I need to replace my steering gear box and intend to buy a reman unit from AdvanceAuto. They have two listed:
A1 Cardone 276509 Reman.; 2 1/2 To 3 Turns Lock To Lock, and
A1 Cardone 276537 Reman.; 3 3/4 To 4 1/4 Turns Lock to Lock
My current box is 4+ turns and I'd like to buy the 2 1/2 to 3 turns one. Does anyone know if it's a direct bolt in? Also, any suggestions, pros, or cons of changing to the quicker box?

Check out SPEEDWAY in Lincoln, NE and see if you can't get a remanufactured P/S box at a good price!!

I did, three or so turns, nothing fancy, but will work fine...

If I recall right, it is a Mullins, (maybe a Durex??), box..

pdq67

The boxes from AdvanceAuto are $130 and they have great customer service. I get stuff the same day and I've taken things back several times until I've gotten the right fit with no hassle. Even on electrical parts which most places won't let you return.

What I'm looking for is whether anyone knows if the quicker ratio box is a direct bolt-in, same shaft size, hose fittings, etc. and if I'll keep my same steering radius, i.e, no internal stops. If not, I'll just buy the stock 4 turn one.

(I did check out Speedway. They want $148 + shipping and I'd have to know my shaft size. I did add them to my Favorites, though, looks like they have some cool stuff.)

I put the Advance Auto 2 3/4 turns box in '69, moving from manual to power steering. The steering box was a direct bolt in. (The manual gearbox (and frame holes) was 3 bolt, while the power box would accept 4. Based on all previous posts and my experience, going back with 3 bolts was a non issue.)

I had to get a pitman arm off of a power steering box from junkyard to put on the remanufactured unit from Advance. You may already have one.

I am NOT the expert here, but it is my understanding the connections would be the exact same, as would hose routing, etc. If you go with the newer boxes, you get into metric "issues".

Again, I moved to power steering, and the only real bugs I had was trying to get the Pump reservoir installed properly since I couldn't find the exact low pressure configurment on the reservoir. (I've now found a '69 pump and going to swap out the reservoir.)

It drives fine. No, it drives WONDERFUL compared to the manual, and the 2 3/4 turns doesn't kill you to turn it.

Others may have different experience, but that was my situation with Advance Auto.

Thanks Flye. From what I've read, steering in earlier cars were way overpowered anyway. It takes almost no strength to turn the wheel lock to lock as is; and I'd prefer something a little stiffer. The steering on my 2000 Blazer is probably three times as stiff and is comfortable to drive. If the 3 turn box is stiffer than what I have, then bonus.
I'm replacing the box because I have about 30 degrees of play in the wheel and tightening the screw in the box did very little to help.

If I remember correctly you'll need to get (at least) a pitman arm. Keep in mind the entire steering linkage makes up the turning ratio. Sure they may sell you a 2-1/2 turn box, but your car will most likely have handling issues. :(

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To be sure, check with Doug Nordin at:Global West (http://www.globalwest.net/)

Why wouldn't you take the opportunity to change to a quick ratio, higher effort steering box from an 88 Monte Carlo SS. You can get one from Advance Auto for probably the same price. All you would need is the coupler and hose adapters.

Lee Mfg will sell a blueprinted steering box that can have as quick a ratio as 12.7 / 1 with a heavy effort that will bolt on with no changes to hoses or the coupler. A great product,they build sreering componenets for everyting from Nascar to custom handicaped applications. 818-768-0371. Tell them what you want and they will build it. I have used Tom Lee's products for about 20 years and have been happy every time I have delt with them, great people.

First, the number of turns "Lock-to-lock" doesn't directly correlate to a quicker ratio, as it will also depend on the internal stops...

higher effort steering box from an 88 Monte Carlo SS. You can get one from Advance Auto for probably the same price. All you would need is the coupler and hose adapters.Personally, I would get a 1990s (92-96) Impala SS/ Caprice box (Police car option 9C1, etc) before I would get the Monte Carlo box...

The are both quick ratio, and both require the new coupler/rag-joint and the hose adapters, BUT, the Monte has "shorter" internal stops than a stock Chevelle... Reducing you turning radius, despite being quicker... The Caprice/Impala SS box is much closer to the stock Chevelle in this regard... They both have the same 12:1 ratio...
Of course, this is asuming you have the choice... Maybe the junkyard has a Monte box cheap, etc...

As for the coupler/rag-joint, you could pull one from the wrecking yard (the tech reference has the applications), or get one from GM or Lee manufacturing...

Lee also has the hose adapters to adapt the box to your existing hoses (and only a few bucks for those)...

You will need to use your Chevelle Powersteering pitman arm... Switching to another pitman arm (Caprice, late model Monte, etc)won't work (unless you changed the idler arm too, but I have never heard anybody doing that)...

one thing to check is to see if they can pull up part numbers for other cars of the same year like Camaro and Novas to see if they have the part number. If the part numbers are different, then I think it would only pertain to the internal stops and everything else is a direct swap. physically, they are all the same and will interchange no problem. If you have power steering already, then your existing pitman arm should work just fine, all you need is a new box. I say go for it! Why don't you take in your old one and compare it to the new one so you know it is the right one.

Bill C.