A-Body Power Steering Box Upgrade / Replacement

On my 65 Skylark I am going from manual steering to power steering. Come to find out you need more parts than if you already have power steering. I will be using a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee steering box. I have to get a new Pitman arm, drag link and rag joint. Rag joint for me is a Dorman 31011.

 

I got my JGC box.....3.3 turns lock to lock. I already have a 3.3 box on the car. I thought these boxes were supposed to be 2.75 lock to lock. I went and checked the specs at the auto parts store......yep, 3.3.....hmmmmmmthat is contrary to some info out there...

So, I ordered in the 1987 gran national/regal "sport" box. 2.5 turns lock to lock per spec. I will let you know how it goes.

 

Never did the Jeep box, went straight to the GN box as I knew for a fact it would work with the Lee's fittings and rag joint. Works like a charm.

 

Unfortunately, as mentioned before, no matter what reman unit you order from a parts store, there is no guarantee that it will actually be built to the factory specs. It is a total crap shoot. Most reman quick ratio boxes seem to have internal stops that limit travel like f-body boxes. That is because a lot of reman qr units come from f-bodies since they were qr from the factory. The reman companies dont really care match the units they build to a specific application. You might get a quick ratio box but you wont have full steering travel in a a-body. You might not even end up with the right ratio. I went through a few qr reman units and checked them before installing them for proper ratio and travel. None checked out so I bought a custom unit. If you are going the store bought reman route check it on the bench for 87 deg of travel and the correct ratio first. If it fails return it for another. The junk yard is also a viable option but you never know if it is stock or worn. This is one of those parts that you get what you pay for.

 

The grand national box came in. It was 2.5 turns lock to lock but the turn stops were 1/2 inch more narrow on each side compared to the jeep box. The jeep box matched my original box turn stops......so I hypothesize the jeep box and the gn box are the same ratio but the gn box achieves the 2.5 lock to lock by putting the turn stops closer.

I get what you are saying.....reman units from the auto parts store can be a crap shoot......but in this case they both match the specs their system called for exactly. Since the JGC box matches my current box turn ratio and turn stops/angle and my current box is leaking I will just install that one.

 

I can confirm that the parts I listed in post 21 do work on my 1965 Buick Skylark. Everything is installed and functional.

 

My GN box is 2.5 turns lock to lock but it also allows the spindle to contact the control arm in a sharp turn so it can't go any further, internal stops or not.

 

If anyone is interested Dorman 31011 steering ragjoint will and does work perfect for 98 Grand Cherokee box. Advance Auto had it listed for 70 bucks, went over to Autozone and they had it for 50 dollars. Picked it up the next day works perfect. For the high pressure line I ordered an 85 Monte Carlo line and hack sawed the very tip of the line off so the threads could screw in the steering box. Far as the return line it bolted up but its leaking... anyone know what I use for return line ? I my have to pull the box back out and just buy Lees hammer in adapters for the Power steering lines.


Also anyone know of a good way to put the Pitman arm back ON all the way fully seated ? I never bought a puller I just hammerd it off with a ball joint sperator and BFH.

 

As far as I know, short of buying another return hose for the same 85 Monte and cutting it up, you'll need to get the Lee's adapters. They work well with my GN box.

The pitman arm is a tapered fit. If you crank it with the proper torque, it is installed properly. Should be around 200lb/ft. No chance of it coming loose. About the same spec as the crank bolt.

 

Well i tried to tighten the return line and its still leaking. So took off the hose and the small adapter tube. Gotta do some more shearcing around to fiqure out whatever is doing with the return line with out the less adapters.

Dont mean to high jack the thread about a pitman arm but , also tonight tried to crank it on and it just wont go. The pitman arm nut started stripping the threads so I stopped. The pitman arm is put on the right way with the arch pointing upward. So dont get it. I slide up in the groves uptill i guess the tapered part, but wont go all the way up like it was when I took it off.

 

You are stripping the 200ft/lb nut? Man, don't want to meet you in a dark alley! LOL

I'm not so sure about the arch pointing up. Got a picture? From the gear box, I think it should arch down as in this thread: http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321521

The hose on the gear box is an o-ring fitting type for a late model, similar to the one you used on the pressure side. Get a return hose from an 85 Monte, cut off the other end and just use a good pressure line. It is only held on with hose clamps. No where near the same pressure as the high pressure side.

 

only 3 options id consider
one is if your low on funding..and thats the jeep cheerokee box and change the fittings

2nd choise would be the DSE 600 box

top choice would be LEE Performance 600 sterring box

 

Well i can deffinatly bench 300 but this time I had a little help with a 3/4 breaking bar and a long long pipe lol.. Once I started seeing the threads become wire around the steering box i stopped as thats not a good sign. The nut still has threads just not as good anymore lol . No worries though im gonna order another one online and just put two nuts on. I was looking today at chevelles.com and found a post that someone was asking the same thing. Apparently from some people that posted pictures. It doesnt go all the way up flush there is about 1/2 gap. I think I was just paranoid. I will take some pictures of it this weekend.

Far the hose return line you read my mind. I ordered another pressure line from 85 carlo today from autozone. Gonna do exactly what you said thread the end with the hose connected and chop off the other end. Was only 14 bucks.

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice.

 

Just wanted to echo Jeremy7777's path that he took. If you don't want to wait for a while and pay almost $100 for the kit from Lee's you can get the ragjoint ($40) and high pressure line (85 Monte Carlo $16) from your local autoparts store...both were in stock. Just had to trim the tip of the metal line down to create more of the flared end that the original PS hose has going into the pump. Then re-use the low pressure line from the Jeep. You could also have a place make your hoses too if you really want. I think I'll be at $100 total for the box and everything else!

 

I just went from a Jeep box to a Turn One 600 box. My Jeep box was leaking and wanted to upgrade. Went with a 12:1 box and is a substantial improvement on the Jeep box. http://www.turnone-steering.com/ DSE gets their boxes from Turn One.

 

$600+ for a steering box? It better be platinum plated at that price!

 

I have gone the cheap route and it worked OK. Sometimes you just like to have the best and then forget about it. Most 600 boxes are around $500 and are not built to the quality of a turn one box. Penske, Rousch and many other NASCAR teams us turn one products. For me Turn One is a local shop and they gave me a good deal on the box and helped with my setup.

 

Well, that could make a big difference. My $150 box is working great with no leaks and looks factory.