I try to explain my wish and please excuse, if i use non-correct wording, but my english is limited when it comes to technical terms related to cars...

The 1966 442 i have gladly found last year, lacks a slight steering accuracy (politically correct) or one can say, you cannot feel the cars direction even on straights (reality).

as i am used to european cars, maybe this is even factory default and normal on a 1966 olds, but i would really like to improve the situation (we have much smaller roads!)

what bothers me (and my wife during driving) most, is the huge amount of steering-wheel turns, that are needed to make the car go 'round a curve. this also creates the feeling of a "wobbly" cruise, as we constantly try to correct the car.

the steering mechanics itself is perfectly good, so would there be a way to change the steering box from a "37 turns from left to right" to a maybe "3-4 turns from left to right" model/version ?

are such boxes available and can these be swapped at all ?

sorry, if these are basic and way to easy questions, but i have one out of two still existing 442's in my area of the continent...

thank you, alex.

 

Well if all the steering parts are good then the steering box itself may need to be adjusted. It has a screw in that can be turned to adjust it. No more than a 1/4 turn at a time.

 

I'm not sure but the later boxes have a progressive 3.25 turns and should fit ...

The upper control arm bushings and are easy to see and go bad often ...

Look at the tire tread to diagnose other problems ...

You will not get rack and pinion feel however ...

 

thank you.

@70cutlass: will the adjuster-screw change the number of turns needed, because that is my "problem" ?

@mugzilla: if 3.25 means less turns, where could i look for those boxes and would they be "442-exclusive" or where they interchangeable whithin GM cars ?

 

The lack of road feel is very common for 1960s American cars. Your best bet is to replace the steering box with a rebuilt quick-ratio unit. I've had very good results with Power Steering Services (http://www.powersteering.com/) but there are others as well.

 

X2 on this. This is on my to-do list.

Also, if the front rubber suspension bushings are over 15 years old, replacing them can improve stability also. They dry out and deteriorate over time.
Adding a rear sway bar can help control rear end pitch around curves, making for more stable cornering. Bushing statement above fits here, too.

 

Adjusting the screw will only makes up for the slope in the steering. Due to the wear on the steering box. If your looking for better handling then changing the steering box would help improve it more then a adjustment. Joe and Rob are both right on what they said.

 

If any of the front suspension components are worn the car won't feel right. After my front end was rebuilt the change was dramatic and none of the steering linkage was replaced but the proper geometry was returned.

 

i will go and search the web for these "quick-ratio" or "progressive" boxes.
this forum is a fantastic and fast source of information, thank you all !

 

Not sure on availability in austria- but many folks are swapping 93-98 Jeep Grand Cherokee steering boxes into their GM-A Bodies.

Around here they can be fouund in wrecking yards for pretty cheap- and are a direct bolt in (after installing your pitman arm)

These have a much quicker ratio and have increased turning effort much like a newer car- This gives a night an day difference.

Having your stock box rebuilt as quick ration will still have the overboosted feel to it, there are components in the box that affect the turning effort and that is needed as much as the quicker turning ratio is.

There is lots of info on this swap on www.chevelles.com in the suspension section.

I'm about to install one of these boxes in my 66 cutlass.

 

Save everything you replace ...

How much is in your budget, you can do things in increments ...

Once more what do your front tires look like ...

Oh yeh, pics pleaz ...

:bs:

 

No need to do tha.t Joe just gave you a good one. Scroll up and click on his recomendation.

 

Nice ...

 

Westside Performance recommends Lee boxes ...

http://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sho...d.php?p=412923

 

Just to clarify, a STOCK disk brake upgrade does nothing to change the suspension or steering geometry. Aftermarket systems that use taller spindles (like the B-body spindles with 12" brakes) do improve the roll center but require expensive upper control arms and may cause bump steer problems.

 

Go to the guy Joe said.

I put a quick ratio in my GTO and it handles way better now, much better road feel, be careful the first time out on the freeway because it will change lanes quick.
Used to call it "The Wanderer".
I didn't have the pump done (didn't know at the time) and the wheel is jerky at very slow speeds like when you're sitting still or when parallel parking, like the pump can't keep up with it.
The power steering dude handles that too from what I've heard.
I'll have to see about that pump sometime, no large deal. I'm too busy with the Vista Cruiser right now, it eats all my extra money, every last cent.
I can hear it in the garage right now....."FEED ME!!".

 

So do I ...fells more like a rack than a box. Expensive but one of the best changes I made to my car.

 

now i am a little confused..

@joe: powersteering.com lets me click on some images to zoom in, but i don´t even know, which is "my" correct steering box (i am the kind of guy, who does the driving, while professionals do the swapping/repairing..)

yesterday i thought that would me my kind of place to order:
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/f...hid=319AC52517
true or not ?

also, i would prefer to get a more reactive steering gearbox, without having to send in my old "core". not only to keep the original (one never knows), but also due to the hassles of shipping, customs etc. from EU to US and back.

@rambow: so just buying a Grand Cherokee steering gearbox would solve it?

@mugzilla: brakes will be the next thing, right.. and pics of my car (before restoration, which is currently going on until end of march) are in the 442- and members-gallery

@bluevista: can you please tell me, where you got that box, i guess it should fit in the 442 also without too many modifications...

my 442 is a very nice and rare car, but therefore i have to learn everything from scratch.. and my professional mechanics, too...

 

I Thought the disc spindle was taller ...

 

Stock spindles are exactly the same height for both drum and disc.

 

Chip from there would know exactly what you need. He can even provide the core unit if you wanted.

You would need a couple other small parts.
Here is a detailed thread of that...
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...rokee+steering

 

I ordered my LEE from SC&C. It was drop shipped for lee with no core needed.

http://www.scandc.com/leesteering.htm

 

So I'm surfing around looking for the exact dimensions (can't find). I'm talking to the sales guy at Petes (http://www.petesmusclecars.com/servlet/Service ) since they carry drum and disc spindles but they did not have the specs. In any case he mentioned that they have come out with offset upper control arm bushings that you can cam around. They should work well with the offset shafts.

 

No offense but I remember having them side by side but that was 40 years ago ...

I must be getting old ...

 

alex,

As others stated, you can go the expensive route for a Lee box or the economical route and use a 92-98 Grand Cherokee steering box. If you do a "search forums" at the top, and type in grand cherokee steering, it should be one of the first ones to pop up. It lists the three items you need to get to do the job. I just bought a box off of ebay for $40 that will give me 2.5 turns, lock to lock. That is significantly better than the 3.5 to 4.0 turns the stock boxes have, and will eliminate the "turning forever" feeling. Total investment should be around $100.

 

With a 400/455 engine upgrade you can steer with your foot ...

...

 

that's not steering, that's purerly the way to go and have fun..!
and it even works with stock and restored 400´s