hanggiloren Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Lost a steering gear box seal on my 2002 Monaco Executive. Removed the Sheppard box and took it to my local Weller distributor. They used the ID on the housing to obtain a like box. I installed as indicated after aligning the pitman arm on the output shaft. However, my steering lock to lock is much different and it is no longer possible to make normal turns. Left turns are not good and right turns are really poor. Did I get an incorrect Sheppard steering box or what? Weller has my old box and we may need to send it back east for a rebuild. Before we do that I thought I would ask here for advice. Weller said to ask you for if the TRW steering box is a better idea? Will it mount correctly with a TRW Pitman arm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Got rid of my loose Sheppard Steering Box years ago and replaced it with a TRW Steering Box from Weller. A lot less slop in the steering wheel now. Josam's in Orlando did the swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidL Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 (edited) You shouldn't have lost both right and left...you should have lost only one. The box is reaching it's end of travel before hitting the wheel stops. If the new box has less internal travel than the original, then you could have lost both left and right. The box was installed without putting it into the straight ahead position (neutral - same number of turns left and right) if you lost only right OR left. Steering Play has got nothing to do with the OP's current issue. It might have been the problem with the original box. Edited September 1, 2020 by DavidL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanggiloren Posted September 1, 2020 Author Share Posted September 1, 2020 I installed the new steering box with both the wheels straight ahead and steering wheel straight ahead. They were not moved from when I removed the old box. We also installed the Pitman arm as indicated on the output shaft. Same as old box. That was pretty easy. Are you suggesting that the new box should have had the input shaft centered with equal number of turns right and left? I can only turn left a little better than right. I installed the new one as received. Didn't move the input. Loren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanwill52 Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 On 9/1/2020 at 5:13 AM, hanggiloren said: Lost a steering gear box seal on my 2002 Monaco Executive. Removed the Sheppard box and took it to my local Weller distributor. They used the ID on the housing to obtain a like box. I installed as indicated after aligning the pitman arm on the output shaft. However, my steering lock to lock is much different and it is no longer possible to make normal turns. Left turns are not good and right turns are really poor. Did I get an incorrect Sheppard steering box or what? Weller has my old box and we may need to send it back east for a rebuild. Before we do that I thought I would ask here for advice. Weller said to ask you for if the TRW steering box is a better idea? Will it mount correctly with a TRW Pitman arm? The TRW box swap has been done hundreds of times, thanks to Craig French, who did the first swap. Changing to TRW has nothing to do with your L-R turning problem, but why not get the much superior TRW box while changing boxes? You will always have zero steering gear lost motion. That is all but impossible with the Sheppard box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throgmartin Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Van is correct. I wouldn't waste my money on having a Shepherd rebuilt. Swap it out for a TRW steering gear and pitman arm. Van and Craig did my Shepherd change out and I am glad I had it done. I have read too many stories of owners having shepherds rebuilt only to have the play come back in a short period of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siwally76 Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Hello guys, we bought our Monaco Knight about 6 months ago and after driving in windy conditiona I was so sad and frustrated because I thought this rig was going to be like a smooth Cadi ride but is all the opposite. So hard to keep straight so started doing some reading online I been finding out about all the possible causes so at this point I am like wtf but anyways...just got the data card from Monaco today and found out my unit does have the Sheppard gear box and very possible thats why all the free play on my stering wheel. I definetly want to do the swap and was wondering if anyone has info on where or who may do this near Southern California? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr4Film Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 I would go to Rite-Way Axle & Suspension on San Fernando Rd in San Fernando Valley. When in CA I had them do all of my chassis work. Rite Way Axle & Suspension - Google Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hodgeus Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 Rite-Way no longer works on motorhomes, commercial accounts only. Richard - Kelley retired in January. Sonny H 03 HR Endeavor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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