Fast steering box?

[dennislbrooks]

Wes's steering box is sounding better and better. I could not find them on the web site tho. What is the price range for one?

[crazy longhorn]

Originally Posted by WES

Hmmmm... My 71 Copper 3/4 ton Copper Truck is 4 1/2 same as my Orange 3/4 ton Cheyenne Super. The GM master parts catolog only gives one part number for the series 10 thru 30 steering gears also. Wonder what the deal is on that.. Something else to ponder...lol WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

Beats me? I do know that the box I am running is 1 full turn less lock to lock than the stocker . i have heard conflicting facts on it also..... L

[riden2low]

http://www.powersteering.com/products/ These guys will rebuild your steering box

[Classic Heartbeat]

They are on page 2 in chassis and suspention. Here is a link:
http://www.classicheartbeat.com/67-72_chassis_2.htm
They are $224.95 each and there is a $75.00 core charge. I refund the core charge once I get a rebuildable one back. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

[67-72williso]

Wes, Maybe the nonstock raito boxes where already changed to newer truck boxes. Thats one of the first things I do to the trucks.
Later Willis

[Classic Heartbeat]

Good point. WES

[crazy longhorn]

The fast ratio stocker(or variable ratio most call), is a decent box.....I have been asked a couple times " is it "twitchy" @ speed? the answer was no....good to the speed you want to run. Well, if you dont twist that truck a little sideways @ say 100 mph (DONT ASK!), it works well. I do sure have to agree with Wes that you cant beat a rebuilt box(with warranty). i got lucky on mine, (old parts truck ).... L

[jimfulco]

I was under the impression that a 4x4 box would not work on a 2wd truck. Is this not true?

[72MARIO]

Oky well I just confirmed the one on my 67 is from a 71 C20 and it's 4.5 turns.

Bisquik,

You must have had a newer box swaped onto that truck before you got it. Thats the only way I can figure it out. Either way you have the box we are all after. No one here has said the love driving a school bus that looks like a truck.

[see ten]

Originally Posted by jimfulco

I was under the impression that a 4x4 box would not work on a 2wd truck. Is this not true?

The pitman arm on a 4x4 moves front to back, on a 2wd the pitman arm moves from side to side. People use 2wd boxes on 4x4s when doing crossover steering conversions. So yes, you are correct. A 4x4 box will not work on a 2wd truck.

[formula_raider]

Got mine from Power Steering Services, Inc out of Springfield, MO. I had a manuel box and he charged me 139.95 for the rebuild and a 75 dollar core charge for a 16:1 ratio gear box; and it has a lifetime warrenty. If you have a power core his price might be cheaper.

[D.PASSMORE]

I'm sure of a difference between the 2wd and 4wd gear boxes. A 2wd has a nut to attach the pitman arm to the gear box while the 4wd is keyed on the side of the shaft with the corresponding type of pitman arm attached.

Never really looked at the direction of the movement of the pitman arm, good to know!

[bisquik65]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

Oky well I just confirmed the one on my 67 is from a 71 C20 and it's 4.5 turns.

Bisquik,

You must have had a newer box swaped onto that truck before you got it. Thats the only way I can figure it out. Either way you have the box we are all after. No one here has said the love driving a school bus that looks like a truck.

I will get the gm # off it and see what it crosses to...It may be a car box like 72-77 gm ? I dont know,it may have been changed sometime? It works great...There has to be one that bolts on...and they use the S-10 manual boxes on 82-92 camaros...for quick ratios and monte ss use the s-10 manual box...

[J Y Dog]

Originally Posted by PICKMUP

Go back and read Bob Moore's post...there is the simple answer. Manual box =5.5 turns, 68-72 = 4.5 turns and the 73-? are 3.5. We call that a quick ratio and the used boxes are cheap. Just find a tight one.
I just put one in the 67 GMC that I was posting pics and updates on the pic board. Nice improvement with a big stock steering wheel.

Glad to see somebody got it right.

Jim

[AKChevyman]

Book mark

[kelsfine69]

So what have we learned from all this. Find a 73-79 3/4-1 ton 2wd box and it will bolt right in?...right?

[Bob Moore]

kelsfine69 - 1/2T also. But check turns lock to lock before purchasing.


Good luck - Bob

[stope4]

Chip at Power Steering Services will set you up. He rebuilt my camaro one to fast ratio. For some reason I think 16:1 (3.25 turns lock to lock) is all you can get because of the wheel stops. Call Chip and he'll tell you exactly what the limitations are. I do know 16:1 is it if you want the full range of motion on your turning radius. Here's his web site.

http://www.powersteering.com/

Also, here's a copy of an email I sent him recently about my box. The second sentence is his response.

In a message dated 2/18/2006 10:05:41 PM Central Standard Time, stope4@houston.rr.com writes:

"Do you have a gearbox for a 71 chevy pickup? Is it a faster ratio than stock?

Yes. It depends. There were 2: 24:1 constant (about 4 turns lock to lock), or 16:1 variable (about 3.5 turns lock to lock). What do you have? "

This email later concluded that I had the 16:1 variable ratio and that was all I could get.

[Bob Moore]

I think the box is the key to quick steering not the spindle stops. I have thought about installing the internals from an IROC Camaro to quicken things up. As long as you have the same sweep on the end of the pitman arm you will have the same turning radius. Hot Rod magazine had an article on this about 10 years ago - of course it was for eary Camaro of Chevelle guys. If you look at the IROC box it is the same as the P/U with the exception of the mounting location - inside the frame as opposed to outside like the P/U. Has anybody else persued this or am I the only crazy one out here.

Let's talk - Bob

[guyryan100]

To further confuse the issue, I understand that we can get up to '86 chevy truck boxes and the later years have the variable rate. Metric fittings but if you have a late-model ps pump as I do this makes it easier.

I can vouch for the 4x4 vs 2x4 incompatibility - just look out in the floor and you'll find the 4x4 gear box that won't match up to my 2x4 steering.

[dennislbrooks]

Just info--it is easy to make a double flare IFF fitting on one end of a metric o-ring tubing hose. Going the other direction is a lot tuffer.

Dang this is an old thread.

[kevncar]

What should I expect to pay for a 73+ box at the yard? Also, what does PICKMUP mean when he says find "a tight one"?

thanks

[JAKES 68GMC]

Originally Posted by kevncar

Also, what does PICKMUP mean when he says find "a tight one"?

A box that isn't worn out.

[Tx Firefighter]

You can remove the old flare type fitting from your power steering pump and replace it with the later metric type of fitting. They just unscrew with a 1 inch wrench or socket. This keeps you from having to build custom hoses.

[GROUP911]

Scott, I just had the one in my 72 done at a place in Denver, CO. He built me one up with the quick ratio, he charged me $135, exchange + shipping. You just need to tell him that you want the quicker ratio. The name of the place is C.A.R.S., the phone is 303-887-8287, his name is Homberto.
GROUP911