What are the differences between a 69 and a 70 steering box? The rebuild kit is the same but the whole unit lists as different. Can I use a 70 box on a 69?
Thanks!

 

Hey Larry,
Here's my understanding:

The early 69 boxes had the old style cast iron cover and the round spline worm shaft for the rag joint to mate to. The later boxes had the aluminum covers and a flat milled on the worm shaft for a different mating rag joint.

My early 69 has the round shaft with aluminum cover :rolleyes:

Be sure to check the side play in the bushings-both the old and the new.

The only other difference was the pitman arm 1 for PS and 1 for non-PS.

I just did a couple of these so if I can help just ask.

Gary

 

THanks Gary!
That makes sense. So I could use a 70 box in the 69 with a 70 style rag joint then?

Larry

 

yea but, the steering box in my racer has an aluminum cover and the round splined worm with a groove cut between two splined surfaces.
...redvetracr

 

Red- that's how my 69 box is too.

Larry the 70 box should work fine once you rebuild it.
Gary

 

The input shaft on the manual gear had 30 serrations. With the flat on the shaft (all gears after mid-1969) you could only put the flexible coupling on the shaft one way. With the earlier gears (full round input shaft without a flat) the flexible coupling could be installed on any of the 30 serrations. The problem with the old full round shaft was that the steering column needed to be centered or else your turn signals would cancel at wierd angles and your steering wheel wouldn't end up straight.

What you need to do with the older gears is to rotate the gear from full lock to full lock. Count the exact number of turns. Now go from full lock in one direction exactly one half the number of full turns. This will put the gear right on center.

With the gear on center, now install the flexible coupling so that the stop pins are vertical (inline with the pitman shaft) and the attaching pinch bolt is on the left side (as viewed from the driver position). Also this will place the attaching pinch bolt so that you could tighten it by bending over the front fender because the head of the bolt would be pointing up at you.

This will allow the steering column to attach to the coupling so that the column will be right on center and cancel the turn signals correctly.

With the steering gear exactly on center, you may find that your car is tracking slightly to the right or left. You should correct this condition by adjusting the tie rods so that the car tracks straight. Turn both left and right tie rod adjuster clamps in the same direction and exactly the same number of turns. This will correct the condition and will not change your toe setting.