Hello Sarsnick here, this is my story last year replaced the steering box old one was leaking anyways had somebody put a new steering box in for me and it’s worse now than it was before got it back to the guy. All he did was bleed it adjusted it still not good. It is sitting in storage in my garage right now not sure what to do.
any help will be appreciated,

 

What year car and are you referring to one of the power steering components?

 

Hello sorry 1974 had it since 1984

 

What year car are you talking about? C3 steering boxes are filled with grease, not something that you would likely notice leaking. If it's leaking fluid, it's the valve, a hose, or the cylinder, not the box. More information and we might be able to help you.

 

I believe the answer is in your question.

 

Well I’m not too sure if anybody is familiar or has installed a

Corvette P/S Kit, 1967-1982 SBC and BBC with factory Power Steering (999032)

I might have to eat that new steering box I paid for over $300 and maybe replace that whole steering system with this kit. Any suggestions

 

This kid is made by Borgeson

 

Lots of us have that Borgeson kit. It completely transforms the car. Many threads on it.

 

Bikespace thank you for responding. I seen videos on it. I don’t think that’s something I can put in between one and 10 how hard is it to install that kit how many hours would you think a mechanic would charge to do something like that any idea your thoughts are appreciated

 

Welcome to the Corvette Forum Sarsnick! We are glad that you have joined us here at the Corvette Forum! This is THE place to be if you have questions or issues with a C3 Corvette!

It sounds like they have identified the steering gear that you are using on your Corvette. The Borgeson conversion has been somewhat popular here and Forum members like Bikespace have a great example of a working Borgeson conversion.

Older Corvettes are a lot of fun to own, drive and just "enjoy". The problem is that many of us have "had to learn to work on our own Corvettes" because of the cost of a mechanics help. Here in Northern Virginia where I live the local gas stations are charging $130 an hour for a mechanic. Many have very little to no experience with a Corvette and the equipment used on them. Fortunately the C3 is a "fairly easy" Corvette to own and maintain. I also have a 1988 C4 with it's early EFI system and being OBD1 none of the local mechanics will touch it. This led me to buying the right tools so I could more easily work on the fueling systems on the L98 engines. I have the ability to read and see the OBD error messages. Having worked on the L98 Tuned Port Fuel Injection for decades has helped me get to know the system and just how to troubleshoot the system.

If you have not bought one yet, be sure to get the actual Factory Service Manual for your particular year. If an Assembly Installation Manual is available then buy one of those as well. Both of these guides are priceless when working on a Corvette. Even more so on the newer C4 and on up models, the 1988 C4 manuals came as a two book set. One mechanical and the other electrical. I personally have had some bad experiences using Chilton's, Haynes or Clymer's manuals designed to help us work on our own cars. The factory manuals are more accurate and have great troubleshooting charts. They are available online at Rockauto on DVD's for a much better price then the hard copies. RA had several books available for many years and they are well priced.

Unless you go to a Corvette Specialist you might have a tough time getting help resolving strange and unusual issues. If a gas station mechanic cost $130 per hour the Corvette Specialist would break my budget in a hurry.

I have never installed a Borgeson unit but I have removed my steering box twice and now I have a Power Rack and Pinion steering system on my C3. While on jackstands I was able to replace the entire steering system on my back in my garage on the floor. I followed the instructions and had no issues. The power rack and pinion makes it steer more like the C4's do but that is a slightly bigger upgrade. I installed a Serpentine belt conversion after I finished with the Rack installation. The hardest thing was trying to use an external power steering reservoir with the GM Type 2 power steering pump. I bought a aluminum reservoir that holds a little more than a pint of fluid and plumbed it into the system using AN -6 for pressure and -8 for return lines.

 

Classic cars are always funny. A mechanic who has never done it before might estimate 10 hours or more. Having done it, I could probably knock one out in 4 hours, with a lift. That includes pulling the steering column, and assuming nothing goes wrong. A steering column lower bushing is a required "while I'm in there" swap. Easy, but imagine tying up your lift for a week waiting on that part.

 

so basically by the sounds of it between bikespace and
ctmccloskey it’s not worth trying to repair or adjust the old box because the original steeringBox. I had no issue with just leaking and if I would’ve known, I could just take a bolt out in inject some greasing I would’ve not bother replacing it with a new box which is worse than the old

it’s on a Jack stand right now in my garage. I think when it gets warmer, I might fire it up and see how it feels
it’s like when I turn the corner the steering wheel it used to almost go back to normal now I gotta pull it back. Don’t get it

 

If worse comes to worse, I might put in the old steering box which I kept maybe the new one is a lemon

 

If you still have the old box, send it to @GTR1999 to rebuild. I did that, and converted my other C3 to manual steering. My Borgeson car is also great fun. Very different approaches, though.

EDIT: Please do yourself a favor, and post a video of the steering components working on the ground. The engine must be running, so a helper, and Race Ramps, may help. Be safe!

 

It should be a lot easier to stop a leak than to install a whole new system.
From what I gather from your posts, is that you are not using the correct terminology for the leaking part.
The steering box/gear is at the lower end of the steering column in the engine bay. It is usually filled with a grease or heavy gear oil. They can leak (usually more of a ooze) and can be renewed with new grease seals.
The rest of the system, pump, control valve, hydraulic cylinder, hoses, use power steering fluid and can leak a lot. A light weight oil.
These parts are more likely to have major leaks, but not real hard to fix.
You need to let us know where, and what part, is leaking.
I vote to fix it.

 

I would also be the first one to stop the leakage in your present system. That is usually the least expensive way to get your Corvette back on the road again.

Post a picture (or three) of the leak and maybe someone can identify what is the problem making it leak in the first place.

TURNONE is another place for answers and expert help. Here is a link to their website: https://turnonesteering.com/

Find a good re-builder and give them your old box to bring back to life. Then after sometime you might still want to go with the Borgeson Steering box if you aren't happy with the factory steering.

 

Good morning guys thank you for your responses, Not sure If I am confusing everybody, but like I said initial steering box iwas working fine, replace the old one because I thought it was leaking. had someone Install new one the new one if I turn a corner, I have to physically bring the steering wheel back myself will not go back on his own very stiff.i just might have someone put my old string box in and see what happens
maybe my new string box is a lemon or mechanic that put it in. Didn’t know what he was doing.
what do you think

 

I think changing the steering box because of a leak is a mistake. As stated above. The steering box is filled with grease. Any leaks would be minor at best.
Also, most rebuilt aftermarket boxes are of poor quality.
Put your original box back in. Find what actually caused the leak and repair that. (Can't be the box).
Stop using a mechanic and repair your own car. Then you will know what is done.

 

It is highly possible that it wasn't the steering box that was leaking. Perhaps a steering hose or fitting was leaking onto the box. It is possible for a new steering box to leak in the same manner as a defective "old" one...but the probability of that happening is very low.

 

Ok guys thank for your support that’s what I’ll do then try to put the original box in
how hard is it to swap it out am I going to need any special tools
and now that the original box is out should I purchase a seal kit for it
i think I’ll probably loose all the power steering fluid
What’s a goo fluid to use and how do you bleed the system
thanks again for your insight