[136379G]

I have read the benefits of changing out an A body steering box to a Jeep Grand Cherokee box and how simple the swap is. My question is, can the A body box be swapped for one from 1986 Z28 Camaro? It will be for a 69 Chevelle BB. I ask only because I have the Z28 box in hand. Thanks Ed

 

[crazy canuck]

You could but the steering stops are out of whack so you will be like austin powers trying to turn.I did the jeep cherokee swap for under $100 and it is the best cheapest thing I ever did to my chevelle,it steers flat out awesome.

 

[sglide]

Check out Jim Shea's research on this at http://www.chevelles.com/techref/ftecref29.html. You will see that the 86 Camaro box has a wider turning radius than your chevelle box. Depending on which 86 box you have, the degree is 32 or 35, while the 69 Chevelle is sharper at 43 degrees 30min. The JGC boxes are 43 degrees 45 min radius.

 

[Tom Mobley]

What they said. You'll have to plan ahead, have a 40 acre field handy if you want to tur around.

 

[OLDED]

Just do a donut under power to make up for the wide radius!! Mall parking lots or grocery store lots are the most fun to do that - people just tend to scatter..

 

[1fast71elco]

From personal experience, DO NOT run a Camaro box on your Chevelle. There is nothing to gain but frustration by using it over a JGC box. Plus the overall feel of the JGC blows the Camaro box out of the water! Just my 2 cents.

 

[Becker]

Plus the overall feel of the JGC blows the Camaro box out of the water! Just my 2 cents.

I'm running an 89 Camaro IROC box in my 70 Chevelle and except for the turning issue the feel is great.

Can you explain your above statement?

While we're on the subject, would I be better off with the JGC steering box than having a totally rebuilt box using the IROC guts installed in my 70 steering box?

 

[1fast71elco]

Simply the JGC box uses a larger diameter T-bar so the feel is much tighter/heavier than the Camaro box. I can confirm this as I have used both. The turn radius is drastically different and something that I would not trade for again. Besides the steering ratio is exactly the same (12:1 quick ratio) in both the Camaro and JGC boxes so the benefit of the better feel, turning radius and no extra cost of the JGC box largely outway the Camaro box. However I do realize my statement about the feel of the steering is really personal preference. Having had both though the JGC box feels more stout and stable.

 

[Becker]

Simply the JGC box uses a larger diameter T-bar so the feel is much tighter/heavier than the Camaro box. I can confirm this as I have used both. The turn radius is drastically different and something that I would not trade for again. Besides the steering ratio is exactly the same (12:1 quick ratio) in both the Camaro and JGC boxes so the benefit of the better feel, turning radius and no extra cost of the JGC box largely outway the Camaro box. However I do realize my statement about the feel of the steering is really personal preference. Having had both though the JGC box feels more stout and stable.

You must be talking about a regular Camaro box and not an IROC box, because specs are different depending on the suspension options.

The steering radius of the Camaro box does suck and if I didn't have the IROC box I'd definitely do the JGC swap.

 

[1fast71elco]

My bad, you may be right as I see one Camaro box with a slightly larger t-bar diameter and one with a slightly smaller diameter. Both ranges include the '86 so not sure which one you have. Hey, if you can live with making Austin Powers type u-turns I say bravo, but it was a joyous day when I made the swap to the JGC and made my first complete u-turn! haha


JGC Box info...
http://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-grand-cherokee-steering-box-swap-w-pics.html

Camaro '86 Box Info...
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0901_gm_steering_box_upgrade/viewall.html

 

[136379G]

Thanks Ralph for the best most informative reply, and thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply. Maybe I can use the Camaro box for the core return???