MDchanic

You've got to use a puller to take it off, but to put it on, you just push it into place and push it home with the big fastening nut.

It can fit 4 different ways, 90° apart, so it's not hard to find the right direction.

- Eric

rktolds

Thanks, that's a big help. I hope to get this done this week.

Matt

rktolds

Well I finally have the box ready to go back into my '72. We are having a problem getting enough room to fit the rag joint and steering column together? Any pointers? Did you guys go from the bottom or top? Take the power steering pump off for more room? This is the last huge hurdle before my whole suspension is done. Any help appreciated.

Matt

MDchanic

Don't know what to say about that.

They should just go together, by cocking the parts and then popping them into place.
The column universal joint has some extension / compression range, and should allow the lower portion of the column to retract into it just a bit.

You'll probably have the easiest time installing the box from the bottom in an A-body.

- Eric

rktolds

We got it to work. The rag joint had to be adjusted and slid closer to the box. That made up the room we needed to bolt it all together.

Matt

fdwheelman

You can safely update that this works for my 78 Holiday 88. I put a new 96 Grand Cherokee box in this morning.

Here's my parts list:

96 Jeep Grand Cherokee Steering Box
95 Jeep Cherokee steering shaft (marked NACAM) which is a dual u-joint shaft
81 Firebird high pressure hose
96 Jeep Grand Cherokee low pressure fitting for steering box.
Hayden power steering pump cooler

The box is a direct bolt in. The three bolts are identical between the two, so I used my 78's bolts. Pittman arm went right on.

The steering shaft I had learned from the G-Body guys that upgrade their rag joint to a 2 u-joint setup. It cleaned a lot of the steering up before I went for the box. And for a Delta, it too is a direct bolt in. If someone has a pic of the end of the steering wheel side of the shaft, I will confirm or deny that it will work for the A-Body...

The high pressure hose had to be modified a little. The fitting worked for the steering box end, but not for the pump side. I ended up cutting the new end off, put my old fitting on, flared the end and tossed it in. No leaks as of yet.

I added a cooler since the last pump burned up on me, and I do take this car Autocrossing. Just wanted a little added protection.

Good news is that in about 3 hours - Pump, Box, Lines, and Cooler were all installed and it is moving under it's own power.

The down side is that I HATE air bubbles. Been working with a groaning pump for a little while. Just letting them work their way out now. Worst case is I'll replace pieces, all under warranty!!!

Promethean

I've been lurking on the site for awhile and reading this thread. I finally got up the nerve to swap out the steering gear. I'm a complete novice with ZERO mechanical skills, experience or know how. I joined Classic just to thank you guys for the awesome instructions.

The difference in steering feel is STUNNING. Previously driving was a white knuckle affair with a lot of constant correcting, big steering inputs with modest movement, etc. My wife drove it once and said never again. With the swap the steering is greatly improved, feels a lot like a modern body on frame truck. It's not like my Audi but the feel is similar to my Pathfinder. The turn-to-lock is dramatically reduced and steering "firmness" is improved. There is still no "feel", but there is a more natural and modern resistance to turning the wheel. The wife even likes it - which I'm not sure is a good thing....

Parts were simple:
Used JGC box - $55 from a local yard
Adapters from Lee - $15 (Lee folks were very helpful)
New return hose from NAPA - mine was original and rotting
Rag Joint from Rock Auto - $25 I think
Pitman Arm Puller (I didn't even know what the heck a pitman arm was, let alone a puller!) - $10 NAPA

The only novice tips I can provide are the following:
1. Leave the steering box on the car to remove pitman arm - it gives you the best leverage
2. Mark the return and pressure lines so you don't confuse them - again I'm new to this
3. When installing the new box getting it to line up with the steering coupler can be tricky. Insert only one of the lower bolts loosely on the steering box. Then you will have enough play to line up the steering coupler
4. Have some extra Cotter pins. I disconnected some steering components to have more room to work
5. I purchased an enormous socket and drive for the bolt on the pitman arm - smarter move would have been to rent or borrow
6. If pitman gives you grief - it took me about 1/2 hour - use a lot of penetrating oil and I used a heat gun as well. Tighten that sucker, pound it a couple of times with a BFH (4 - 5 lbs) on the center pin, tighten, repeat

Again - thanks to everyone, the awesome pics and descriptions.

Now I need to find a thread to get the damn horn to work....

xr van

hi all,

just wondering if anyone has done this swap on a 56 with power steer? is it a bolt up or are there alignment issues with the box and column? does the stock 56 power steer pitman arm fit the sector shaft on the box? Is steering geometry or turning circle affected? Thanks for your help guys

mark

442nut

Thanks for this post, changed mine out yesterday and it was just as simple as the pictures!!

Alex72cutty

Thanks for the post. I plan to change mine out in a couple of weeks. I will give you guys updates.

Alex72cutty

Well, So much for a couple of weeks!!! I can say that this was a great upgrade!! Love the way the car steers.

biggus

MDchanic. What am I looking for at NAPA as far as the fittings, maybe a part #?

MDchanic

Arrrgh. It's been a while.

