Borgeson Power Steering Installed

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boden

boden

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I am celebrating the successful installation of power steering in my 73 Duster with a Borgeson box. I have a 5.7 truck engine sitting on a biscuit mount 72 k frame with TTI headers. The box is very similar in size to the Flaming River manual box I replaced.

I had to remove the torsion bar and header to get the boxes in and out. The input splines on the box are different so I had to buy the Borgeson U-joint. The lower shaft on my manual steering column had to be swapped out for a shorter power shaft and then cut following the instructions with the U-joint. I connected the box to the truck pump. I bought an Edelman line #71436 with 16 mm inverted flare for the box end and 16 mm O-ring for the pump end fitting and made it fit with minimal rebending of the line. I had to cut off part of the pressure fitting on the truck pump so the threads would engage properly. For the return line I used an Edelman #71858 with 16mm inverted flare on both ends and cut off one end and resent the other a little then used brass couplers to go from the 3/8 hose to 5/8 power steering return hose to connect to the return nipple on the pump.

I think the truck pump pressure is higher than the GM pump they recommend using as the steering now feels a little too easy, but I am very happy so far, especially since my main reason for the swap is so my wife feels comfortable driving it. If I decide later to reduce the pressure I will switch to AN lines and use the Heidts pressure reducer.

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Nice, that's way smaller than a factory PS box for sure... no way one of those would fit looking at those headers.
 
I hadn't seen the 2nd 'gen' Borgeson box before but it looks like it's pretty much the same size as a manual box... Which helps out a lot of 'big-engines in tight A-bodies enginebays' installs.
 
Were you able to keep your column shifter? You don't know the TTI part number for your headers do you? I've got a spool mount k frame in my Duster, and just curious if the headers are the same. I'd love to be able to put one of the Borgeson boxes in my car.
 
Yes, I am using my column shifter.
PN for headers is TTI5.7HC-C4 purchased in 2008
 
Thanks. I was hoping you didn't have to do something different with the shifter. I'm at the beach right now, and jonesing to get home so I can compare your pics to my car and determine if the Borgeson box might work.
 
just to clarify, you're running the same TTI headers you did with the man box? Thats the same headers I have :)

joe
 
Could you post a picture of the pitman arm nut showing how much thread is showing past the nut?

Also, how level is your center link? Have you put a level on it and compared to the body (flat board across bottom frame rails)?
 
72BBSwinger said:
If you had to cut the shaft, you could've just cut the manual shaft?
Click to expand...
No, the larger diameter section of the manual shaft extends further from the firewall and would not leave enough of the small diameter end to mount the Borgeson u-joint on.
 
autoxcuda said:
Could you post a picture of the pitman arm nut showing how much thread is showing past the nut?

Also, how level is your center link? Have you put a level on it and compared to the body (flat board across bottom frame rails)?
Click to expand...
Excellent question! It did drop my pitman arm slightly ~1/8". For me this was a good thing since the end of the arm was rubbing slightly on the headers so I had to dent them a little above the pitman and idler. I haven't taken the time yet to work on lowering the idler side. Probably will cut a little off of the bottom of the shaft that the bolt goes through and a washer to the top to level out my center link.

Nut.JPG
 
boden said:
Excellent question! It did drop my pitman arm slightly ~1/8". For me this was a good thing since the end of the arm was rubbing slightly on the headers so I had to dent them a little above the pitman and idler. I haven't taken the time yet to work on lowering the idler side. Probably will cut a little off of the bottom of the shaft that the bolt goes through and a washer to the top to level out my center link.

View attachment 1714969114
Click to expand...

Thank you for that pic.

Is that a small spline '72 and down pitman or the larger '73-up pitman.?

There were some issues in the past with box angle and with position of pitman on spline shaft.
 
autoxcuda said:
Thank you for that pic.

Is that a small spline '72 and down pitman or the larger '73-up pitman.?

There were some issues in the past with box angle and with position of pitman on spline shaft.
Click to expand...

That might explain why it took so long for me to get a box. They were on backorder when I first tried to buy one and kept pushing back the availability date.
Mine is small spline 1 1/8", but it is a 73+ pitman which connects to the center link pointing down. the 72 down connect pointing up.
I think the part number is k7075 for small sector and k7076 for large sector.
Borgeson sells both versions of the box. 800126 (small sector) and 800127 (large sector)
 
IIRC, the 1st gen large spline had issues with the nut being flush or barely past the end of the shaft with stock washer.

