different ratio steering box direct bolt on?

[no_rice]

im adding power steering to my 70 gmc, and i got my pulley alignment problem taken care of. i got everything on and functioning the other night.

main problem, is that the gearbox is leaking around the input shaft. so i had another box laying there and threw that one on. it also is leaking in the same spot.

i took the previously removed one apart just enough, with the intention of replacing the seals on the input. having never done it before i didnt until now, realize that i needed to know the original location of the adjuster plug for the preload on the bearings behind it...



anyway to set that correctly if i put it back together...? havent decided if ill reseal this one or the one currently on the truck. this one was VERY light steering. one finger lock to lock at a stop. the one currently on the truck is not as soft. still easy, but atleast there is a little feel associated with it...

which brings me to the question about different ratio ones. since i need to tear stuff apart again, and im really trying to have the truck on the road by friday morning(not leaking...!) is there a box that will bolt up and connect to the hoses which takes less turns to go from lock to lock? currently it seems to be about 4 full turns from lock to lock. i see the stock rebuilt ones are around $125 or so, so if i could find one off of another model with that different ratio i may do that, and just be done with it.

[Bigdav160]

The "light"ness of the steering has to do with the size of the torsion rod (that thing protruding up from the input shaft), the pressure from the pump, and not just the ratio.

I think the later square body trucks boxes were faster and bolt up with little complications. I'm not sure when GM changed from SAE to metric hose fittings. A search might get you the answers.

[LockDoc]

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Read this thread especially #17 & 18.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=549115

I'm thinking they are a bolt in until '77 when they went to metric and the '73 to '76 are the quicker ratio boxes. I think you would need to use your pitman arm.

Go to your local auto parts store and have them pull one listed for your truck. If it is approx. 3 1/2 turns lock to lock that would be the one you want. I think that's what all of the replacement ones are now....

LockDoc

[no_rice]

thanks guys, im looking into it some more. should have a rebuilt box to look at late this afternoon. from what ive found it may be the 3-3 1/2 lock to lock ratio one. wont know until it shows up and i spin it over.

[Tx Firefighter]

Concerning the preload on the adjust plug. It's bottom out, mark it, and back it off half an inch.



I wrote an article recently that is a sticky on the suspension board that shows further detail if you're interested.

[no_rice]

thank you, either way i will still put the seal in that gear box, because it worked good except for the leak. no reason to chuck it.

[veedubshafer]

I got one off a '78 C10. It's 3.25-3.5 turns lock to lock and has a 7/16 female inverted flare pressure port and 3/8 female inverted flare return port.

[no_rice]

got a rebuilt box on, it IS 3.25-3.5 turns lock to lock, and turns the wheels just as far as the factory boxes i tried on it did. (which is good, as some had mentioned that the newer boxes didnt have as sharp of a turning radius)

[davepl]

My Camaro I converted over to the new Saginaw 600 (or maybe 500) box that I believe comes from late-model Tahoes. Huge difference, quite the improvement.

Unfortunately, when I looked around I could not find a variant of a modern steering box that would be compatible (easily or not) with our trucks. So the late 70s seems to be the best we can do.

[67 chevelle]

I put a 79 box in mine huge difference , heres a link to my thread

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=585707