Question on Borgeson kits
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 448
Likes: 21
From: Klein Texas
Question on Borgeson kits
My '72 is a manual steering car and I want to purchase a Borgeson conversion kit. What else will I need to purchase? I want to do the installation in a day so I want all the parts available at the same time.
My car is a 48 state L48 without AIR pump but it has two groove water pump and crank pulleys. One groove for the alternator and the other for the A/C compressor.
Looking at this picture I don't see a belt.
My car is a 48 state L48 without AIR pump but it has two groove water pump and crank pulleys. One groove for the alternator and the other for the A/C compressor.
Looking at this picture I don't see a belt.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
I did not like the rubbery rag joint Burgeon supplied. I mated their half of the coupling with my half of the original and a new rag joint.
If your original is not in the best of shape you may want to purchase new. Apparently that is a quest of its own.
If your original is not in the best of shape you may want to purchase new. Apparently that is a quest of its own.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 483
Likes: 3
From: Pequannock NJ
Not to hijack but I heard that you might be able to reuse the original on the Borgeson by grinding down the splines on the inside of the rag joint then putting in a flat spot, is this true?
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
I assume you mean using the original coupling and grinding the input shaft of the Borgeson and not the rag joint. Sounds unsafe to me.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 483
Likes: 3
From: Pequannock NJ
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
Splines on the rag joint would seem to defeat its purpose. So far as I remember there are none. Also I don't know how one could grind a flat on what is essentially a doughnut hole.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...install-7.html
Last edited by '75; Feb 2, 2015 at 06:36 PM.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 613
Likes: 11
From: EVANSVILLE Wisconsin
The directions state no to use the flat spot on the steering column shaft for the set-screw, but rather grind a flat spot where it makes sense to do so based on the alignment of the steering wheel once installed. If you use the flat spot as-is on the shaft, you may end up with a cockeyed wheel. Make sense??
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
This is a Corvette rag joint, I don't see any splines.
As far as grinding out the splines, each to his own. Some freaking safety engineer probably thought it was necessary. What do they know?
As far as grinding out the splines, each to his own. Some freaking safety engineer probably thought it was necessary. What do they know?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
The borgeson box doesn't have splines, engineered that way, and now my lower flange doesn't either, seems safer than the set screw method. Mine is held on much better than that lower piece borg sends out. By all means do what makes you feel safe, I have.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 613
Likes: 11
From: EVANSVILLE Wisconsin
Yes, sorry... The rag joint "assembly" has splines The rag joint itself of course does not........ not sure why splines are such a bad thing?
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 483
Likes: 3
From: Pequannock NJ
First off I wasn't trying to offend you, it has nothing to do with the cost, look if you can save a few bucks, I'm all for it and please share the info so we can save some money as well, we all need these cars can make a man go poor. My concern is you are removing metal (the splines) from a steering coupler. Technically you are making the metal thinner that's why I felt it was unsafe.
Post 134, what is it you think is unsafe? Do you understand what I did? or is it that it didn't cost enough?
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...install-7.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...install-7.html
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 1,588
From: los altos hills california
I have zero memory of what the Borgeson shaft looks like. It's completely covered up by the coupler and what's there are two set screws which go to what? Two flats? The 134 picture shows a flat and a groove (and states there is another groove on the other side?) but isn't that for a jeep box? I think the Corvette conversion is probably two flats and one of the flats would have to match the coupling clamp bolt or a groove would have to be hogged out of it. Seems like a lot of re-engineering if that is the case. And what you've described in the 134 post is not really apropos for the Borg Corvette box. Do I have that right?
On the plus side there's no room for the coupler to slide off the shaft no matter how it is attached. And the set screws are holding fine after a couple of years of use. The concern would be that the flat holds better and I would agree with that but it isn't needed based on the experience of many many other conversions..
On the plus side there's no room for the coupler to slide off the shaft no matter how it is attached. And the set screws are holding fine after a couple of years of use. The concern would be that the flat holds better and I would agree with that but it isn't needed based on the experience of many many other conversions..
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 23
From: Kansas
Gentleman, Borgeson makes a solid Stainless steel, with bearings, U-joint to take the place of the normal rag joint. It's around 100.00 with shipping when I bought mine. It is wonderful. Just call Borg. it gets rid of all the problems that you are having or dreaming about, with the Rag joint gone. Gene
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
On the part of the coupler i modified, I removed only the splines and didn't take out anymore material than that, so I can't see how it's weaker than it was. Maybe I'm just cheap, but it was a good solution for me. BTW, I used a Jeep box, which has the same shaft as the Borgeson, 18mm dd. In the end all the mods we make weren't intended by the original vette engineers. Some are better, some not, and some just as good but different. I think any time we mod from original we assume liability for it, so I'll only do things that I believe are safe.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
Hi, I wasn't responding to your post, sorry for the confusion. Didn't mean that splines are bad, they are great, but my steering box didn't have them and I needed to adapt the rag joint coupler to it, so I ground them out. I would not remove the splines from the column shaft, no need to.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 483
Likes: 3
From: Pequannock NJ
Yep, just ordered one, less then $100 out the door for unpolished, can't beat that.
Gentleman, Borgeson makes a solid Stainless steel, with bearings, U-joint to take the place of the normal rag joint. It's around 100.00 with shipping when I bought mine. It is wonderful. Just call Borg. it gets rid of all the problems that you are having or dreaming about, with the Rag joint gone. Gene