Well I took the car to work today. All was well on the way in, but when I left it made the tell tale "groan" from the power steering and I figured I had developed a small leak. Well......small was a SLIGHT understatement. The pitman arm shaft seal decided to go on hiatus and it was spewing out just as fast as I could pour it in the pump.
So I now need to replace the steering gear box. Fun, fun, fun.

 

Get a quick ratio box you will love it

 

What application?

 

Easier to replace the seal.

Norm

 

That is what I would do if I had to remove it. Check with Chip at Power Steering Services in Springfield, MO. I have never heard a bad thing about him. He has a good website. http://www.powersteering.com/

 

The seal keeps the fluid in a good box if the internals are slopping around it will take the new seal out in no time New Q/R boxes are a couple hundred bucks WELL worth it to me

 

If you always wanted a quick ratio box, this is the time!

I am hoping mine will go out soon so I can justify its replacement......

 

search the jeep grand charokee box, it will bolt up with 2 Lee adapters for your lines and a new rag joint.

You will thank the old box for going bad. Best upgrade I have done on mine, 2 3/4 lock to lock.

 

X2 on Power Steering Services. Chip can either rebuild your box with the quick ratio gears or exchange it if you're in a hurry.

 

X2, just did mine a couple of weeks ago and it made a huge difference.

 

What was the lock-to-lock for a '70 442 with power steering as it came from the factory?

 

My problem is I can't leave the car immobile for any length of time due to my parking situation. I am AGONIZING over what to do about this. I would like to get a quick ratio box but the down time would not be possible.

 

According to this it was 4-1/2 turns.

http://www.corvettesteering.com/powe...box_ratios.htm

If you can come up with a place to do it it only takes a few hours to change out the steering box svnt442. Don't disconnect the pitman arm from the steering linkage, just pull it off with a pitman arm puller and let it hang, saves a lot of time.
You also take apart the rag joint instead of trying to disconnect it from the box in the car, just make sure the steering shaft/steering wheel stays in the exact same place and doesn't turn when it's apart.
I have a new AGR box and it has specific bleeding instructions, it can only use synthetic PS fluid too.
You bleed the new box before putting the pitman arm back on, easier than jacking the front end off the ground to do it with the wheels turning. The box has to be bled with the engine off by turning the wheel several times from lock to lock then just with the engine cranking, constantly monitor the fluid level. If you fill and bleed it with the engine running on or off the ground you can ruin the internals.
I put a regular 12-1 box in my GTO and it's nice but the steering is just as easy feeling with hardly any feedback or road feel. It can be a little too fast for lane changes sometimes, have to be careful or you can start the car tank slapping if you over correct too fast.
The AGR box in my Vista is a variable ratio 16-13 to 1 and AGR changes the internal valving for a very firm feel, you sure can't turn a corner with one finger anymore. I'm still not sure if I like it or not. The AGR boxes are new, not rebuilt, expensive but I had a Summit gift certificate I won at a show and lots of Summit Bucks credits, the place loves me.
Summit is about 45 minutes from me but it only cost 8 bucks to ship the box so I went that route, came the next day.
I found out you can only use synthetic PS fluid when I got it so then I had to drive out to Summit (only one who carries the fluid in town) to get the fluid so I could get it done.
BOP show there this Sunday.

 

It has been a few years, but check with "Straight Line" steering in San Jose. CA.

Gene

 

I read that link differently. The steering on my '70 442 is described as N47, Vari-ratio Power Steering. That corvette paper says this is 16-13:1 and has about the same number of turns as the fixed 14:1, which it describes as 3-1/4 turns lock-to-lock. He also says that when you put a 12:1 "quick ratio" box in a '64-72 A-body -- and properly remove the stop limits -- you will have 3 turns lock-to-lock.

All I know is that my car has much closer to 3 turns than 4. I've always wondered if it's as delivered from the factory or if a previous owner put a quick ratio box in it. I believe it's as original.

Sorry to hi-jack.

 

X3 on Power Steering Services

 

I've also heard good things about Power Steering Services. While you are messing with the steering you might as well replace the rag joint, and lube the steering components.

 

93-98 Jeep Grand Cherokee quick ratio box. About $65 at local junkyards or $190 for a reman.

 

This is the route I went. Great service and not a terrible price. It was $254 out the door and they had it done in one day. I got the box in and all is well. The bad thing is the rag joint is bad and needs to be replaced. The only place I could find one was Year One. I ordered one tonight so hopefully it will be here in less than a month. The damn thing cost $84.