How does this happen?

[Tice]

Sun. I was heading out to go run a local trail, on the way there I turned left and my steering locked up!! I was only going about 10 miles an hour, A slight jerk of the wheel freed it up but then it locked again as I started going straight. I got it to the side of the road and we were looking at it trying to figure out what was up with it.  Then I tried to turn the wheel and a lot of popping noises started then nothing, the steering wheel would just spin. Well today I finally pulled the box and all of the ball bearrings came out!!! I've only taken the box apart once and never took the piston stuff apart. Don't know how they could of come out. Anyone have any ideas? Here are a few pics. one is of the "worm" shaft and one of the inside of the piston. it tore up some stuff but the housing is still good. Now I have two housings with bad internals!!

[Gittinit]

Been there done that! When I did the hydro assist mod for my first box I must have been sleeping , couse I put the piston in 180* out then whn I reinstalled the sector shaft the gear came in contact with the tube the balls go through. Needless to say there was some damage and the balls bound up and spit out into the housing. So I was back to square one and I had to start over again with a new box.

My box did exactly the same, hanging one direction then the other, for a secon I thought all was good. Just as I got in a tight section trying to make a turn around a tree, there was no more steering. I could spin the wheel all day long in either direction. After diassembeling the box The carnage was unbeliveable. Some of the balls were imbedded into the piston and the o ring and nylon seal serfaces were trashed, along with some of the balls getting smashed to bits.

Time to source a new box!

[Tice]

I found another box, might try and pick it this weekend. It's 3 hours from my house but the price is worth it.

[Wermz84]

damn,  good thing you weren't going down the highway ad 60.

[Tice]

No , that woulda sucked big time!!!!

[DTB]

I did the same thing gittint did....damaged the thin tube that the balls recirculate from top to bottom...... If you have a newer style box you cannot reuse the box...If you have an older style box you can order just that little tube (from toyota) and salvage the box.  The tube almost looks like it is interchangable between newer and older style box but it is NOT.....hope this helps someone else out..

[Tice]

I actually have an old and new box, both of which are no good any more, the one I am picking up tommorow is old style. I was thinking I may just throw the gut into my box since it's tapped already!!