Removing old steering box, help!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Cary NC
Removing old steering box, help!
Hello,
I am trying to finish up the borgeson install and cannot for the life of me get the old box out. Socket hits the headers from behind and a wrench hits other things when I try to turn it
. Any tips?
Thanks
Michal
I am trying to finish up the borgeson install and cannot for the life of me get the old box out. Socket hits the headers from behind and a wrench hits other things when I try to turn it
. Any tips?Thanks
Michal
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Cary NC
Nope its a SB 350. I can get the wrench to fit but I cant turn it enough to get it to turn more than once. I have tried box end wrenches but not racket wrenches, what are racket wrenches?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 6
From: springfield ohio
You could also maybe use a ratchet and long extension with a swivel , and go between the
header tubing. Worst case you may have to remove the header, But I don't think you'll
have to do that.
Riggs.
header tubing. Worst case you may have to remove the header, But I don't think you'll
have to do that.
Riggs.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 6
From: springfield ohio
Ratchet Wrenches are,
http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...tcket+wrenches
Do you have an air ratchet, That might get it for you.
Riggs.
http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...tcket+wrenches
Do you have an air ratchet, That might get it for you.
Riggs.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 6
From: springfield ohio
You should be able to run an extension with a swivel through the header down
tubes and use the air ratchet on it. I just tore mine out a few weeks ago and
don't remember it being to bad to deal with. Maybe take a break for a while and go
back to it latter to get a different prospective on it. I hope you get
though, I would not remove the header like I suggested earlier
Riggs.
tubes and use the air ratchet on it. I just tore mine out a few weeks ago and
don't remember it being to bad to deal with. Maybe take a break for a while and go
back to it latter to get a different prospective on it. I hope you get
though, I would not remove the header like I suggested earlier
Riggs.
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or just some vices.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 20
From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
Angle grinder?
MB2006,
This might sound like Bubba speaking, but can you get in there with an angle grinder or a Dremel tool and cut the end of the bolt off?
The Borgeson box should have come with three new nuts and bolts, so you don't need to keep the old ones, and you can insert the bolts from the outside when you put the new box in.
Keep us posted.
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
This might sound like Bubba speaking, but can you get in there with an angle grinder or a Dremel tool and cut the end of the bolt off?
The Borgeson box should have come with three new nuts and bolts, so you don't need to keep the old ones, and you can insert the bolts from the outside when you put the new box in.
Keep us posted.
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 86
From: Rotonda FL
Your problem extends beyond getting the old box out. The new one mounts exactly as the old onr did. you will have to have room to tighten these nuts - can't use a nut cracker or angle grinder for this
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Cary NC
Not exactly, I just have to stop the nut from rotating, the new bolts have a head that I can turn, the old are just rounded off like this: http://www.msc-stainless-fasteners.c.../carriage1.jpg.
I might go bubba, im going to sears to buy a ratcheting stubby wrench, I'll keep you guys posted!
I might go bubba, im going to sears to buy a ratcheting stubby wrench, I'll keep you guys posted!
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 6
From: springfield ohio
I hope I'm not to late with this info.
Take the through bolt out of the rag joint and pull the box down
and out, do not push upward on the steering column or you will
be shortening the shaft and finding it to be very hard to pull back
down. this will bring you a lot of trouble.
Hope all goes well,
Riggs.
Take the through bolt out of the rag joint and pull the box down
and out, do not push upward on the steering column or you will
be shortening the shaft and finding it to be very hard to pull back
down. this will bring you a lot of trouble.
Hope all goes well,
Riggs.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 20
From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
I hope I'm not to late with this info.
Take the through bolt out of the rag joint and pull the box down
and out, do not push upward on the steering column or you will
be shortening the shaft and finding it to be very hard to pull back
down. this will bring you a lot of trouble.
Hope all goes well,
Riggs.
Take the through bolt out of the rag joint and pull the box down
and out, do not push upward on the steering column or you will
be shortening the shaft and finding it to be very hard to pull back
down. this will bring you a lot of trouble.
Hope all goes well,
Riggs.
Michael is going to replace his standard box with a Borgeson box, so he will HAVE to shorten his steering shaft an inch or two. Also, the Borgeson box has a different spline to the Corvette box, so a new rag joint needs to be fitted anyway.
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Cary NC
I undid the 2 screws and essentially split the rag joint in 2 and pulled the box up and out.
Aussiejohn have you done this conversion? How did you get the new rag joint on the steering column? :o Maybe they sent me the wrong one because no matter which way I turn it and line up the indents it wont go in. The rag joint has 2 flat spots but the column only one.
Aussiejohn have you done this conversion? How did you get the new rag joint on the steering column? :o Maybe they sent me the wrong one because no matter which way I turn it and line up the indents it wont go in.
The rag joint has 2 flat spots but the column only one.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 20
From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
Curious?????????
Michal,
You did not state which rag joint you are using. Borgeson have one, part # 055043, which is a 18mm-DD x 3/4"-48 spline, that should be the right one for your C3. If you have this and it does not fit, you have either got a non-standard column or Borgeson inadvertently packed the wrong rag joint in the "right" plastic bag. Give Jeff or Gil at Borgeson a ring on 860-482-8283 and I'm sure that they will sort it out for you.
If you are using a non-Borgeson rag joint, then it is likely that you either ordered the wrong part or the wrong part was supplied.
I've seen a Borgeson box and rag joint fitted to Randy's '68 in San Francisco and he said that it all went in well in his case. Hopefully he'll chime in here and help you out.
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
You did not state which rag joint you are using. Borgeson have one, part # 055043, which is a 18mm-DD x 3/4"-48 spline, that should be the right one for your C3. If you have this and it does not fit, you have either got a non-standard column or Borgeson inadvertently packed the wrong rag joint in the "right" plastic bag. Give Jeff or Gil at Borgeson a ring on 860-482-8283 and I'm sure that they will sort it out for you.
If you are using a non-Borgeson rag joint, then it is likely that you either ordered the wrong part or the wrong part was supplied.
I've seen a Borgeson box and rag joint fitted to Randy's '68 in San Francisco and he said that it all went in well in his case. Hopefully he'll chime in here and help you out.
Regards from Down Under
aussiejohn
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
If the supplied rag joint has two flats and the colume one, then it isn't going to go on no matter how hard you try. Mine had only one flat area. Sounds like you have the wrong part
Give Borgeson a call and see what they can do on their end to correct this
Give Borgeson a call and see what they can do on their end to correct this
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Cary NC
Well turns out that it has no flat parts (but two stops). Still doesn't fit, Gill told me to file the column splines, that just made it impossible to get even told old rag joint on. Having my dad bring a microscope from work so I can look at the threads in detail and maybe fix them. This is really starting to **** me off. 
