'97 Steering Gearbox Replacement Guidance

[A97obs]

I am unfamiliar with the EVO sensor, so I don't know where to look. I watched a video on how it works. Can a bad sensor cause slop?

The best bet at this point is to just invest 1000% in the best of the best
Redhead box / Cunningham solid U-joint steering shaft / mevotech Ttx tie rods / moog pitman and idler arm and definitely opt for a 96’ year model Ps pump and 96’ year pressure hose and by pass all the evo junk if you have it .
Do away with the evo by adding a 96 style pump and high pressure line . Less points to leak and it will leak !

That’s what I did with the Ps pump on my 99 suburban

Redhead is more gm related company Bluetop I heard is a newer company that still offers great boxes and so far has warranted there core returns without issue . The thing I’ heard is redhead try’s to say a (core) the core you send back is not rebuildable.

That’s when they try sticking it to the customer ? It’s all say so who knows. But that’s what I heard the deal is 50/50.

You could get ahold of Cunningham machine …
I think he knows a guy who offers a legit rack pinion bolt on kit for the c1500s it’s basically a mustang 2 design rack setup
I Seen a pic of one on a 1500 !

 

[crowfather]

The best bet at this point is to just invest 1000% in the best of the best
Redhead box / Cunningham solid U-joint steering shaft / mevotech Ttx tie rods / moog pitman and idler arm and definitely opt for a 96’ year model Ps pump and 96’ year pressure hose and by pass all the evo junk if you have it .
Do away with the evo by adding a 96 style pump and high pressure line . Less points to leak and it will leak !

That’s what I did on my 99 suburban

Yeah. Its not like I plan on getting another truck any time soon, so I am happy to invest. I was rather crunched for time on this, and unfortunately I missed my deadline.

 

[xXxPARAGONxXx]

They all fit. I just installed a 1988 K 3500 steering gear in my 1998 K 1500 suburban. They might have different part numbers but, they bolt in the truck just fine.

Interesting.

Edit: So, I went to GMPartsGiant and plugged in 1998 Chevrolet K1500, 1998 Chevrolet K2500, and 1998 Chevrolet K3500. (I used 1998 since GM produced 1/2-ton Silverados (GMT800) in 1999, right?)

The K1500 uses P/N 26100345.

The K2500 uses either a P/N 26100345 or a P/N 26100335. The determining factor is the GVWR. RPO code C6P, which is 8600 lb. GVWR, uses the 26100335. RPO code C5Z, which is 7200 lb. GVWR, uses the 26100345.

You must be registered for see images attach

The K3500 uses the 26100335.

If you look on here, you can see all the parts that differ between the two steering gear boxes. For example, they have a different “rack kit” in each one. Many other parts differ as well. So, yes, I don’t doubt they would each bolt up to the frame, but the performance will differ. I cannot in good faith sell my 3/4-ton steering gear box to someone who has a 1/2-ton unless they state they are looking for a 3/4-ton steering gear box.

Upon a quick review, these are the parts that I observe as being different:

# seal kit, steering gear Pitman shaft
# valve kit, steering gear
# bearing kit, steering gear stub shaft
# plug, steering gear housing
# seal kit, steering gear end plug
# rack kit, steering gear

The valve kit and rack kit almost certainly create a performance difference somehow.

 

[A97obs]

Yeah. Its not like I plan on getting another truck any time soon, so I am happy to invest. I was rather crunched for time on this, and unfortunately I missed my deadline.

Go redhead even if you don’t get your core refund .. it’s our best bet offered out there for these trucks … and the 96 ps pump swap you won’t regret
The evo is junk !

Good luck on your build

 

[fancyTBI]

Do not use a company that has a track record of not giving the core refund. Stop giving money to these places. I’ve seen more good than bad out of red head. Borgeson would be my choice or Turn One. Edelman is manufactured in Dixon, IL I think. Local to me.

