Steering Box. Restore or Buy new?

[71SandbugCharger]

Pulled the steering box from the K-frame.

Restore it? Following this video, the comments, and the service manual?


Buy a new and improved unit from Firm Feel or PST?

I’ve never driven the car with it in it, except to push move the car backwards into the garage, so I’m not sure how sloppy it is. For a ‘71 Charger SE.

Thanks for the inputs!

 

[Kern Dog]

The answer entirely depends on your expectations for the car.
A stock steering box, even rebuilt to Firm Feel standards, will still have the free play-slop from the 11:00-1:00 position. It is less noticeable when the steering box is rebuilt to stock as opposed to a stage 2 or 3.
The Borgeson steering box is expensive but it has none of the center slop. I put one in my Charger and am quite happy with it.

 

[Charlie Brown]

Purchase the Borgeson steering box and the kit that goes with it from Bergnan Auto Craft. You won't be disappointed. It will be like driving a new car. When you move the steering wheel, the car will move with you instead of wandering all over the road. One of the best upgrades I did to my car (64 Polara).

 

[ckessel]

What they said x2. If what you want is the OE look and can put up with the slop, go FF. Do not waste your time, money, labor on a parts store reman. If you want to make a worthwhile improvement, check in with Peter at BAC. Big time Mopar guy too. Will set you up with ALL of the needed pieces to do the swap out unlike other retailers of the Borgeson box. You need more than just the steering box.

 

[71SandbugCharger]

What they said x2. If what you want is the OE look and can put up with the slop, go FF. Do not waste your time, money, labor on a parts store reman. If you want to make a worthwhile improvement, check in with Peter at BAC. Big time Mopar guy too. Will set you up with ALL of the needed pieces to do the swap out unlike other retailers of the Borgeson box. You need more than just the steering box.

Peter at BAC? BAC? Thanks!

 

[Sinitro]

Suggest U try another supplier than Firm Feel....
My experience with FF was a horror story...
Bought a steering box from FF and paid expensive next day air shipping. Installed it and it leaked badly, called FF about sending a replacement and got the bad attitude, sunshine treatment. No consideration of compensation of the r&r of the labor, and they told me to send the box back @ my expense. Gee thanks.. Told me they would inspect it and if found defective they would send a replacement. I ordered another box from another supplier, got it promptly, installed it no leaks and all was fine. Next I bought a reseal kit, rebuilt the original FF box and sold it @ the Spring Fling swap meet...

Just my $0.02...

 

[Nirvana]

I had a cardone new box in my 74 swinger and with upgraded tie rod sleeves it’s was the nicest steering mopar I have ever driven. Very small amount of play at the 11 to 1 positions as mentioned above, but that’s mopar power steering for you.

It didn’t feel over assisted like all the cardone rebuilt boxes I’ve used before, and it didn’t leak like them either.

Jared

 

[snakeoil24]

Avoid the berg o den kit head ache have it rebuilt by firm feel very good work

 

[gtxdana]

It's interesting that the Mopar crowd has mostly good reviews for the Borgeson box. I'm on my second Borgeson box in 500 miles in one of my other hot rods. Sure, it's a quick ratio, but it has no road feel and a mile of play on center. Yes, everything is new and I've also tried various pump pressure/flow mods. Looking back, I would have been miles ahead resealing the factory high effort/fast ratio box. As it is, I have a $500 dollar paperweight. Hopefully the FF stage 3 box I have for the GTX works out, but I won't know until I get that project back together.

 

[bandit67]

I put on the Borgeson kit and do like the results. While I still have the stock exhaust system in use I am planning to install headers in the future. Many have said the smaller Borgeson unit helps a lot with header clearance, if you plan to go that route later on.

 

[hpg4815]

I put a borgeson on my 72 charger and it is nice. question is what do I do with the old original one? scrap it? I hate throwing things away, but I need to do something.

 

[bandit67]

Turn it in as a rebuildable core to one of your local auto parts stores. Somebody someday will need one....

 

[RJ Squirrel]

Redhead steering gear in Auburn, WA- I sent them my original and had them rebuild it- no slop at all. It was about 500 bucks.

 

[icetech]

I put a borgeson on my 72 charger and it is nice. question is what do I do with the old original one? scrap it? I hate throwing things away, but I need to do something.

put it on marketplace for $100.. better than trashing it.. someone will buy it.

 

[1KoolBee]

I rebuilt mine using a parts store kit and a set of cop car reaction springs from firm feel. Not very hard to do. It was much better than stock but if originality and cost aren’t an issue, I’d go Borgeson. A lot of the stock 11-1 slop is from too much play between the lock collar and piston head assembly. That can be shimmed out.

 

[hpg4815]

I rebuilt mine using a parts store kit and a set of cop car reaction springs from firm feel. Not very hard to do. It was much better than stock but if originality and cost aren’t an issue, I’d go Borgeson. A lot of the stock 11-1 slop is from too much play between the lock collar and piston head assembly.

I have the borgenson unit installed. I was just wondering what to do with the original.

 

[chrger1967]

The answer entirely depends on your expectations for the car.
A stock steering box, even rebuilt to Firm Feel standards, will still have the free play-slop from the 11:00-1:00 position. It is less noticeable when the steering box is rebuilt to stock as opposed to a stage 2 or 3.
The Borgeson steering box is expensive but it has none of the center slop. I put one in my Charger and am quite happy with it.

There are a few others making these boxes and you don't have to modify your steering column. Lares being one of them and they are around $450-500.

 

[AR67GTX]

I have the borgenson unit installed. I was just wondering what to do with the original.

You might just call Firm Feel and see if they will buy it as a core. I swapped from manual to PS and they gave me $200 for the old manual box, even paid for shipping. Of course it will probably cost $50 +/- to ship the heavy thing but if they are buying you would still probably come out a little ahead.

 

[icetech]

There are a few others making these boxes and you don't have to modify your steering column. Lares being one of them and they are around $450-500.

just FYI if you are going from power steering to borgeson you don't have to modify the column at all..

 

[chrger1967]

just FYI if you are going from power steering to borgeson you don't have to modify the column at all..

You don’t have to shorten the column by an inch or so? Or is that in certain models?