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1972 Steering Box
#1
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Hi all,

My steering box has been quite sloppy since I purchased our coach in 2013 but it didn't make it to the top of the priority list of repairs until it started leaking this fall.  I pulled the box to have it rebuilt and found the following information.

The box was built by R H Sheppard and is a Model 39BL3

   

   

R H Sheppard is still in business

R H Sheppard has not had hard parts for this box for decades and cannot rebuild the box.  BEWARE if anyone tells you the box can be rebuilt as R H Sheppard has heard many times of supposed rebuilds consisting only of the seals being replaced and a new coat of paint while being charged over $1000.00

Newell contracted Sheppard in the late 1990's to manufacture a direct replacement box for the Model 39

The replacement box is 392SKB4R

These are still available in rebuilt condition from Sheppard ($1180.65 plus shipping)

This information was provided to me by:
Kimberly Runk
Reman Division Coordinator
R.H. Sheppard Co., Inc.
400 Pine Street
Hanover  PA  17331
PH:  717.633.4107
FAX:  717.633.4127
[email protected]

Hopefully this will help the 3 people left in the world sick enough to spend this kind of money keeping their 70's Newell's running down the road.

The replacement box should show up next week, if there are any problems with operation or fitment I'll update this post.

Bob Kopicki
1972 Newell Chauffeur
1964 Land Rover 88 Series IIa TOAD
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#2
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Well,

The direct replacement is not a direct replacement.  The steering column shaft on the model 39 is keyed and the new box has splines and is smaller.

   

   

I have a note into Kim at Sheppard and waiting for their solution.

Bob Kopicki
1972 Newell Chauffeur
1964 Land Rover 88 Series IIa TOAD
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#3

VIP steering wheels
May make
An adapter

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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#4

Thank you Richard for the suggestion, I may have to take that route.

Sheppard was no help curtly stating that they only supply steering gears and pittman arms, so if anyone has a vintage Newell with a Model 39 steering gear that needs replaced they can count on replacing the gear box, the pittman arm and (at least) the knuckle on the steering column. Sheppard will supply the box and the arm but you'll have to source the knuckle from someone else.

We have a large truck salvage yard here called Adelmans and I'm going to take a look in their yard next week. Perhaps I'll swap out the entire steering column since I don't have the correct steering wheel anyway. If that doesn't work VIP steering wheels will be my next stop.

Bob Kopicki
1972 Newell Chauffeur
1964 Land Rover 88 Series IIa TOAD
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#5

Bob, on my 1973 I replaced the steering column and wheel with a tilting one out of an Acura. My main goal was to get a lot of the controls relocated from the dash to the steering wheel. I didn't feel comfortable dealing with 2 wiper controls on the dash, especially driving in a mist. The end result was having intermittent wipers both controlled on the steering wheel like a modern car. Also did the headlights, turn signals, dimmer (my dimmer was the old style button on the floor) and cruise control. You'll need to rewire so that the steering wheel controls are only used to activate relays, that's the way they were designed from the Acura factory. I had to pickup a boatload of relays, but that was also a good thing, especially with the headlights.

Jon & Chris Everton
1986 40' Dog House #86
450 hp ISM 5 spd ZF Ecomat 2
2004 Range Rover L322 Toad
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#6
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Update for those that are interested.

I probably did not need to replace the steering column but I did.  The steering wheel splines on my original column were somewhat mangled, I'm guessing from the non-original Ford steering wheel.  The turn signals did not auto-reset when turning, the horn button did not work, the hazard lights were intermittent and there was some type of green light that wasn't connected to anything.  That said there was a beautiful 1977 fire engine in the Adelmans junk yard screaming to have it's steering column repurposed.

   

   

I still had to get a new lower knuckle to attach the column to the steering gear but that and a u-joint later I now have a steering column with pristine splines, perfect turn signals, a working hazard light switch and a horn button that works.  I've gotten everything rewired except for the horns since only the air horns have worked since I purchased the coach.  I rewired the electric horns but I need a new relay so hopefully I'll get that done in the next week or two.  In addition, I just purchased another cruise control and will be installing that in the near future as well.  I'll send some pictures of the finished product once I get it cleaned up.

In the mean time I cannot believe how tight the steering is!  It's like a whole new coach!!!  There is NO play in the steering at all.  Before there was at least a quarter turn of play in the wheel and the steering pump would squeal if I turned the wheel too fast.  Now quiet as ever and tight as a drum.  I packed the front bearings and adjusted the brakes while I had it in the shop and she's driving like a new coach.

First trip will be in March so I've got to get working on the rest of that wiring.

Bob Kopicki
1972 Newell Chauffeur
1964 Land Rover 88 Series IIa TOAD
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#7

LOVE IT!

Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home Cool )
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#8

and i love that fire truck. did you buy it to restore too?

tom

2002 45'8" Newell Coach 608  Series 60 DDEC4/Allison World 6 Speed HD4000MH

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#9

That fire truck is such a nice truck, I have no idea why it's in a junk yard. There's no rust and not even a tear in the seat!

I do think it's really cool to have the steering column and wheel from a fire truck.

Bob Kopicki
1972 Newell Chauffeur
1964 Land Rover 88 Series IIa TOAD
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#10

(02-08-2017, 07:24 PM)bobandpeni Wrote:  I do think it's really cool to have the steering column and wheel from a fire truck.
Indeed it is !

Be careful that you don't develop a craving to paint your coach RED !
(not that there is anything wrong with that - aside from the cost . . . .)

1987 classic #159
8V92 MUI , Allison 740
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