68 Barracuda Manual Steering Box

[Dave999]

I spun the input on mine, it is much harder to spin near the center and gets easier the closer I get to the lock, which i thought was strange. I had my column out at the time so I slid the steering coupler on to make sure it fit, since the last one was a nightmare to install. It was pretty hard to get on all the way, and needed a couple love taps with a mallet. Well, apparently that was a mistake because now I can't get the coupler back off. I guess I'll be leaving it on and assuming the coupler while I install the column. Should make crimping the seal plate on real fun.

Its supposed to be stiff in the middle.
its supposed to get easier towards each lock.
This is a designed-in, but unavoidable feature of the box design.
Stiff in the middle, but not so stiff that you can feel it at the edge of a massive mopar steering wheel.
In fact too stiff with modern lube is probably better than too sloppy. too sloppy and the teeth on sector and ballnut chatter as you drive straight ahead, which wears both out... Not good.


The coupler has a double width spline in 1 place.
The input spline on the box may or maynot have a double width one...
New wormscrew and ballnut assemblies do not have the double spline or master spline as it is refered to in the service book.

A new steering box may, or it might not have this, double spline. you would have to ask the seller.
If you fitted your coupler, and there was no master spline on the splined end of the worm screw then that is why it was so hard to fit and won't come off.

for installation you centre the steering. i.e inner track rod ends equidistsant from frame on each side. find somethig that fits the gap and compare side to side, snap gauge etc
You centre your steering wheel.
You centre the steering box (master spline on sector shaft aligned with case seam, when input is in stiff section)
Then you look where the master spline for the pot coupler should be on your new steering box input when compared with the coupler
and you use a small grinding disc to grind 1 spline peak off the worms crew spline, so that that section acts as your master spline.
then the coupler goes on with the lightest of taps.
if the steering wheel is slightly offset. take it off and move it 1 spline at the top of the column. (if you have a full splined column and crush can....! )

OR just put it all together the way it fits if your steering box has a master spline on the worm shaft, but keep in mind Steering Box and steering must still be centred first.
sort out orientation of steering wheel last

2 ways to skin this cat

The first way for a steering box with no input master spline
The second when catering for an already cut master spline which may not be where you want it leaving your steering wheel off centre

Dave

 

[Dave999]

I was thinking of purchasing a 20:1 manual box from PST but I’m very hesitant now on going through all the time for the removal and install then finding out the new box has issues.

I don’t have that kind of time to waste.

well i presume thay have many 1000s of happy customers
they seem to provide support
i'd suggest that your are more likley to get a perfectly good box off a site sponsor than you are off some other suppliers who just shift generic rebuilds.

my comments were universal to a sagniaw type box, the mopar box is very saginaw style, they were not comments about a specific maker or seller

dave

 

[PST]

We use the same manufacturer (past 7 years) for all of our manual steering boxes. The two incidences in question at this point look to be isolated incidences. In both cases we worked with the customers, sent out replacements with prepaid shipping labels to return the boxes in question. We are still waiting for both of those boxes to be returned in order to be evaluated. We take any and all concerns when it comes to steering components very seriously. As what was described by both customers, it looks as though there was an issue during the assembly of the box as the boxes themselves are the same across all three ratios. Only the worm gears and sector shaft vary between them. We are hoping that once we get these boxes come back we can evaluate and see exactly where the issue lies. We do understand the frustration by the customers as it can be difficult to remove and reinstall the steering boxes. Both boxes came from our most recent production run to which we have sold the majority of at this point with no issues. We are hopeful that these again were isolated incidences,but we will not know until we get them back.

Dan W
800-247-2288 Ext 307

 

[72Duster440]

I agree, you handled it well, I received a new box with no questions asked, my vehicle is still in pieces so I haven't been able to test the new one out. However, I had originally dealt with James, I sent him a video of the movement in the box and was told to just discard the defective box, it was never mentioned to return it.

 

[Dave999]

Ratios, for those interested

My photo
left 20:1 Left hand drive
middle, greasy 20:1 Left hand drive
right 16:1 . it was left hand drive but i converted it to RHD by turning the nut round

additional photo supplied by RE(mopar action) with ratios on to make it clearer
24: 20 :16 all shown NOTE:all Left hand drive.

LHD parts have thin end of teeth to high side of thread
RHD parts have thin end of teeth to low side of thread

ballnut machining on the inside iis matched to thread machining
all use the same size ball bearings
any drift in tollerance on the machining of the two parts can lead to a little longitudinal sloppyness you can swap ballnuts and screws of the same ratio around to get best fit. but the factory workshop manauls suggest that this is BAD and you should not take a ballnut off a screw
part numbers are not universal a 20:1 right hand drive ballnutand screw has a different part number to a 20:1 left hand drive one , but they are the same parts assembled differently.
20:1 standard ratio everywhere except USA
24:1 standard in USA
20:1 performance in USA
16:1 a few dodge darts in USA
16:1 police and RT in australia BUT with a shorter worm screw to prevent fitment to cars with the standard steering column.

many trucks used 16:1 but the thread goes the otherway. used in a car you would have steering that goes left when the wheel turns right.... never a good thing.

Sector shafts you have no such problem all work with all. in an in-Era manual box for A body. 60s/70s 2xxxxxxxxx part number and 80s-94 3xxxxxxxxx part number.

 

[72Duster440]

Did you get around to installing the new box? I received my replacement but hesitant to install it. You would think that these would come preset to dead center from the factory but mine was completely right locked.

@PST - any comments/feedback regarding these issues that a couple of your customers are experiencing?

Well, the new box has been in for a while, I forgot to update the thread, it seems to be good. I can feel the front end moving with very minimal steering input, the slop is gone. I haven't gotten under to see if there is any flex with this box, but with how it drives, I see no reason to check it. No complaints with the PST 20:1 box. (Other than how hard a box is to install in my car lol)

 

[Mcfarlrm]

I have had the replacement installed for awhile now and it works like a charm. Dead center and a little stiff until rotated out a bit like it should be with no slack like the last box. Curious to know if the one I returned was defective in any way.