napa steering boxes

G

gene

New member
Sep 29, 1999
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We need to revisit this. I think I now have heard of 3 people who have had
to replace their new NAPA steering boxes because they were too loose and
too quick........ If this is so, we need to correct the record.

what say any one ???

gene

Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
Lanier,

Believe me, I feel your pain. I overnighted a steering box to Tom Hole in
the attempt to get hem mobile but with the thousands of boxex NAPA sells
monthly, I am sure they cannot assure you the box they give you will have
no burps. They do they best but this is an imperfect world and after
working with GMC motorhomes for 8 years, I've found nothing is foolproof!

Put the box on and test it out around town until you feel comfortable. The
out of the box failures were evedent with me in the first 1000 miles or so.

NAPA is a good parts source & I feel comfortable with their quality.

Jim Bounds
- ------------------------------------------

>In a message dated 10/15/99 1:16:59 PM Central Daylight Time,

>
> to replace their new NAPA steering boxes because they were too loose and
> too quick........ If this is so, we need to correct the record.
>
> what say any one ??? >>
>
>I say we need to know - NAPA called me again today threatening to send mine
>back if I didn't pick it up - told them I didn't want it unless I could be
>assured I wouldn't need to exercize my lifetime warranty 1500 miles from
home
>on the side of the road.
>Sure would like to have it, but...............
>Lanier
>
>
 
I get the feeling it is not so much a quality problem, but the wrong stuff
is inside the steering box/ ie wrong box ...... is this possible??

gene

>Lanier,
>
>Believe me, I feel your pain. I overnighted a steering box to Tom Hole in
>the attempt to get hem mobile but with the thousands of boxex NAPA sells
>monthly, I am sure they cannot assure you the box they give you will have
>no burps. They do they best but this is an imperfect world and after
>working with GMC motorhomes for 8 years, I've found nothing is foolproof!
>
>Put the box on and test it out around town until you feel comfortable. The
>out of the box failures were evedent with me in the first 1000 miles or so.
>
>NAPA is a good parts source & I feel comfortable with their quality.
>
>Jim Bounds
>------------------------------------------

>>In a message dated 10/15/99 1:16:59 PM Central Daylight Time,

>>
>>> to replace their new NAPA steering boxes because they were too loose and
>> too quick........ If this is so, we need to correct the record.
>>
>> what say any one ??? >>
>>
>>I say we need to know - NAPA called me again today threatening to send mine
>>back if I didn't pick it up - told them I didn't want it unless I could be
>>assured I wouldn't need to exercize my lifetime warranty 1500 miles from
>home
>>on the side of the road.
>>Sure would like to have it, but...............
>>Lanier
>>
>>
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
At Forest City, I believe that Chuck Stoddard said rebuilders tear down
their cores and place all the parts in piles. Then when they do the
rebuild, they take the best looking pieces.

So I guess you takes your chances.

Paul Bartz

From: gene
Sent: 10/16/99 10:16 AM

I get the feeling it is not so much a quality problem, but the wrong
stuff
is inside the steering box/ ie wrong box ...... is this possible??

gene

>Lanier,
>
>Believe me, I feel your pain. I overnighted a steering box to Tom Hole
in
>the attempt to get hem mobile but with the thousands of boxex NAPA
sells
>monthly, I am sure they cannot assure you the box they give you will
have
>no burps. They do they best but this is an imperfect world and after
>working with GMC motorhomes for 8 years, I've found nothing is
foolproof!
>
>Put the box on and test it out around town until you feel comfortable.
The
>out of the box failures were evedent with me in the first 1000 miles or
so.
>
>NAPA is a good parts source & I feel comfortable with their quality.
>
>Jim Bounds
>------------------------------------------

>>In a message dated 10/15/99 1:16:59 PM Central Daylight Time,

>>
>>> to replace their new NAPA steering boxes because they were too loose
and
>> too quick........ If this is so, we need to correct the record.
>>
>> what say any one ??? >>
>>
>>I say we need to know - NAPA called me again today threatening to send
mine
>>back if I didn't pick it up - told them I didn't want it unless I
could be
>>assured I wouldn't need to exercize my lifetime warranty 1500 miles
from
>home
>>on the side of the road.
>>Sure would like to have it, but...............
>>Lanier
>>
>>
>
Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
mr.erf
http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
Has anyone yet done any investigating of other steering box applications? I,
like Roger Black, still do not have my own GMC to look at, but have worked
on one heckuva lot of GM products over the years, and it is my observation
that with mighty few exceptions GM used the same steering gear design on
just about everything they made in that era. The exceptions that I can think
of are Corvette and Vega. Otherwise, I think you'll find that they are
similar.

