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Bergman PS box (Borgeson) and Lares PS box on a 66 Hemi?

AR67GTX

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Since my post on S&G Sport feel boxes wasn’t getting much response and their phone was busy when I called, I started browsing through threads and reading up on the Lares and Bergman boxes and have a couple of questions.

Has anyone installed a Bergman (Borgeson) box on a stock 66 Hemi with TRW pump and stock hoses? In other words do the hose connections clear the stock manifolds or require an adaptor? Does the box accept the 5/8” return?

On the Lares 11033 “new manufacture” box I’m not finding much feedback on steering effort, and center feel. I assume since it’s very similar to the stock box it would clear a Hemi manifold with a 90 degree fitting on the pressure line? Is it a 15.7:1 box? Based on the following it looks like it might not be recommended for a 66 and earlier and at the bottom it seems to promote a Firm Feel box? Edit: Looks like the fast ratio box is 11043.

Lares Catalog
 
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Ive no reply to your question. Mine was converted to power steering many years ago.

Its a stock B body box, . And he used the Saginaw pump and hoses for 67 or later ( easier to find parts for )

I have no complaints
 
I’ve already got the early 60s TRW pump, brackets, hoses, fittings and pulleys, and shaft so I’m what you might call committed to a basically stock set up. But if Bergman has a box that bolts right in and hooks up I’ll consider it. It sounds like they have a coupler that works on a standard PS column shaft.

Thanks
 
My issue for the Bergman box is it doesn't look like a Mopar box, Same goes for a Lares.
 
Originality or function? It's up to you.
 
Heard from Peter. Sounds like it could be a little problematic with the TRW pump and not enough pressure. Complicating that is the Hemi only has a 5-1/2” crank pulley - I aasume to prevent over speeding the alternator and power steering and water pump at high rpm. He said Hemi pulleys were never available with Saginaw pumps and that might pose a problem at low speed. I guess he normally recommends a Saginaw pump if I understood him correctly and I don’t think it fits an Hemi. And you can’t easily use RB (non-Hemi) pulleys with the Hemi balancer. He knows his Mopars.

So, for this occasional cruiser I’ll probably go with some sort of OEM box and not take a chance. Sounds like there is a bit of favoritism leaning to Firm Feel over Steer and Gear. I’ll probably stick with a level 2 or Modern level to avoid the numb center position transitioning to heavy resistance on either side with the level 3 box that Kern Dog referenced in one of his posts.
 
Mine is a Saginaw pump from a big block ( year unknown )
But mine uses an aftermkt balancer so I have a typical B/RB pulley setup
 
Yeah - the balancer is why it normally doesn’t fit a 66/67 Hemi.
 
I have a new borgeson steering gear and lares power steering pump. Drives great.
 
Since it looks like you'll stay with an oe box, check in with Redhead out of Washington state. Another rebuilder, like Firm Feel and Steer and Gear, who do a proper job of actually rebuilding the unit. Unlike parts stores and many other outlets where, if you're lucky, the reman company they source from will replace a seal, repaint it and call it "rebuilt".
 
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