I noticed that YEARONE is offering a rebuild service for a stock 64-72 steering box. They say that they will use late model Camaro(IROC) components to turn it into a quick ratio box(2.5 turns lock to lock). Has anyone ever tried this themselves? I have an IROC box in the garage, is it as simple as changing over the internals?

It's easier. You just need to install the new box. You will need a new pitman arm. The old one does not fit the new box. Mid 70s stearing boxes from Camaros and Firebirds will work. I have one in my '67.

Chuck

Sure, but do you get the correct turning radius with the Camaro box?

I thought you had to pack the new guts into an old box and end cap or it takes 40 acres to turn the thing around.

The thing that restricts the pitman shaft travel is the special end cap on the one end and large snap ring(s)up inside the rack piston bore that retricts travel in the other direction. If you are using your original Chevelle housing and end cap your travel should remain as original.

JIML82

I just had mine done by a company here local. Thats all they do (steering stuff) been in business atleast 20 years. Anyway I went with the newer box because I wanted the O ring style connections to match the Detroit Speed pump.
They can build yours or just send you one ready to go. One year warranty. For one off the shelf they are about $150. If you have yours rebuilt its about $190.
The nice thing about having them do it is you can tell them what you want and they will build it to that spec.
I went with 3 turns Lock to lock.
I kept the original rag joint and pitman arm to.
ADCO Power Steering Prouducts 713)681-1446

Originally posted by Chuck B:
It's easier. You just need to install the new box. You will need a new pitman arm. The old one does not fit the new box. Mid 70s stearing boxes from Camaros and Firebirds will work. I have one in my '67.

Chuck I can install the late model box. And all I have to do is get a pitman arm from a 70's camaro?

Chuck [/qb][/QUOTE]I can install the late model box. And all I have to do is get a pitman arm from a 70's camaro? [/QB][/QUOTE]

The newer box will have oring style lines to.

O-ring style lines? I've never messed with anything newer than my chevelle stuff, so I don't know you guys are talking about. Does it not have an inverted flare connection to your hoses? I've also been told that G-body quick ratio gears will work.

Can you guys post a list of what you/I would need and what applications these parts were available for? I'm taking it that a 3rd gen F-body gear with a 2nd gen pitman arm will work (still unclear about what the cap/snap ring has to do with it). What else works? I heard that the Grand National boxes are the "best choice".

TJ

Hello, you are correct in that the quick ratio G body boxes are an excellent choice. I have a 9C1 option box off of a early 90's Caprice cop car on my 68. I reused a power pitman arm off an original box. The newer boxes use a O ring to seal instead of a flare end. I went through all or this on my 68. Feel free to ask any questions you might have. One note though, I also own an 87 Monte SS that I installed a IROC box on & never noticed a turning radius problem, JOHN

Should I use the late model pump also?

Power Steering Services,in Springfield,Missouri rebuilds YOUR steering boxes and PS pumps.They have a web site(www.powersteering.com). CHECK IT OUT!

Originally posted by mr:
Power Steering Services,in Springfield,Missouri rebuilds YOUR steering boxes and PS pumps.They have a web site(www.powersteering.com). CHECK IT OUT! I had them do mine too. But I have manual steering, so they rebuilt it.

No complaints.

Chris.

You will need a new pitman arm. The old one does not fit the new box The factory Chevelle pitman arm WILL fit the newer pitman shaft... As long as the Chevelle arm is for power steering.

Manual steering pitman arms will need to be replaced wit hspecific power steering pitman arms... The pitman arms are chassis-specific, so make sure you have one for your Chevelle (and not the Camaro, etc)...

The rag-joint/input spline changed on later boxes, so those have to be changed if swapping the whole box. But the older input can still be used with the rest of the "quick ratio" internals (pretty sure on this)

Ok, so heres the million dollar question(or two), I have a late model Pontiac formula 350 that is complete(parts car). What do I need to use off of this car?
Steering box, lines, pump and rag joint? And the only thing I will use from my 71 is my original power steering pitman arm?

I have researched and written a paper that discusses what fast ratio gears can exchanged into your Chevelle. The one thing that does not seem to be part of the above discussion is the amount of pitman shaft travel. You want a steering gear with roughly the same amount of travel as your original gear. Otherwise, your turning circle could get quite large. Original Chevelle gears had quite a bit of travel.

I am posting links to several spread sheets that list the original Chevelle travels as well as alternatives. BTW, the 1992 1/2 thru 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee gear is a good alternative.

Here is the 6 page paper:
http://www.corvettefaq.com/acar/A-CarFastRatioGear10JN2002.doc

Here are the original Chevelle gear charts:
http://www.corvettefaq.com/acar/1964-74ChevelleStrgGearBoxes.xls

Fast Ratio Alternatives:
http://www.corvettefaq.com/acar/1985-96Caprice,MonteCarlo,BuickFastRatioGears.xls

http://www.corvettefaq.com/acar/1992-98GrandCherokeeFastRatioStrgGear12DE04.xls

Thank you for that last post JIML82.

We added power steering to our '69 Chevelle using a stock box from a '72 Lemans. It is variable ratio, just over 3 turns lock to lock, and gives some road feel, unlike the earlier boxes. These seem to be pretty easy to find, are cheap, and are a direct bolt in. It suits our purposes fine.

I just found a build sheet under my front seat, is there a way to tell what steering box I have? It is between 2.5 to 3 turns lock to lock.

I put 85/87 Monte SS boxes in both my cars. But I'm running the newer type II PS pump also. But you can use the PS lines for the Monte and just grab the insert the large nut shaped piece out of the back of a newer PS pump and it screws right into your old pump and you don't have to worry about old lines VS newer lines. They will be metric O-ring style on both ends.