Glad to this small spline install went smoothly. Would like to hear about a large spline install though too.

Also I see they added a triangular gusset from the output shaft housing to the k-member flange. MUCH appreciated improvement.

So... How does it feel compared to other old Mopar power steering cars you've driven?
 
Last edited:
boden said:
That might explain why it took so long for me to get a box. They were on backorder when I first tried to buy one and kept pushing back the availability date.
Mine is small spline 1 1/8", but it is a 73+ pitman which connects to the center link pointing down. the 72 down connect pointing up.
I think the part number is k7075 for small sector and k7076 for large sector.
Borgeson sells both versions of the box. 800126 (small sector) and 800127 (large sector)
Click to expand...

So you are running the 73-up A-body manual steering small sector pitman.
 
autoxcuda said:
IIRC, the 1st gen large spline had issues with the nut being flush or barely past the end of the shaft with stock washer.

Glad to this small spline install went smoothly. Would like to hear about a large spline install though too.

Also I see they added a triangular gusset from the output shaft housing to the k-member flange. MUCH appreciated improvement.

So... How does it feel compared to other old Mopar power steering cars you've driven?
Click to expand...
I have a stock 73 duster that is a bit of a beater i put together for fun. It has factory power steering and new tie rods ball joints and bushings so it is a pretty fair comparison. The Borgeson feels more responsive, but some of that could be due to wear from age and some could be due to having wider tires (205 vs 225). With the stock truck pump I know the pressures are high so the steering is very easy and similar to the overboosted feel of old Mopars, so I don't mind. The ease in parking lots is completely worth it.

Yes I am running the 73+ A body manual steering small sector pitman.
 
Can you post a pic of the install of you Heidts pressure reducer. This is what you used to reduce the pressure for the borgenson ps box ? How does it work ? Do you know the pressure of the 5.7 hemi ps pump ? What did psi did it reduce it to ? I talked to borgenson and there ps box uses 1200-1350 psi ?
 
superbirdrag said:
Can you post a pic of the install of you Heidts pressure reducer. This is what you used to reduce the pressure for the borgenson ps box ? How does it work ? Do you know the pressure of the 5.7 hemi ps pump ? What did psi did it reduce it to ? I talked to borgenson and there ps box uses 1200-1350 psi ?
Click to expand...

I have not felt the need to drop the pressure yet, and so do not have the heidts valve. It is an adjustable valve that bleeds flow into the return to drop the pressure. According to the service manual the relief pressure of a 1500 truck 5.7 pump is 1615 PSI plus or minus 65 2500 and 3500 are 1800 PSI pumps. I try to avoid full steering lock where the pressure spikes.
 
boden said:
I am celebrating the successful installation of power steering in my 73 Duster with a Borgeson box. I have a 5.7 truck engine sitting on a biscuit mount 72 k frame with TTI headers. The box is very similar in size to the Flaming River manual box I replaced.

I had to remove the torsion bar and header to get the boxes in and out. The input splines on the box are different so I had to buy the Borgeson U-joint. The lower shaft on my manual steering column had to be swapped out for a shorter power shaft and then cut following the instructions with the U-joint. I connected the box to the truck pump. I bought an Edelman line #71436 with 16 mm inverted flare for the box end and 16 mm O-ring for the pump end fitting and made it fit with minimal rebending of the line. I had to cut off part of the pressure fitting on the truck pump so the threads would engage properly. For the return line I used an Edelman #71858 with 16mm inverted flare on both ends and cut off one end and resent the other a little then used brass couplers to go from the 3/8 hose to 5/8 power steering return hose to connect to the return nipple on the pump.

I think the truck pump pressure is higher than the GM pump they recommend using as the steering now feels a little too easy, but I am very happy so far, especially since my main reason for the swap is so my wife feels comfortable driving it. If I decide later to reduce the pressure I will switch to AN lines and use the Heidts pressure reducer.

View attachment 1714947924

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View attachment 1714947926

View attachment 1714947927
Click to expand...

I have a 73 duster 318 with new borgeson gear box and power steering pump. I’m having issues bleeding the lines and getting it working.
it keeps building pressure and blowing lines off and fluid everywhere.
any ideas. Please help lol.
 
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