The differences will be in the gear ratios and in the flex of the internal
torsion bar; this determines how much assist and thus how much "feel" you
get.

The GMC motorhome is probably one of the most severe applications for this
box due to its weight and front wheel drive. I can therefore understand how
a steering gear might wear out in this use. But in the relatively light use
of, say, a Chevelle, I've never seen one with any apparent wear.

Personally, I would rather have a known good used unit built by GM than a
"rebuilt" done by who-knows-who.

I would like to see someone look into this. We used to like to retrofit 70
Chevelles when I was foolin' with them (you listening, Steve?) with the box
from the WS6 TransAm because it had a quicker ratio and a stiffer torsion
bar for better "feel"

I'm not advocating the WS6 gearbox for a GMC, though it might not be bad at
all. What I'm thinking is that the gearbox from, say, a half-ton pickup
wrecked with 30,000 miles on it is literally as good as new and might be an
excellent choice to replace a worn box on your GMC. And they are
cheap---most of them wind up going to the crusher since there is hardly any
demand for them. No harder than they are to change, why doesn't someone who
is needing to replace his gearbox try it?

Travis in Lubbock, Texas
 
>wrong stuff in gear box/ie wrong box

Does anybody know this for sure? Sure would like to hear more good/bad on
these boxes!!!! Seems like there's alot of them out there on our coaches?
Only heard a few that had problems but recent thats not good? Would like to
get mine switched out, was leaning to NAPA but..................kinda gave
the sad story :-)> about the new and improved models and all the goodies for
more driving ease/comfort of the Caspro setup(does it work as stated if all
three installed??) to the BOSS and she said go for it. So I'm thinking hard
help!!!!!!!!!!! Tired of seeing oil spots on my rocks from gearbox.

Ron&Gina
73 Pumpkin-Rose
Ft. Mohave, AZ,

- ----- Original Message -----
From: gene
To:
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 1999 7:16 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: napa steering boxes

>
> I get the feeling it is not so much a quality problem, but the wrong stuff
> is inside the steering box/ ie wrong box ...... is this possible??
>
> gene
>
>

> >Lanier,
> >
> >Believe me, I feel your pain. I overnighted a steering box to Tom Hole
in
> >the attempt to get hem mobile but with the thousands of boxex NAPA sells
> >monthly, I am sure they cannot assure you the box they give you will have
> >no burps. They do they best but this is an imperfect world and after
> >working with GMC motorhomes for 8 years, I've found nothing is foolproof!
> >
> >Put the box on and test it out around town until you feel comfortable.
The
> >out of the box failures were evedent with me in the first 1000 miles or
so.
> >
> >NAPA is a good parts source & I feel comfortable with their quality.
> >
> >Jim Bounds
> >------------------------------------------

> >>In a message dated 10/15/99 1:16:59 PM Central Daylight Time,

> >>
> >> >> to replace their new NAPA steering boxes because they were too loose
and
> >> too quick........ If this is so, we need to correct the record.
> >>
> >> what say any one ??? >>
> >>
> >>I say we need to know - NAPA called me again today threatening to send
mine
> >>back if I didn't pick it up - told them I didn't want it unless I could
be
> >>assured I wouldn't need to exercize my lifetime warranty 1500 miles from
> >home
> >>on the side of the road.
> >>Sure would like to have it, but...............
> >>Lanier
> >>
> >>
> >
> Genef -- 77PB/ore/ca
> GMC MOTORHOME INFORMATION
> mr.erf
> http://www.california.com/~eagle/
 
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