Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

Where is a good place to send my '67 Camaro's original manual steering gearbox to get it rebuilt to stock spec's.

I ordered my car with the manual "quick ratio" steering option on it. I never did really figure out if that was just a longer pitman arm or a different, "tooth count(?)/screw pitch count(?)", inside it or what??

I have everything to put power on it, but I am torn as to if I really want to, big block engine or not???

And I have to say that back way years ago with my old CRAGAR 14" x 6" deep dish chrome reverse rims and only E-60/14 tires on the front, I darn near couldn't parallel park it with just a small block in it!

pdq67

No answers so OK, lets do it this way!

What do you think is a good price to rebuild a manual steering gearbox?

Send it to, "Cardone", and not worry about it?

pdq67

The 4X4 Mag I read LOVE this company: Lee Manufacturing and I went looking for a web page but didn't find one. Also all I have read is Power Boxes no Manual mention. I do know someone that has used their service and he is vary happy with the results. Here are a few links of some relevance I found for you: http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/7553 ... eering-box Phone Number and address at the bottom of this second link: http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/49838- ... -steering/ Harry

pdq67 wrote: Send it to, "Cardone", and not worry about it?

As a repair shop owner who has seen a ton of their stuff, I would be worried about it.
IMO they are the absolute worst mass re-builders. I can tell you a million stories.
Of course, when you're a low cost provider to the big box auto parts stores like
Autobone and Slowreilly's, what do you expect.

ZIGGY,

Please list some rebuilder names that you feel good about using.

I have Lars and Redhead as two rebuilders to look at now..

pdq67

Some specialty re-builders doubtless would be okay. I have no experience with such. I do have a call in to some friends in the "classic car" business.
Problem with mass re-builders is how are you going to get your box back? I've been to a Cardone facility. IMO everything is so co-mingled you may end up
with God knows what, and likely the only thing that happened to the box you get in return was it was cleaned, checked for damage (supposedly ),
couple of seals slapped in (not pinched, nicked or backwards if your're lucky), and maybe tightened if adjustment allows. Forget any hard parts. You know trucks. Go see a truck repair facility, see if they'd be willing to crack open your box and see what you need, then buy the parts. Probably some auto shops local to you would do it
(for me it would not be the kind of profitable business that's desirable), but you'd have to be sure you weren't dealing with monkeys.

It's funny you should mention all this, I had my '80 C/10, P/U's box rebuilt because it had 1/2 a turn play in it and it wasn't at the rag-joint or in any of the rest of the steering pieces.

AutoZone sent it in and it came back with a bunch of, "tattle-tail", yellow globs of paint all over it to tell them if I had been inside it to see what they did.

The rebuilder 1st sent back an Astro Van box so I had to send it back and wait for them to rebuild my old core. I figure the rebuilder didn't have a core so just bought the sale by sending the Van box to me to get me on the hook so they would have time to rebuild mine... Whatever......................

It worked great so I never bothered.



pdq67

ZIGGY wrote: I do have a call in to some friends in the "classic car" business.

They tell me they have no experience with the specialty re-builders either. They use a local (primarily) truck re-builder.

used to rebuild a lot of steering boxes the problem is getting the hard parts like the worm gear and sector.. the bad part about sending in your close ratio box for exchange or rebuild is that you may not get your box back or that you get your box back without the close ratio gears inside the box.. if I were you I would rebuild the box myself its not that hard.. if you need help contact me

My only experience with steering boxes is that they have shims in them. But they're NOT all the same. Read the service manual?
When the box starts to wear, remove shims to get rid of the slack.
Most of the time, that's good enough.

There's not reason NOT to DIY.

pdq67 wrote:Where is a good place to send my '67 Camaro's original manual steering gearbox to get it rebuilt to stock spec's.

I ordered my car with the manual "quick ratio" steering option on it. I never did really figure out if that was just a longer pitman arm or a different, "tooth count(?)/screw pitch count(?)", inside it or what??

I have everything to put power on it, but I am torn as to if I really want to, big block engine or not???

And I have to say that back way years ago with my old CRAGAR 14" x 6" deep dish chrome reverse rims and only E-60/14 tires on the front, I darn near couldn't parallel park it with just a small block in it!

pdq67

Those boxes are very simple to disassemble, inspect, and reseal, check bearings, pitman shaft, worm gear and teeth etc. New input and pitman shaft seal and your good. Refill with chassis grease through one of the plate cover bolt holes and your done. Final worm gear adjustment once back on the car. I'd be leary of giving my original box as a core to any of the rebuilders, because as previously mentioned, they are usually junk.

I have used Pro Steering Systems on two occasions, both times with good results. I'm currently using this manual fast ratio box in a 68 Z/28 road racer:
http://www.prosteering.com/nm500q.htm

This is a new box, which I believe is made in Canada. Easy direct replacement for the factory Camaro box. The fast ratio is fine on the track, but I wouldn't want to do any parking with it! Especially if you are not as young as you used to be. HA!