PS Gear Box for '78 front in a '69 Burb

[53burb]

I am going to be replacing my PS box next week. On the Checkers & AutoZone websites they show the same P/N for '68-'76 PS boxes & the same P/N for '77-'79 boxes. This makes sense according to what CableGuy0 has said. I want a variable assist one. Do they now make all the replacement PS boxes going back to '68 variable assist, even tho they were not like this from the factory?? Checkers P/N '77-'79 277512 '68-'76 277501
AutoZone P/N '77-'79 7512 '68-'76 7501 I was thinking that the variable assist ones started in '73. These are all for 2WD 1/2Tons. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

you need a pitman arm puller. there is also a difference in the 77-up boxes the steering shaft coming out of the box that hooks to the column get smaller in the 77 up boxes so it will not bolt to your stock steering column (CableGuy0)

[cableguy0]

heres the fun part 77 is a split year meaning it could be either box on a 77. there is only one part number for each year split. and everything about the boxes is identical aside from the splined shaft that hooks to the steering column shaft.i got the crash course in these steering boxes thanks to my wrecker being a 77 and spending 2 days chasing down the right box. i kept getting the 7512 box and needed the 7501 but the 7512 is listed for the 77.there was no difference in ratios per the parts book at least not available in the aftermarket as stock replacement

[53burb]

Are they both variable assist?? I read on another post that didn't start until the mid '80s?? Read this....http://www.classicheartbeat.com/foru...loppy+steering

[53burb]

I think I might be getting variable assist mixed up with variable ratio....

[cableguy0]

yea i believe so. the mid 80's boxes are a no go unless you get lines made and change out the rag joint. with a fresh tight box i never disliked the older boxes at all

[53burb]

So then a 7501 is what I need to match. Is this variable assist?? I thought the '68-'72 boxes were not originally variable assist.

[cableguy0]

they might not have been originally but now they are definately all the same box from 68-77 being the 7501 pn

[53burb]

Thanks alot for your help CableGuy0!!!!!

[cableguy0]

no problem good luck with the swap.

[sleepyboy]

Educate me; what is variable assist??

[cableguy0]

variable assist would not apply to these trucks. its a feature on newer vehicles done electronically normally. the variable ratio stuff didnt come into play until the mid to late 80's from what i can find.

[zacut]

Is the PS box for a 67 also the same or only 68 on up? I have a 67 that I bought as an uncompleted project. I think the box was a new rebuilt unit, but now (2 years later) that I have the truck running it leaks so I will need to replace it. Just wondering if the Autozone part number listed should be compatible with my truck as well.

Thanks

[cableguy0]

it was probably converted and the frame dimpled with a 5 lb hammer. its hard to say which box was used. you can measure the diameter of the splined section where the column bolts up and figure out which box it is.i can check the measurement for you and give you the part number

[zacut]

thanks cableguy, I will check in the next couple of weeks and send you a message.

[GlennBrittain]

I had the rag joint fit problem when replacing a power steering box on my 69. The truck had been converted to power steering by the PO, used a 77 up box. I brought home a 69 box. NAPA took the 69 box back sent me home with a 77 type. The also supplied the following:1977 thru 86 Model, ¾” shaft, 68 thru 76 has a 13/16” shaft. The steering column side of my rag joint is 69 and the box side is 77.

[Green Machine]

I agree with Glenn, we replaced the leaky PS box on our 71 C20 with one from the junkyard from a 1978 C10. We reused the pitman arm from the C20 and put it on the newer box, and had to use the rag joint from the 78 because of the size problem. Lines still bolted up, no metric problems. As far as the ratio, it does turn quicker in the middle and all over, I think it takes about 1 turn less than before to go from full left to full right, don't know if that means quicker ratio or variable ratio, the steering effort is still very light like it was before, I would prefer something a little stiffer, like our 1988 C1500 has, don't know if the "effort" or "feel" can be changed somehow, but that would be nice too.