Request Recommendations on steering boxes
05-26-2008, 03:43 PM
#1
Racer
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Location: Dallas County Texas
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Request Recommendations on steering boxes
Greetings!
So, the entire drivetrain is now new, and I'm (patiently) waiting for the rebuilt diff temps to drop more in these first few hundred miles and all the minor leaks (only some tranny, a wee little bit of Gear Vendors and a really small amount of engine oil now!) to magically find and fix themselves and now attention turns to the atrocious steering play.
BTW - it is fanTAStic! to have coolant temps stay in the under 200 zone and tranny temps in the 170 zone...FINALLY! The third tranny cooler, all in front of the Dewitt's, Edelbrock WP, largest restrictor plate, center fill water neck, 23# coolant system, solid roller cam setup with oil restrictors finally did the trick, even at 95 degrees, even with or without the 16", 9" and 8" fan combo on or off, and without any additional air induction mods I had played with over the years. Now to plumb the oil cooler, consider a diff cooler depending on break in temp finals and consider finally getting Canton's Oil Accumulator system to compliment their armored pan....which I armored some more....
But first and most critical is the steering play....
I mean this silly thing has at least 15 and maybe as much as 25 degrees play in the center between engagement zones and I've had enough.
I replaced the steering box <3.000 miles ago with a rebuilt from one of the big suppliers - CC, Ecklers, MidAmerica, Corvette America, Volvette or Rik's - but like too many rebuilds, it wasn't that great. The whole front suspension is VBP's xverse spring thing with no defective parts, nor are any tie rod, ball joints, wheel bearings, etc. out. The column is a newly acquired one from a '77+ with no slop from a great guy down in Austin a few years back and the rag joint has been replaced with one of those solid steel things from, I think, Flaming River.
I even have a new steering stabilizer on there, which helped.
This leaves the already once replaced box. I do not want to do this a third time anytime soon - the monster has too many other annoyances that want every bit of available cash.
BTW, I converted from the leaky hopeless power steering to manual only long ago, although the current box is a "could be power" unit. (The rest of the steering arm is all correct manual now - from the same nice guy in Austin a couple of years ago.)
My trusted vette shop says they have a great rebuilder who charges a premium price approaching $500 using all new parts who sup'ys a perfect factory box with no play. AGR offers several at Summit or Jegs for $330-360 and Flaming River does the same for $450. While I'd sooner spend about half that, whatever I do, I'd really like some certainty this system is finally put to bed and gives me the handling I except from a broke down Chevy van at least. It's really a bit annoying you pick a nice curve and get the G-Tach to show 1.17 for 5 secs, but before you got into the curve you were having to jerk the wheel 4-5" to get to where you had some control.
BTW, until I convert to the real engine that started this project, I am not interested in a Steeroids conversion as they are specific to SBC/BBC and I don't want to shell out $1250+ twice.
All input on options, experiences, price ranges is greatly appreciated - even if it's "Susan's Kustom Vettz sent me a rebuild from somewhere in China for $5 and it was perfect, even if it said "FORD" on it and used metric threads everywhere..."
TIA
So, the entire drivetrain is now new, and I'm (patiently) waiting for the rebuilt diff temps to drop more in these first few hundred miles and all the minor leaks (only some tranny, a wee little bit of Gear Vendors and a really small amount of engine oil now!) to magically find and fix themselves and now attention turns to the atrocious steering play.
BTW - it is fanTAStic! to have coolant temps stay in the under 200 zone and tranny temps in the 170 zone...FINALLY! The third tranny cooler, all in front of the Dewitt's, Edelbrock WP, largest restrictor plate, center fill water neck, 23# coolant system, solid roller cam setup with oil restrictors finally did the trick, even at 95 degrees, even with or without the 16", 9" and 8" fan combo on or off, and without any additional air induction mods I had played with over the years. Now to plumb the oil cooler, consider a diff cooler depending on break in temp finals and consider finally getting Canton's Oil Accumulator system to compliment their armored pan....which I armored some more....
But first and most critical is the steering play....
I mean this silly thing has at least 15 and maybe as much as 25 degrees play in the center between engagement zones and I've had enough.
I replaced the steering box <3.000 miles ago with a rebuilt from one of the big suppliers - CC, Ecklers, MidAmerica, Corvette America, Volvette or Rik's - but like too many rebuilds, it wasn't that great. The whole front suspension is VBP's xverse spring thing with no defective parts, nor are any tie rod, ball joints, wheel bearings, etc. out. The column is a newly acquired one from a '77+ with no slop from a great guy down in Austin a few years back and the rag joint has been replaced with one of those solid steel things from, I think, Flaming River.
I even have a new steering stabilizer on there, which helped.
This leaves the already once replaced box. I do not want to do this a third time anytime soon - the monster has too many other annoyances that want every bit of available cash.
