Swapping a Borgeson steering box in a 1970 Charger

[Darrah]

With some boxes and/or installations clearly louder than others, I am beginning to think the column configuration could be contributing to the volume of the noise issue. The ‘71-72 floor shifted columns did not include a lower shaft support bearing, just a seal, only supported by the upper bearing. The ’73 rag-joint conversion I did required adding a lower bearing, curious now if the lower bearing alone could have resolved or reduced my noise issue to a tolerable level without the need for the rag joint.

BTW, both boxes I’m dealing with were purchased in the last 8 months or so.

Funny enough, I just added a bearing to mine. Mine is a '71 floor-shifted car and I installed the box without a lower bearing (or seal for that matter). About two weeks later, I installed a lower unit bearing, not because of anything steering related, but to keep the hot air from blowing up the column.

The sound isn't appreciably different before or after bearing.

In my experience, one pump was SIGNIFICANTLY louder than another. I cannot explain it, but it was 100% the case. Original pump, quiet. Second pump, very loud. Original pump reinstalled, quiet again (it hisses, but not loud enough to be a big issue). As I mentioned earlier, I did loosen the pressure line into the box and it may have rotated slightly, but that's it. Can't really explain it.

 

[icetech]

since this thread is going i figured i would ask bout heat... i have only driven mine a few times but with a 60 degree outside temp my pump was 170-175... so in summer i could imagine hitting 200-220 pretty easily. Was looking at coolers and what the most efficient way to go would be and i ran into this in a article from hot rod...

"We talked with Tom Lee of Lee Manufacturing who builds racing power steering boxes, and pumps and he prefers the fluid temperature at 180 degrees F, but he also says anything below 250 degrees F is acceptable. What will kill pumps is temperatures exceeding 300 degrees F."
Just curious if you guys ran a cooler? and any pics of mounting/locations? tube or fin/tube? 2 tube/4tube? am curious if it's worth going with 4 over 2...

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

since this thread is going i figured i would ask bout heat... i have only driven mine a few times but with a 60 degree outside temp my pump was 170-175... so in summer i could imagine hitting 200-220 pretty easily. Was looking at coolers and what the most efficient way to go would be and i ran into this in a article from hot rod...

"We talked with Tom Lee of Lee Manufacturing who builds racing power steering boxes, and pumps and he prefers the fluid temperature at 180 degrees F, but he also says anything below 250 degrees F is acceptable. What will kill pumps is temperatures exceeding 300 degrees F."
Just curious if you guys ran a cooler? and any pics of mounting/locations? tube or fin/tube? 2 tube/4tube? am curious if it's worth going with 4 over 2...

Added a reproduction stock cooler when I did the conversion.

 

[Darrah]

since this thread is going i figured i would ask bout heat... i have only driven mine a few times but with a 60 degree outside temp my pump was 170-175... so in summer i could imagine hitting 200-220 pretty easily. Was looking at coolers and what the most efficient way to go would be and i ran into this in a article from hot rod...

"We talked with Tom Lee of Lee Manufacturing who builds racing power steering boxes, and pumps and he prefers the fluid temperature at 180 degrees F, but he also says anything below 250 degrees F is acceptable. What will kill pumps is temperatures exceeding 300 degrees F."
Just curious if you guys ran a cooler? and any pics of mounting/locations? tube or fin/tube? 2 tube/4tube? am curious if it's worth going with 4 over 2...

I would definitely do a cooler. I used a trans cooler from a 2000's Ford Ranger. It's stacked plate design, has a nice mounting flange and was much cheaper than aftermarket. I mounted it to the support in front of the radiator to get good airflow.

 

[icetech]

I would definitely do a cooler. I used a trans cooler from a 2000's Ford Ranger. It's stacked plate design, has a nice mounting flange and was much cheaper than aftermarket. I mounted it to the support in front of the radiator to get good airflow.

Was going to try to do something in the engine bay but that's not a bad idea...

 

[70ChargerRT]

since this thread is going i figured i would ask bout heat... i have only driven mine a few times but with a 60 degree outside temp my pump was 170-175... so in summer i could imagine hitting 200-220 pretty easily. Was looking at coolers and what the most efficient way to go would be and i ran into this in a article from hot rod...

"We talked with Tom Lee of Lee Manufacturing who builds racing power steering boxes, and pumps and he prefers the fluid temperature at 180 degrees F, but he also says anything below 250 degrees F is acceptable. What will kill pumps is temperatures exceeding 300 degrees F."
Just curious if you guys ran a cooler? and any pics of mounting/locations? tube or fin/tube? 2 tube/4tube? am curious if it's worth going with 4 over 2...

I bought this one off of Peter Bergman and mounted it right beside my AC condenser

 

[icetech]

I bought this one off of Peter Bergman and mounted it right beside my AC condenser

View attachment 1856184

not a bad spot.. i can't really put anything in front of my radiator.. so thinking of ideas.. there is one that's bout a foot long i could put on the inside of the drivers frame rail.. would still get plenty of air..

 

[70ChargerRT]

not a bad spot.. i can't really put anything in front of my radiator.. so thinking of ideas.. there is one that's bout a foot long i could put on the inside of the drivers frame rail.. would still get plenty of air..

View attachment 1856186

Yeah, mines about the same length. As long as you feel like its getting plenty of air. I scraped a few bugs off of mine before I took the pic lol

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Mine is just like Greg's.

We did use this Bergman coupler.

Added a reproduction stock cooler when I did the conversion.

I don’t know if you said or not in your previous posts, but where did you get your aftermarket cooler?

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

I don’t know if you said or not in your previous posts, but where did you get your aftermarket cooler?

Mancini Racing, wasn't cheap but appears to be good quality.
MRE - Power Steering Oil Cooler - Saginaw

 

[icetech]

Mancini Racing, wasn't cheap but appears to be good quality.
MRE - Power Steering Oil Cooler - Saginaw

for $400 i would hope it's quality

 

[70ChargerRT]

for $400 i would hope it's quality

Good lord.

 

[Kern Dog]

These coolers are simple. I pulled three from a junkyard for $40.
Mopar Minivans have them mounted to the front crossmember behind the rack.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Just to be sure, the lock nut at the adjust screw is loosened counter-clockwise, right?

Its like Hercules tightened it.