Today I received my Borgeson system kit for my Power steering '74 . I will be installing it most likely on Sunday.The instructions are not very detailed and if anyone has any Pointers I could use I will be pretty grateful. One question I already have is the inserts for the Hoses. There's a set tied wrapped to the gearbox and there's another set of inserts tied to the hoses in the package. I will assume a set goes on the gear box and the other for the pressure side on the pump? do they require O-rings of any type installed?... Thanks!!!!!!

 

I installed a borgeson box in my 69 and depending on the type of hoses you make up you might not need those inserts. I did not need them but my setup is custom.
I would check that the rag joint fits your input shaft and if I remember correctly I had to drill a dimple in the shaft for my lock bolt, maybe that has changed. also check that the pitman arm fits correct as some of the box's did not let the pitman arm install far enough for the nut to fully thread on. also turn the input shaft both ways to check that the shaft does not move in and out as this is another defect, this defect was discovered here on the forum just a few months a go.
Do a search here as there are some very good threads already started on this install.

 

Installed one last week on my 72LT1, if you need the inserts. Make sue they fit nicely in the holes, I dropped put one in the pressure side and it fit well, so I did the same on the return it did not fit, had to file it down so it would drop in.
Also, check the rage join; the end that goes to the steering shaft. make sure it slides in smoothly. Mine did not fit, had to taka apart the OEM one end that goes to the steering shaft.

Oh yeah, remove the pitman arm before you attempt to remove the old box or you will never get it out with it installed.

The brake lines and the distribution fitting will get in the way, especially the line laying on the frame. Had to remove the clamp to move them aside.

spray some break free on the steering shaft before you attempt to shorten it, I use a 2X4 to hit it to move it back.

The threads on the fittings and the hoses are a bit rough, take your time finger tighten them before you apply a wrench.

To center the steering wheel, the part that attached to the pitman arm. Center the steering wheel and then back it out to meet the pitman. DO NOT screw it in all the way and attempt to install it to the pitman arm.

Another trick, use a vise grips around the steering shaft to prevent it going too far. Good luck. you are going to love you car with this MOD.

 

On my '76, I had to use the inserts on the box side of the lines. You have to drop them in the fitting holes and have to be very careful that they are straight. I got one of mine cockeyed slightly and it leaked bad. I had read that on the high pressure side you had to really tighten it, so I kept tightening. After it still leaked, I pulled apart and found that I had it in crooked.

For centering steering, if I remember correctly, you only have a couple of options where to place the pitman arm since it is "keyed". I'm using the ram assist delete since I currently have PS. I got the pitman arm on (borrowed puller from AZ) in the position where it cleared everything, then I had to pull steering wheel and re-center.

I had some other issues like one of the steering box bolts was welded to the frame, So I had to pull the entire header/sidepipe (Hooker) off that side of car to get enough clearance to install box. While I was at it . . . . . . I rebuilt/painted the power steering pump which was a bust and ended up just buying refurbished one. It's all the little surprises that made this a "fun" install for me. I love the steering now!!!

Good luck with your project and let us know how it turned out.

 

Thanks everyone and yes Redman, I will post a review of how it all turned out. I was going to start on it tomorrow but I just remembered I have a few more days off due to my shift work schedule.So
It will be Monday Im sure.,, Thanks

 

Most of the tips posted above applied to me as well, but here's a few from my experince with my 74 coupe, small block. My engine was out and brake proportioning valve was out so there was room to work. I removed steering column from car to tap collapsing shaft.

removing pitman arm: i couldn't get pepboys pitman puller to seat correctly with steering box in the frame. I removed the steering box and used an impact gun to remove the nut.

Removing pitman arm using impact wrench, steering box removed from car.
steering column: with steering column removed from car, I soaked slotted end with pb blaster and then wire wheeled it. Then the rag joint fit without issue.

aligning steering wheel: "while i was at it" i replaced turn signal canceling cam. There posts discussing how to align steering wheel, but I didnt grasp it. In the end, I was 180 degrees out and had to redo it. Lesson learned: make sure wheel is centered first. Same goes for canceling cam. (You might not need to go this far if you didn't need to remove steering wheel.) THEN align rag joint, borgeson box to straight wheels. Alignment shop with do final alignment. Hopefully this saved you some time. Good luck, its a rewarding upgrade!

Phil

 

Thanks Phil,
I might just jump to it later on this evening. Can't seem to find my puller. I might have to rent one from auto parts store first before starting just to make sure they dont rent it out when I have the steering apart. Thanks again!

 

I went at it this evening for three hours.I didn't finish but I managed to collapse the Column and install rag joint and Box. The bad? I had a big delay due to not finding my 1"5/16 socket for the pitman arm nut. had to go buy one. also had a hard time sliding in the rag joint into the column shaft even after filing and cleaning the end edge to deburr some just in case that was the issue. Still no dice! I ended up using half of my old piece,the one that goes on the shaft. I felt a little guilty removing almost new P/S hoses,control Valve ,rebuilt gearbox, rebuilt cylinder . Im looking forward to tomorrow. I'm guessing I should finish it.

 

[QUOTE=redcruz1120;1594443466]I went at it this evening for three hours.I didn't finish but I managed to collapse the Column and install rag joint and Box. The bad? I had a big delay due to not finding my 1"5/16 socket for the pitman arm nut. had to go buy one. also had a hard time sliding in the rag joint into the column shaft even after filing and cleaning the end edge to deburr some just in case that was the issue. Still no dice! I ended up using half of my old piece,the one that goes on the shaft. I felt a little guilty removing almost new P/S hoses,control Valve ,rebuilt gearbox, rebuilt cylinder . Im looking forward to tomorrow. I'm guessing I should finish it.














[/QUOTEI
I feel your pain, I had to do same for my installation (using the stock rag join coupling).

 

I feel your pain, I had to do same for my installation (using the stock rag join coupling).[/QUOTE]


I remembered your tip. Thats why I went with the old half! I was risking pushing the shaft too far in had I kept messing with it. I just finished a while ago. Fixing to take it for a spin.

 

All I can say is wow! The difference is like night and day! I'm looking at a 6 to 7 hour project If anyone wants to know. Today's delay was the Control valve adapter.It wouldn't screw in enough to bite on the threads. I took a break and called Borgeson to ask them if this was a common problem and how to tackle it. the Rep responded that they have never had that issue before. told me to keep playing with it and that if it didn't work they would ship me another. I finally got it to bit a thread and then I used a Rubber mallet and tapped on the end toward the threads as to push it in far enough to grab continuous threads. I had to used large channel locks to thread it all the way in since it went in straight but under some pressure which I was very comfortable with. I topped it off with the supplied clamp to lock it in place. I heard some stories on the installation of the hoses but I found them to be the easiest part of the conversion. Borgeson did a magnificent job clocking the hoses to ease the installation. hope this mini review helps someone and big thanks to all you guys who chipped in with all the tips to help with this installation .. Thanks Again!!!!!!

 

Good job Redcruz
One thing I did was I added a little red lock tight to the rag joint allen lock screw and nut just for safety.

 

Thanks Tom. thats the only piece I didnt use lock tight on cause I had to pull it off more than twice while working on the spacing of shaft and rag joint. Will do that today!! thanks!

 

So I did the Borgeson box on my 71 LS swap and it's great.

I did scuff the finish and repaint it.

In regards to centering the steering since everything was new in the front end. Here's what I did.

Install the box, Turn the box input shaft back and forth finding the "center" of the box left and right.

Mate the column the to rag joint keeping the signal cancellation post in the column at about 11 PM. Doing so will ensure will the turn signals cancel properly.

Again it's a great swap.