I am considering replacing my 1969-1982 Corvette Steering Gear Box because of unwanted play in steering wheel. I have found several "re-manufactured" steering boxes on EBay for $190 -$240 with 5 year warranty. Please advise!

 

Are you 100% sure that the play is not in any of the steering linkages or the rag joint? And if that's all good, what is the cost difference between buying a "rebuilt" box from a vendor that you know nothing about, compared to one of the Corvette specific vendors that advertise here?

 

have yours rebuilt, there is a forum member that rebuilds them.

 

Send yours to Gary to be blueprinted, he has done several members steering boxes and his work is top notch. He's in Connecticut. Here's his email. gary.ramadei@radiall.com

 

If all the steering links, idler arm, and ragjoint are new or in very good condition AND the ball joints and A-arm bushings are good AND the steering column bearings are good....and you still have slop in the steering THEN you might want to repair/replace the steering box.

Until you do those things (or, at least, check them all out WELL), you don't know that the box has any significant slop in it.

Do your homework first, then pop for a new steering box.

P.S. It could just need a little adjustment, too.

 

also the idler arm.

 

You should be able to check the box by watching the pitman arm as you wiggle the steering wheel back and forth. Or you could imobilize the pitman arm and see how much the steering wheel moves.
If you have alot of play, you may be able to adjust it a bit--I know alot of people here don't agree with this, but if it's shot anyway, why not try it. Just a little, don't adjust too much.

 

I rebuilt mine using Gary's tutorial over at the other site. Rebuild kits are cheap. Once you take it apart you should get a pretty good idea whether to go ahead with the rebuild or junk it. I reused my original hard parts. My steering feels pretty darn tight, though it's only been around the block a few times.

 

Rebuilt 1939 Buick and 1939 Chevrolet boxes, and the Corvette's more or less the same, so no major drama to rebuild.

 

I got the Borgeson kit for my 80. Got it on Mudflaps.com for 600.00

Just finished the install. I havent been able to drive it yet as I am also checking bearings and replacing brake hoses.

TCT

 

He rebuilt mine and several other forum members.

 

Couldn't ask for better service !

Frank

 

If you don't know already, you'll be wanting to research and read the Jim Shea articles on corvette steering. I'd take the advice others have said about checking out the other components first as well. My steering tightened up noticeably after just replacing a badly worn rag joint on an otherwise 42 yr old system.

 

I rebuilt mine, but for all the work and the costs of the parts, I'd say just buy one from Ecklers or any of the suppliers and be done with it, unless you're like me and you just want to do it for the experience. I'm very mechanically inclined but by the time I was done, I would have been just as well off buying one already rebuilt. Of course, the next one I could do in much less time.

The boxes DO wear out. For one, it's not uncommon for the top seal to leak in water from washing the engine compartment and that will rust the top bearing and race. Also the lower bushing is just that -- a bushing and they wear a little too. I have a stack of vintage Corvette magazines (Corvette Fever and so on), and they did a big story on how to improve the Corvette for better handling and track work. It was written by Mr. Greenwood, the racer. Anyway, he indicated that the #1 thing any Corvette owner should do with a Corvette with over 20k miles to improve responsiveness is to start by removing the steering box and check it for play and adjust/rebuild it ..on the bench, not on the car.

What you might want to do is disconnect your pitman arm from the steering linkage, disconnect the steering column and rotate the rag joint (steering input shaft) by hand and see how the box feels. I was astonished that while mine seemed good at the steering wheel, by hand it was very obviously rough and loose. The top bearings were very corroded and the lower bushing worn. Truthfully, the Borgeson box makes a lot of sense too.

Well, good luck.