound, it says that there is an issue with the steering box. When there is less fluid than the required amount, this happens because of metal friction. Also, if any part is broken or damaged, this cracking sound might happen.

Check the box and take the necessary steps if you hear such a sound.

3. Hard-to-Handle Steering Wheel

If you find your steering wheel stiff or tough to turn, it is a sign of a damaged or dried steering box. At first, you should try to solve this issue by replacing the fluid of it. In case the problem is there even after replacing the fluid, the box is damaged, and you need to pick a new one if you can’t repair it.

4. Pull to a Specific Side

If your vehicle pulls to a specific side while driving, there might be a problem in the steering box. The same thing happens because of the wrong alignment of wheels too. If you’re sure that the wheels are aligned properly, you need to check the steering box and look for faults in it.

5. Burnt Fluid

If you can sense the smell of burnt fluid that is coming from near the steering box, you should check it carefully. The smell is different, and you’ll sense it. While driving the vehicle, the smell of burnt fluid increases, especially when it comes from the steering box.

How to Take Care of a Steering Box

Buying the steering box and getting it installed is not the only task you should do. You have to take care of the box properly. Otherwise, the new one would get damaged after a few days. That’s why I’ve talked about a few maintenance tips that you can follow to make your new steering box last.

Keep it Clean

Dirt and dust can cause damage slowly. So, you need to keep the steering box clean if you want it to last for a long time. Not only the box, but you also need to keep the entire steering system clean from inside and outside. For that, use a clean cloth to get rid of dust from the parts of it.

Also, don’t use any old or dirty parts in the system. At the time of cleaning the fluid, make sure that you’re draining it properly before adding new fluid.

Checking the Fluid

It is a must to check the fluid of the steering box. If you drive frequently, it is more important. A steering box can’t work properly with inadequate fluid. It would get damaged inside in such situations. As a result, you can’t enjoy long service from it.

So, check the fluid and make sure that there is enough of it inside the steering box. If needed, change the fluid.

While choosing a fluid, don’t go for the cheap ones. Look for the ones that come with good quality.

Ensuring Proper Installation

While installing the steering box, you need to make sure that someone expert is doing that. If it is not set up well, it can’t function right. As a result, soon you’ll find it damaged or broken.

Similarly, while cleaning or maintaining it, you need to make sure that it is sitting there accurately after the cleaning is done.

FAQs About Cummins Steering Box

Is it okay to repair the steering box?

Yes, it is okay to repair the steering box. However, you need to keep your eyes on a few points while deciding about this.

The steering box is a complex part that comes with many small components placed precisely. So, it needs the expertise to repair and reassemble a steering box. So, you need to assign someone who has enough knowledge about it.

Also, as a complex part, a repaired steering box might not ensure similar performance as before. Again, once it is repaired, the expected lifetime of it gets reduced a lot. Sometimes it is better to buy a brand new one instead of fixing the previous one. So, decide carefully.

How much does it cost to install a steering box?

The installation of a steering box is a complex process that requires expertise and concentration. So, the cost of installing a steering box is typically higher than regular installation processes.

The pricing starts from 150$ if it is only installed. It might raise to 250$ depending on the mechanic. If any modification is required, you would have to spend more. Around 500$ is the upper limit of cost in the case of installation of a steering box.

What will happen if I continue driving with a damaged steering box?

When the steering box is damaged, you can’t control the vehicle properly. You’ll find it very tough to keep it in your control. If the issue is severe, you might completely lose control over the vehicle and face an accident.

This is the most extreme case.

You should get it fixed as soon as you sense a problem. Otherwise, a very small issue will turn into a big one eventually and result in extreme events like accidents. That’s why I don’t suggest continuing driving when the steering box is not okay. Get it fixed first.

How to Install Power Steering Gear Box

Final Verdict

Changing the steering box is a costly upgrade that you can’t avoid if the old one is faulty. Also, you don’t want the new one to be damaged soon. So, you need to be careful and make the right decision while picking a steering box as a replacement for the old one.

In this article, you’ll find the two best steering box for 3^rd gen Cummins that you can pick for your vehicle. There are a few more in the market, but these two are the bests according to my research and experience. So, don’t hesitate to select and buy one of the two boxes recommended here. Any of these two won’t disappoint you, I guess.

Reference:

https://www.cardone.com/steering/steering-gear-components/
https://www.autozone.com/suspension-steering-tire-and-wheel
https://www.maxpeedingrods.com/buyer-guide-steering-gearbox.html
https://leepowersteering.com/pages/how-to-identify-gearbox
https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/power-steering-guide/

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