If possible, I would bring in the end of the line from the donor car, or possibly the steering box.

I probably have the receipt somewhere, but I won't be able to find it right away.

I just went in with the general measurements of the tubing and the nut and said, "What have you got that's this size?"

It looked like this:



Sorry I can't be more specific.

- Eric

Hurst66

Anybody know where to get the seat inserts ; lees phone is no longer in service

MDchanic

Strange. You're right.

Try them at LeeMfg@sbcGlobal.net or http://leepowersteering.com/

Welcome to ClassicOlds.

- Eric

Hurst66

Thanks!
I did email after I called and received no response . Do you think lee had these made or has anyone figured out another supply ?

MDchanic

From what I gather, Lee makes its own stuff, but there is no reason to believe that anyone else with a lathe (CNC or not) could easily run these off as well.

I'd give it a day or so - it's Sunday.

- Eric

rookieoldsguy72

Mmmm

rookieoldsguy72

Mr Lee retired tried to order adapters and recieved E-mail saying he retired.
Fyi
Rookieoldsguy72

MDchanic

Whoa.

Better find my extra one, and mic. it up in case I need to make more.

- Eric

Darin Matera

just for a little feedback on the JGC swap. My '69 442 has full Ridetech suspension with coil overs at all 4 corners. The car handles beautifully on these curvy North Ga. roads and I will say the JGC box was an upgrade from stock BUT it is still not a "performance" upgrade. The box is a bit vague on center and I've been thru 2 of them so far. Oh, and yes the car has been aligned and rechecked. Looking into a rack conversion now

SnakeBit

looking, somewhere I saw a listing for how many teeth on the rag joint from dorman, each of the different ones have. I can't seem to find that so I know which rag joint to get since there are at least three different ones depending on the number of teeth. anybody know? thanx. checked with dorman and they don't know.....????

Darin Matera

The correct rag joint should be Dorman 31011

SnakeBit

Thanx!!! Dorman did give me the measurements of the size of the shaft, not the threads. need to measure and see which one. thanx again!!

65Delta

The Doorman 31011 has no ground wire for the horn like the OE rag joint did. What needs to be done to make the horn work? An add on ground strap?

SnakeBit

sure you could attach one to one of the bolts and have the same thing. just need a ring end to put the bolt thru.

65Delta

Thanks for the hint . As it turns out I didn't need the ground strap with the Doorman rag joint. Figured I'd give it a try before fabricating something and it worked so I called it good.

FYI the Jeep ZJ steering box fittings are M18 X 1.5 and M16 X 1.5 with O-ring type fittings. I had the local industrial hydraulic shop make me a new pressure line and picked up the M16 fitting and a 90 degree barbed elbow from them for the return line. I needed all new lines anyway so it worked out. The local auto parts store had no idea what 3/8" ID J189 hose was anyway...

dfire25

I'm thinking of using a Lares 1353 gear box with a Lares 200 coupling. Anyone try this setup? Does it work ok?

RetroRanger

IDK what the 1353 is but if you want a lares fast ratio that's made for you car the lares 974 comes w the coupler and is about $200 thru rock auto. Bolts right in fits perfect uses the original PS hoses and provides great feel comes w a 1 yr warrenty and lares is an American company w great customer service I spoke to a real knowledgable person on the phone and thru email when I had questions

The lares 970 or 971 appears to be the correct Oem style replacement box for 70-72 olds a bodies it's about $80

ELY442

Their website doesnt work anymore.

MDchanic

Someone on some thread somewhere said that they had gotten through and were told that Mr. Lee had retired, precipitously.

I dunno what to say.

- Eric

dfire25

So with Lee out of business, is there anywhere else to get these fittings?

The Lares $974 box is around $230 shipped, as compared to the $132 shipped for the 1353 box.

Qwik71442

Put the Lares 974 box on a 70 and it's 2.5 turns lock to lock what a big difference.....

dfire25

Is the steering much firmer as well? Mine is like driving a Cadillac on a cloud. Literally I can turn my wheel with my pinky.

RetroRanger

i have the 974

from the original box to the 974 the 974 provides a newer car feel to it, heavier than the old pinky steer , not sloppy like the old box positive on center feel, not so heavy that its hard but similar to my late model truck. Initially as the box broke in it had poor return to ctr, after a couple hundred miles it feels fantastic, i would not switch back

old thread i started on lares 974

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...nda-tight.html

dfire25

Will these fittings work as a replacement for the Lee fittings?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291526972968...&ul_noapp=true

MDchanic

They look exactly the same, other than the fact that the Lee ones were silver and these are brass colored.

- Eric

MDchanic

Note: also available from Borgeson, Summit, and Jegs.

- Eric

dfire25

Which is which now? Is the top one the pressure, and the bottom right the return?

Qwik71442

Yes, it is firmer than the 3 or 3.5 turn lock to lock power factory box. The Lares rep I spoke to before I bought it described it as a similar feel to the late eighty's Iroc box. It definitely doesn't have the cloudy Cadillac feel but more of a performance feel. I've had no problems so far and wouldn't hesitate to do again.