BTW, I converted from the leaky hopeless power steering to manual only long ago, although the current box is a "could be power" unit. (The rest of the steering arm is all correct manual now - from the same nice guy in Austin a couple of years ago.)
My trusted vette shop says they have a great rebuilder who charges a premium price approaching $500 using all new parts who sup'ys a perfect factory box with no play. AGR offers several at Summit or Jegs for $330-360 and Flaming River does the same for $450. While I'd sooner spend about half that, whatever I do, I'd really like some certainty this system is finally put to bed and gives me the handling I except from a broke down Chevy van at least. It's really a bit annoying you pick a nice curve and get the G-Tach to show 1.17 for 5 secs, but before you got into the curve you were having to jerk the wheel 4-5" to get to where you had some control.
BTW, until I convert to the real engine that started this project, I am not interested in a Steeroids conversion as they are specific to SBC/BBC and I don't want to shell out $1250+ twice.
All input on options, experiences, price ranges is greatly appreciated - even if it's "Susan's Kustom Vettz sent me a rebuild from somewhere in China for $5 and it was perfect, even if it said "FORD" on it and used metric threads everywhere..."
TIA
Think Tracdogg is close by.
05-26-2008, 04:13 PM
#3
Team Owner
they will put you through some tests and checkouts first, they got a hit list of stuff for you to cover.....
05-26-2008, 05:25 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
I first went through the annoyance of installing rebuilt boxes from corvette vendors that were worse than my original. Having Gary rebuild mine was one of the best investments I made in my car...its now fun to drive again.
05-26-2008, 06:51 PM
#6
Tech Contributor
Remove the box and put it in a bench vise. Check the feel from lock to lock. There should be a noticiable increase in drag on center but you have to be careful not to over adjust it or the gears will be wrecked.
To correctly rebuild these boxes it takes more then using a common master kit.
Paul, how did you make out with the posi?
To correctly rebuild these boxes it takes more then using a common master kit.
Paul, how did you make out with the posi?
05-26-2008, 09:59 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
Remove the box and put it in a bench vise. Check the feel from lock to lock. There should be a noticiable increase in drag on center but you have to be careful not to over adjust it or the gears will be wrecked.
To correctly rebuild these boxes it takes more then using a common master kit.
Paul, how did you make out with the posi?
To correctly rebuild these boxes it takes more then using a common master kit.
Paul, how did you make out with the posi?
05-28-2008, 11:29 PM
#8
Racer
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Member Since: Dec 2001
Location: Dallas County Texas
Posts: 328
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Thanks for the replies!
Sorry I was tied up on OT and working on the puppy and didn't get back until now. I checked something like the way GTR1999 mentioned when I got the new one about two years ago, IIRC. I was surprised at how much play it had - on the input shaft. I know it was still doing that when I replaced the rag joint with the SS Ujoint thing from Flaming River. I hoped, for some stupid reason, it was the steering damper, which I had not been able to find a new one of when I initially switched to manual steering.
I live very close to Tracdogg and will get in contact with him shortly.
Thanks again!
Oh, BTW, the diff temps did, finally, drop a lot. I saw gauge max of 375 once and frequently saw near 300. I'm somewhere around 500 miles now (the GearVendors steals the speedo signal, so no odometer yet - have to come up with a signal splitter and amplifier sometime.)
The diff temps were always speed dependent and would quickly climb to 280ish at any sustained 85+. In just the last few trips, it's been a lot lower and one of my first chances to get to 150 or so - averaging 130+ for a mile or two - and I never saw past 230. So Tom's Diff and my local tranny guy were right about breaking-in being a lot hotter. I still am adding a diff cooler and have narrowed down electric pump choices to one from Tilton and a smaller specialty place called something like R&B Racing, who offer a bronze gear one instead of a diaphram design. I think I'll use one of the rail coolers mounted on the back of the crossmember somewhere with a little duct/boating fan aimed accross it.
I live very close to Tracdogg and will get in contact with him shortly.
Thanks again!
Oh, BTW, the diff temps did, finally, drop a lot. I saw gauge max of 375 once and frequently saw near 300. I'm somewhere around 500 miles now (the GearVendors steals the speedo signal, so no odometer yet - have to come up with a signal splitter and amplifier sometime.)
The diff temps were always speed dependent and would quickly climb to 280ish at any sustained 85+. In just the last few trips, it's been a lot lower and one of my first chances to get to 150 or so - averaging 130+ for a mile or two - and I never saw past 230. So Tom's Diff and my local tranny guy were right about breaking-in being a lot hotter. I still am adding a diff cooler and have narrowed down electric pump choices to one from Tilton and a smaller specialty place called something like R&B Racing, who offer a bronze gear one instead of a diaphram design. I think I'll use one of the rail coolers mounted on the back of the crossmember somewhere with a little duct/boating fan aimed accross it.