Steering Box Ratio
My car runs the standard period Mopar PowerSteering box, but with added reaction springs to reduce the boost/ increase the effort/kill some on-center deadness. I just added reaction springs until I deemed the effort appropriate. Yes, I took the box out twice in one day, and again later in the week.
IIRC these are 15.7:1
It runs the standard arms.
It runs a very small steering wheel with a big fat integral foam padded rim.
I couldn't be happier.
This Steering wheel is about 3 inches smaller than the factory wheel was, for the 68 Barracuda. Which translates to about 3 x 3.1416=9.4 inches less circumference that my average arms have to swing, per revolution, which from lock to luck, thus translates to 3.5 x 9.4=33inches total, of not-required motion .
Now 3/15 is 20% so this is the same as going from; 24 to 19.2, or from 20 to 16, or from 15.7 to 12.56/ lol, without any of the fast-ratio installation hassles.
The effort was well worth the result.
But I'm a lil stumped; you said;
Once done, the car will live in the garage, straight in, straight out. I hate parallel parking but because of that, I don't mind walking a good distance from my car to the store. I don't mind cranking the wheel but I don't think that I'll really have to.
for which I have to wonder;
Why does ratio even matter?
If you are that averse to cranking the wheel, you really should be thinking about Power Assist. Like I said
Ok wait,
the fast ratio arms do not change the amount of turning angle!
That is controlled by the travel-limiting stops that are cast into your lower BJs. The FR arms only amplify the motion of the steering box , so that it takes less TIME to reach the travel-limiters. So then, of course, if your box has NO deadspot on center, you will be having issues in the Straight-ahead driving. Every motion you input to the steering wheel will be directly communicated to the direction of travel. STAY home on windy days, and stay off any road with even the most shallow of ruts on/in it.
It's hard enough for me with my dead-spot designed in, to deal with those situations.I cannot imagine it would be any better with FR arms or a box with a reduced on-center dead-spot.
Long live power-assist, lol.