Definately something I want to do!
Finished the jeep box
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Finished the jeep box
Last night I finished the Jeep box. I had to pull the steering wheel and wire brush the splines. All paint must be removed so the 48 spline x 1 inch flaming river universal would slide on.
Notice the nice alignment, the compact joint.
[IMG]
The unit fits very well and I find when I reach through the window and rock the steering wheel the front discs also move instantly.
I have installed the Coleman adapters so any lines should bolt right up
The control valve is split in two and the ball valve is locked in place and the actual control part of the valve is discarded. All lines under the car are gone.
It makes for a very neat undercarriage. Nothing hanging low.
Special Thank you to Jim Oneal/Pro South who put me on to the idea of the Jeep box and later provided me with a good unit.
Thanks Jim
Notice the nice alignment, the compact joint.
[IMG]The unit fits very well and I find when I reach through the window and rock the steering wheel the front discs also move instantly.
I have installed the Coleman adapters so any lines should bolt right up
The control valve is split in two and the ball valve is locked in place and the actual control part of the valve is discarded. All lines under the car are gone.
It makes for a very neat undercarriage. Nothing hanging low.
Special Thank you to Jim Oneal/Pro South who put me on to the idea of the Jeep box and later provided me with a good unit.
Thanks Jim
Last edited by norvalwilhelm; Nov 16, 2005 at 09:40 AM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Pacha
Good work!!!
Some questions:
Did you have to collapse (sp!) the column?
Is that the box that sells Corvette steering?
Thanks
Pacha
Some questions:
Did you have to collapse (sp!) the column?
Is that the box that sells Corvette steering?
Thanks
Pacha
NO I started with a stock Jeep box from a 2002 or 2003 jeep but the kits include everything required.
I prefer the jeep box to the steroids for it's neat installation and no lines running all over the place.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Looks nice and uncluttered. Is the ratio the same or better or worse than the Vette steering. Did you have to modify the Jeep box at all. I know you made a custom bracket and will have to do lines but what else is there.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Gordonm
Looks nice and uncluttered. Is the ratio the same or better or worse than the Vette steering. Did you have to modify the Jeep box at all. I know you made a custom bracket and will have to do lines but what else is there.
I can replace the box with any stock jeep box.
If a stock box is say 12 to 1 ratio. YOu turn the wheel, the box turns the pitman arm and then and only then does the control valve receive a signal to send fluid to the slave cylinder and turn the car.
Steering input must go through the box first.
With the Jeep box the slightest turn of the wheel immediately affects the valving. IN the jeep box the valving is right at the input of the box, not after the box.
The stock steering is a series of movement, the wheel , the teeth in the steering box, the pitman arm, the control valve , the power steering pump sending fluid to the slave cylinder and finally the slave cylinder turning the steering linkage.
Way too many middle men.
The jeep box is direct hooked to the control valve. It is the control vavle.
I rocked the steering wheel last night standing beside the car and the front wheel rocked back and forth matching the steering wheel.
I feel it is a more direct route.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Corvette Steering Service box is 12:1 ratio. I think the Jeep box is variable ratio and more turns lock to lock with softer effort (Vette Steering Service box has high effort spool valve also.) Anything is better than the 1950's Bendix design on our cars. Good job Norm how much $$$ did it run for "do it yourself" installation costs?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 958
Likes: 1
From: In the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley of VA
I'd like to see a shot of the installation with the headers back in place. I know that you cut the frame, which I assume allowed you to move the box away from the engine, but I'd still like to see the clearance at some point.
Steve
Steve
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Steve's74
I'd like to see a shot of the installation with the headers back in place. I know that you cut the frame, which I assume allowed you to move the box away from the engine, but I'd still like to see the clearance at some point.
Steve
Steve
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Solid LT1
Corvette Steering Service box is 12:1 ratio. I think the Jeep box is variable ratio and more turns lock to lock with softer effort (Vette Steering Service box has high effort spool valve also.) Anything is better than the 1950's Bendix design on our cars. Good job Norm how much $$$ did it run for "do it yourself" installation costs?
Last edited by norvalwilhelm; Nov 17, 2005 at 09:49 AM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Budman78
Well done. I bet you can't wait to test drive it.
It would be boring to put the car away in the fall and know I am bring it out just like ti went away.
There is always this hope, this looking forward to a much improved ride.
I am running out of things to do. I have been at it about 19 years.
Drifting
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 13
From: Holly MI
Norval,
You have a cage correct? How far towards the front of the car does the cage come? I ask because I see a lot of people talking about making this modification, but the single u-joint doesn't seem like it will handle the deflection caused by a stock frame twisting under load. You have also added numerous gussets and a strut bar. I think anyone considering mounting the box with a single u-joint should consider the total application. A person could run into some problems if their frame is twisting like a pretzel.
Just a thought.
Ken
You have a cage correct? How far towards the front of the car does the cage come? I ask because I see a lot of people talking about making this modification, but the single u-joint doesn't seem like it will handle the deflection caused by a stock frame twisting under load. You have also added numerous gussets and a strut bar. I think anyone considering mounting the box with a single u-joint should consider the total application. A person could run into some problems if their frame is twisting like a pretzel.
Just a thought.
Ken
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
The cage runs to about the back of the steering box. It is a 12 point and yes the frame is heavily reinforced. I even switched to solid motor mounts to help stabilize the frame. The motor mount on the drivers side had been totally plated over along with the solid mount to try and prevent difflection on the steering box area.
I also ran a 2 1/2 inch heavy walled pipe through the frame behind the steering box to tie the inside 3/8th mounting plate to the outside frame rail where I ran a 1/8th plate too to increase the rigidity of this area.
I like welding in gussets and making things stronger.
I also ran a 2 1/2 inch heavy walled pipe through the frame behind the steering box to tie the inside 3/8th mounting plate to the outside frame rail where I ran a 1/8th plate too to increase the rigidity of this area.
I like welding in gussets and making things stronger.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
Norval, do you ever sleep? I've been on this board about a month, and you make me tired. You take great pictures, describe your work really well, and you answer our many questions. You should write a book, "Norval's guide to Hi-performance Mods to the C3 Corvette" It would sell like hot cakes. I'd buy two, one for the garage to get greasy, and one for the library. Thanks for engineering, documenting, and photographing my future projects.
Bee Jay
Bee Jay
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Bee Jay
Norval, do you ever sleep? I've been on this board about a month, and you make me tired. You take great pictures, describe your work really well, and you answer our many questions. You should write a book, "Norval's guide to Hi-performance Mods to the C3 Corvette" It would sell like hot cakes. I'd buy two, one for the garage to get greasy, and one for the library. Thanks for engineering, documenting, and photographing my future projects.
Bee Jay
Bee Jay
I work about 2 hours a day 7 days a week on the car for relaxation. It is not work. It is play. It relaxes me. Makes me ok to live with.
I also spend at least 1 hour every night with my horse plus I shoe horses on the side to pay for the vet.
After work you have about 5 hours of free time. Why not make use of it. I also have a rule that at 9 oclock I sit down with the wife and spend some quiet time with her until bedtime at 10. Has worked for 40 years.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,961
Likes: 573
From: Lompoc, CA. Santa Barbara County
New Norvall book title, "Hi-Performance Mods for the C-3 Vette, How to Make your Marriage Work, and How to Mange Your Time". For a limited time, buy today, and get "How to Shoe Your Horse" thrown in for free.
Bee Jay
Bee Jay