Steering box...Been covered..?

[BadRATT]

I know a thousand guys have asked this question and now I will be the next.I did a search on it but nothing.I know everyone LOVES the vega steering boxes and so do I BUT the prices keep getting higher and THERE has to be another way to get your rat rod to steer by using something close to a Vega box.I bought an old 1967 Mustang manual box but read that they dont work.>!!! HUH..??!? I saw a posting about using a Volvo box..Never ever found one for sale..one guy claims they sell for over 350.00 dollars . Now I see alot of older chevy ones for sale...Camaros manual ones are starting to show up like crazy and I see decent prices on them.Is it possible to make and KEEP a list of what might REALLY work for a rat rod steering set-up.??!?! There has to be a way to keep the list handy then find what might work and buy it.I know every application will be different but there has to be some BASIC kind of a steering box I can use..!! I see these quick turn ones from older GM cars that are popping up too...manual ones...Should I buy one..? Will it work..? OK..someone needs to write a book..!!

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

Easy man, it's not THAT hard. Decide what style of steering you want. (cross steer, traditional drag link, etc.) This will also be dictated by your chassis and suspension setup. There are a lot of different boxes that will work for a lot of different setups. It just depends on your application.

Steering really isn't a place to pinch pennies, so if a vega box will work for you they are well worth the money and they have actually been going DOWN in price. They are all over eBay now for $150 shipped. That's money well spent if you are doing a cross steer setup. Early manual saginaw boxes will work with this setup as well but they are considerably larger.

If you do a traditional drag link style steering then it really depends on where your box will be and the location of the steering arm in relation to the mounting point. Sometimes you will need a pitman arm that faces up, which works well with an early Mustang or early VW bus box. If it needs to face down then the reversed corvair or F-1/F-100 comes into play. Cowl steering is a whole different story altogether that I won't even start on.

Somebody did write a book, and it's a good one. Available at Amazon and most anywhere on the net. Sounds like you need a copy...

 

[dumprat]

I used a 57 Jag steering box on my T I had. It was killer. Aluminum housing and recirculating ball,like a power box. Use waht ya find. Try a ranger pick up manual box. S10 boxes are too many turns lock to lock.

 

[ratterman]

thats alot of good info there blue eyed. i have a 78 vw bus box and a manual box from an s-10 so maybe i can use one of those on my project when the time comes to make it steer.

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

thats alot of good info there blue eyed. i have a 78 vw bus box and a manual box from an s-10 so maybe i can use one of those on my project when the time comes to make it steer.

Glad you could get some use out of it man. I stick with some pretty traditional stuff, so I'm not too familiar with the S-10 box. I can't give much guidance on that. If your bus box is a '78 it is too new for the application unfortunately. The hot ticket if you need an upward-facing pitman arm is the early style split window bus. They mount in a pillow block that bolts to the frame. This allows the column to be mounted on whatever angle is necessary. Pretty slick, but they are getting hard to come by...

 

[Tripper]

Somebody did write a book, and it's a good one. Available at Amazon and most anywhere on the net. Sounds like you need a copy...

Devil,
Never seen this one... gonna order one my own self! Thanks!!!

BoB

 

[BadRATT]

More about boxes..

I spent a better part of the day reading about steering boxes and the person who wrote it said to STAY AWAY FROM corvair boxes because they were designed for a car that had weight in the back,not the front. He said the best boxes to find are the manual Saginaw 525 boxes that come off of 1960 to early 1970 Chevelles,Cutlass and Skylarks for use with cross steering.

 

[rex1927]

What is the cheapest side steer box that is strong enough? I have a corvair but I want the steering box under frame on my current project with the pitman arm up.I was told to find a 1968-70 mustang manual box.What are the options?Thanks

 

[rustybeercan]

Steering really isn't a place to pinch pennies, so if a vega box will work for you they are well worth the money and they have actually been going DOWN in price. They are all over eBay now for $150 shipped.

I agree, I love Vega boxes and like to use a new one from Speedway for the peace of mind factor.

Beercan

 

[busman]

S-10 manual steering box works well ( saginaw 525) S-10 box is just a oversize vega box 20-1 ratio. Steers great, plenty stout, easy to adapt to a column, cheap and readily available at the junkyard.

 

[BadRATT]

A wee bit more..

I should have stated I am using CROSS STEERING as my preference.I do agree the Vega boxes are cheap...BUT if you could get a steering box that operates the same at about 1 third less what would you choose..? I am going with an S-10 manual box...I read quite a lot and they almost operate the same,but the S-10 is a bit stronger...besides...I LOVE saving money...lets me buy more parts.

 

[Lakota]

I'm having a hard time finding an S-10 (Saginaw 525) steering box at the junkyards. You'd think with everyone going power steering for their rods, Saginaws would be piled high. Here in San Antonio, junkyards are catching the Rat Rod fever. They're removing needed items and stockpiling them up behind the counters. Now you pay top dollar for it. Why??? Because others are going in to the junkyards, removing parts, and throwing them over the fence. Later they come back, pick them up and sell them at the hot rod flea markets.

So, what other GM car uses the Saginaw 525?

 

[bob w]

I got one out of an old Rambler, 70's or 80's, sorry I don't remember exactly.