When looking up under the front underside of my car I noticed the Steering Box on my 1968 VW Pan - 2001 JPS leaking oil. I have included a picture below. When this happens is the the best remedy to replace the steering box? Looks like a $100 part. Any thoughts from experience? Thanks Bill
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Well, you could re-fill it, but it's just going to continue to leak. Looks like good old JPS just used the box that came on the donor pan for that car.
The remedy is to rebuild or replace it. "Looks like a $100 part" actually sounds a little low, so I suspect the one you looked at to be an Asian one. Used German ones go for over $200 usually, but Bug City has a new TRW for $165 that looks decent, part number 113415061C for a 62-77 sedan. They don't have any rebuilt boxes right now.
https://www.bugcity.com/shop/s...13ae82D18FsUD22DC0C0
Gordon,
Thanks for the advice. Gut feeling was it would continue to leak with a refill. Thanks for the info on the TRW Box from Bug City. I suspect this will take a couple of hours in cramped quarters to replace. Any tips to make the process less painful? Thanks Again,
Bill
When I rebuilt my front beam in 2009 I wasn't sure what to do with the steering box, which was the stock OEM unit, that came with the 1971 pan.
The father of the fellow building my new engine for me, who ran his own VW repair shop for 40 something years, recommended I have the old steering box refurbished, since the OEM boxes were FAR superior to the newer units.
If your steering box is an OEM unit it might be worth your while to have someone look at it.....if you can find someone. You might just need a new seal installed.
New steering boxes, no matter who makes them, can't hold a candle to the old OEM units. I'm surprised that someone hasn't come up with a rack & pinion kit for our cars. I know that a number of guys have modified VW Golf/Polo rack & pinion boxes to fit on their Beetle beams, but I don't think anyone ever offered a kit (not including Coolrydes' front suspension).
If the seal is leaking the box is older and best to replace it. At first glance you'll wonder how you'll get the box off of the beam and lower it out............patience ~ IMHO...TRW is a decent box, the position of the U clamp that holds the box to the beam is, important ! There are two notches ...one L & one R side of the U clamp be sure that you replace it the same way you removed it indexes the correct column angle One notch position is for Beetle and the other is for Ghia column position. If may take a bit to align the Pitman' arm back onto the replacement box but a bit of patience will get it back on.
Wow, Doc great intel. I am sure I will use every but of your advise. I will probably go with a TRW box, but I want to talk to Wolfgang International and see if they can rebuild my steering box. I am curious what they tout as their advantages over the TRW box. Again, Thanks for thee advice. I am definitely getting to know my speedster. I could do it with out the brotherhood on this site!
Bill
Yeah, I think you're right.
When you replace it, and if at all possible, I would strongly urge you to find a more frame-like place to attach your battery ground wire to. You're relying on an electrical connection between three painted surfaces (steering box to beam to frame). It would be better to bolt the end of the ground wire directly to the frame head or to the horizontal panel that's below the master cylinder and welded to the pan. Just drill a hole, sand off around it, bolt the ground wire to it and then shoot it with paint or undercoat to protect it. Time well spent.
Thanks Gordon,
I thought that looked odd. I will move the ground as you suggested. A direct connection to the frame makes sense.
Bill
The "adjustment" screw on your box looks to be in a most desirable position.....(plenty of thread showing)..... I would relace the seal on this box (or have ir done) as it would seem to be way cheaper than a new box...... I can't remember if you have to disassemble the box for this.....
Interesting bit of trivia: way back in the mid 70s I had the steering box on my 1970 Beetle go. A new OEM box was something like $275.
According to About.com the value of $1 in 2014 currency would have been worth $5.92 in 1970. Using that comparison that OEM steering box, if it was still in production, would cost over $1600 if bought today. 
That's Porsche money. 
I don't think the new boxes come even close to the quality of the old OEM boxes. I'd take a refurbished OEM box over a new Chinese made steering box ANY day.
