Power Steering question?

Wayne64 · Post by **Wayne64** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:50 pm

I see that Tom of Snake River has the gear boxes and I know I'll be buying some of the parts for the conversion from him. Yet I like to be a yard hound and try to sniff out the box here. So what model Dodge or Chevy box should I be asking for by phone before I start driving around? Happy New Year to all here!

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:51 pm

Tom tells you right on his web page. Off the top of my head with out going to his page I think it is mid 70's Dodge pick-ups and mid 80's chevy vans....But go back to his web page I'm pretty sure he tells you what to look for.

Wayne64 · Post by **Wayne64** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:08 pm

What Tom posted on his site was great, if you could physically look at the makes and years to spot the fit. Around here very few yards keep anything old, therefore I need to know models they come out of. With that info I can look in my Hollander books, get an interchange # then call the yards that may be up to 100 miles away.

Tom @ Snake River · Post by **Tom @ Snake River** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:30 pm

You will look for the 74-78 Dodge 4x4 pickup box with the cast iron bracket.
If that does not work find the 83-91 GMC and Chev gas van box. More guys like the van application box as the turn radius is differant than the Dodge app box and seems to be more responsive.

Be aware that the Dodge app box uses the std inverted flare fittings and the van app box uses the O-ring bump fitting which I have found next to impossible to reproduce at the local hose store. I have always had to sell the adapters to convert to inverted flare.

If you find a van box, be sure and keep the return hose, it will work fine.
Scrounge around and then I'll help you with what you need.

Wayne64 · Post by **Wayne64** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:45 am

I feel stupid, as it finally hit me. The GM truck is what we call a box truck. I guess I read Tom's info as a van's box as we also called a steering gear, steering boxes. I would think around the anthill I live on the GM gear is going to be easier to find. Thanks Guy's

MSeriesRebuild · Post by **MSeriesRebuild** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:20 pm

Never would I spend time in a junkyard. you can buy a rebuilt box at NAPA, Advance, etc. for well under $200 including the core charge. You have a newly rebuilt box instead of a junkyard model that may need seals or other repair before you can use it.

Wayne64 · Post by **Wayne64** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:30 pm

Charles, I do agree about the rebuilt box. I even figured out the Cardone # which think is 27-7526. But if I find it not to far away I can get the bracket, hoses and have the steering column if I chose. The two yards I deal with treat this crazy old cripple fantastic when it comes to pricing, of course it doesn't hurt that when their flat bed haulers or Hi-LOs need a weld repair ASAP I can take care of it

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:35 pm

I would think that if you can get a box out of a junk yard for cheep...like under $25.00 (I haven't gotten one so I don't know the going rate) but then you could take it into the auto parts store and get a rebuild and have the other to turn in for the core...unless the core charge is the cost of the take off.....anyway just some random thoughts continue with what your doing...

Tom @ Snake River · Post by **Tom @ Snake River** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:03 pm

Out of all the used-untested boxes that I have sold, I would say the flaw rate would be about 5%. The only complaints that I have had comeing back to me would be leaking seals, and in one instance the buyer said that the splines had been tweeked.
But a person just has to do the math. Once when I had checked the boxes ran about $360.00 with a $125.00 core charge.

MSeriesRebuild · Post by **MSeriesRebuild** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:45 am

That core charge is the killer with this particular Dodge box, the ones we use have a $22 core. Another killer is that cast bracket, they are rather flimsy at best. You can watch it flex under pressure when turning the wheel. It is a cast bracket which can easily crack if flexed. I have used a few of them years ago, it's an easy do, but I just never liked the set up as I felt it definitely fell into the light duty catagory. Since I have to stand behind what we send out, I simply don't feel comfortable with it. We build our own brackets from 5/8" thick 1018 cold rolled plate. We bevel the plates so that all welds are all the way through the full 5/8" thickness. After that is complete, a 100% angle reinforcement goes over the top & 3 triangular gussets underneath. Some call it over engineering, I call it piece of mind both for us & the truck owner. We also design ours to fit the original slotted steering box mounting holes that are already in the frame rail. We have a couple of different hole patterns we use in the bracket that changes steering geometry necessary for various suspension set ups. The frame rail will twist in half before our bracket will fail. I understand most here don't want to invest in a pricey bracket such as ours, but if I had the capability to build my own as some of you do, I would certainly do that & stay away from that light cast bracket. I just don't trust it.