 

[xXxPARAGONxXx]

A lot of people damage their stock gear box during removal, and when they send it in, they expect to get their full core refund. If you damage something on your gear box, the company has to replace it, including the Pitman arm shaft when you're trying to remove the Pitman arm. They can't keep re-use that same damaged part and pawn it off on a future customer. The future customer does not deserve that.

 

[A97obs]

Do not use a company that has a track record of not giving the core refund. Stop giving money to these places. I’ve seen more good than bad out of red head. Borgeson would be my choice or Turn One. Edelman is manufactured in Dixon, IL I think. Local to me.

I only said that because they have offered many a solid working box In terms of being hassle free working like they should… outside of the core refund issue .. which i agree is not cool..

Borgeson isn’t always mentioned much on Here as much like you’d think they would be..so I mean I suppose yes borgeson is as good.

I may consider them even … haven’t decided cause I am def not a huge fan of Lier scams if that whole core thing is a push over

 

[A97obs]

A lot of people damage their stock gear box during removal, and when they send it in, they expect to get their full core refund. If you damage something on your gear box, the company has to replace it, including the Pitman arm shaft when you're trying to remove the Pitman arm. They can't keep re-use that same damaged part and pawn it off on a future customer. The future customer does not deserve that.

But how much of that is Say so” or believable .. I mean we don’t know what they see. Any company can use anything as a say so situation to avoid having to pay out core costs.
As a consumer you gotta just say ok I agree or fight about it.
Same goes for trans repair business .. we just never know what we’re getting unless the customer can identify hard parts replacement that were (said) to be needed and replaced … and even then they’d have to tear down theor own tranny to see if everything that was said replaced was actually replaced. We don’t live in a world of benefit of the doubt anymore.. sadly

 

[xXxPARAGONxXx]

But how much of that is Say so” or believable .. I mean we don’t know what they see. Any company can use anything as a say so situation to avoid having to pay out core costs.
As a consumer you gotta just say ok I agree or fight about it.

Understood. And I agree. No way for any of us to know who is in the right.

 

[evilunclegrimace]

Interesting.

Edit: So, I went to GMPartsGiant and plugged in 1998 Chevrolet K1500, 1998 Chevrolet K2500, and 1998 Chevrolet K3500. (I used 1998 since GM produced 1/2-ton Silverados (GMT800) in 1999, right?)

The K1500 uses P/N 26100345.

The K2500 uses either a P/N 26100345 or a P/N 26100335. The determining factor is the GVWR. RPO code C6P, which is 8600 lb. GVWR, uses the 26100335. RPO code C5Z, which is 7200 lb. GVWR, uses the 26100345.

You must be registered for see images attach

The K3500 uses the 26100335.

If you look on here, you can see all the parts that differ between the two steering gear boxes. For example, they have a different “rack kit” in each one. Many other parts differ as well. So, yes, I don’t doubt they would each bolt up to the frame, but the performance will differ. I cannot in good faith sell my 3/4-ton steering gear box to someone who has a 1/2-ton unless they state they are looking for a 3/4-ton steering gear box.

Upon a quick review, these are the parts that I observe as being different:

[ul]
[li]seal kit, steering gear Pitman shaft[/li]
[li]valve kit, steering gear[/li]
[li]bearing kit, steering gear stub shaft[/li]
[li]plug, steering gear housing[/li]
[li]seal kit, steering gear end plug[/li]
[li]rack kit, steering gear[/li]
[/ul]

The valve kit and rack kit almost certainly create a performance difference somehow.

I have already gone through ALL of the part numbers and Yes, there are different numbers for different trucks,BUT like I said they will all bolt up and work on the K series.
Take my '98 suburban K 1500, there are 2 different part numbers for the same application based on the steering gear case number. The '98 K 2500 suburban also uses the same P/N as the K1500 based again on the steering gear case number. The '98 K3500 pickup again uses the same part number as the other two trucks.
There are multiple parts numbers for these trucks from 1988 to 1998 from K 1500 to K 3500. They all fit, the part number differences are most likely due to different manufacturers suppling GM with steering gears at different plants.