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Drove the 78 today and think I’m going to swap to a Borgeson setup. The stock PS system is basically New but it’s really hard to turn for the first 1/2 turn each way. It’s got a 5.3 truck LS with LS truck pump and has a ICT smaller steel pulley and I remove the pressure port out of the stock pump and put it into the LS pump to reduce the pressure. I think I would just swap to the borg vs messing with the stock stuff anymore.
my issues are I hear the borg lines are poo and I’m looking at getting adapters to make them work. I also don’t want to use the rag joint that comes with the borg system. I removed my stock rag joint and out a flaming river ujoint on it previously to tighten it all up. Can I transfer that over to the borg system or are the splines different? I had to compress the stock tilt/tel column to use the ujoint already and I know the borg requires even more. I just don’t know how much more room I have to push it in.
looking at borg kit, Ridetech bracket and hose adapters
Drove the 78 today and think I’m going to swap to a Borgeson setup. The stock PS system is basically New but it’s really hard to turn for the first 1/2 turn each way. It’s got a 5.3 truck LS with LS truck pump and has a ICT smaller steel pulley and I remove the pressure port out of the stock pump and put it into the LS pump to reduce the pressure. I think I would just swap to the borg vs messing with the stock stuff anymore.
my issues are I hear the borg lines are poo and I’m looking at getting adapters to make them work. I also don’t want to use the rag joint that comes with the borg system. I removed my stock rag joint and out a flaming river ujoint on it previously to tighten it all up. Can I transfer that over to the borg system or are the splines different? I had to compress the stock tilt/tel column to use the ujoint already and I know the borg requires even more. I just don’t know how much more room I have to push it in.
looking at borg kit, Ridetech bracket and hose adapters
Classic performance products sells adapters for the hoses so they won't leak that's what I bought. I'm installing mine this week. Jist finished my tubular a arm and coilover install.
Very easy swap and well worth it. I ordered my hose adapters from Summit. Borgeson uses tapered ends (JIC)and stock is straight , they do give you small adapters but they tend to leak, again I bought mine from Summit and I think they were 20 bucks for 2
Classic performance products sells adapters for the hoses so they won't leak that's what I bought. I'm installing mine this week. Jist finished my tubular a arm and coilover install.
Perfect. Ordered the adapters, borg unit, new Putnam arm and the ridetech brace.
any idea if the flaming river u joint will work or must I use the rag joint?
that I cant help with but im curious to know as well. I know you cant use the stock rag joint because the borgeson shaft is different if that helps. I also know they do make a flaming river style joint for the borgeson box.
Ok just did a search here and found the flaming river part # FR1925 is the one you need for the borgeson... apparently the borgeson rag joints suck and tend to rip in two quickly. a lot of people modify them using oem flat washer supports and such to spread the load. I just ordered this one. it needs to be 3/4 DD to 3/4-36
I don't know why you need to use anything out of the ordinary. You can marry the Corvette part with the Borgeson part and keep all the safety features that GM provided. Also the GM rag joint provides an electrical path to the horn as I remember.
I don't know why you need to use anything out of the ordinary. You can marry the Corvette part with the Borgeson part and keep all the safety features that GM provided. Also the GM rag joint provides an electrical path to the horn as I remember.
I guess for me, the same reasons I already had to replace my failing rag joint and for the same reasons my new truck and all newer vehicles use a Ujoint over a rag joint. Its not needed but then theres a whole thread full of people who had failures with the borgeson rag joints and ll the things they did to correct it. no one who went to the u joint has reported regretting the decision so For $20 ill try this out.
I dont believe theres any real "safety" advantages here to the rag joint over the ujoint unless one prevents me from having to collapse my steering column which I will already have to do to compromise the safety? I'm not sure but I believe the joint geometry is a little less forgiving with the borgeson due to it beng taller, at least it seems that way from the pictures of the failures. Even GTR pointed out a ujoint may be a better option with that setup unless I misunderstood him.
Last edited by augiedoggy; May 25, 2024 at 02:03 PM.
that I cant help with but im curious to know as well. I know you cant use the stock rag joint because the borgeson shaft is different if that helps. I also know they do make a flaming river style joint for the borgeson box.
ah dang it. If it’s diff then stock then no I won’t work.
I don't know why you need to use anything out of the ordinary. You can marry the Corvette part with the Borgeson part and keep all the safety features that GM provided. Also the GM rag joint provides an electrical path to the horn as I remember.
I always get rid of the rag joint on all my vehicles. I even converted my 87 firebird. My concern with the u joint is if there is enough room to compress the column shaft further as the u joints are longer than the rag joint. I had to compress my column just converting the stock one to the flaming river u joint.
I have Flaming River U-Joints in both of my cars, including the Borgeson-swapped 79. I may have had to modify the Borgeson end to make it fit. Here are the specs:
I have Flaming River U-Joints in both of my cars, including the Borgeson-swapped 79. I may have had to modify the Borgeson end to make it fit. Here are the specs:
Could you? Maybe, especially with a shim. Is it correct? No.
I think I used the 17mm DD, then opened up the hole a bit. It wasn't the best choice, either, so I wouldn't recommend it, but it did work.
I see that Borgeson now sells U-joints, too. Perhaps they sell the correct one.
eh, 18mm vs 3/4” is .05” and it has to clamp and has a set screw. I couldn’t find any 18mm DD to 1” 48spline on eBay so I’ll give the 3/4” a try. All 18mm are rag joints that I see.
In your first post it sounds like you have no assist, or not enough, for the first 1/2 turn.
To me that sounds like a pump flow problem.
And you mentioned your pump setup is far from stock.
The box may not be the problem, and if so changing it may not help.
I would strongly suggest calling the experts at Turn One for recommendations.
Or get your pump flow and psi back to stock first. Stock is 2.0 GPM and 900 psi.
OEM Vette systems run lower pressure than others due all to the external hoses.
I am sure Turn One could help you tune your LS pump for that.
Borgeson swap questions
