Manual steering box brand

[Youngblood1989]

I’m going to swap my 73 Scamp over to manual steering and have decided on the 24:1 box. My question is, I can’t decide where to buy, should I get a new box from rock auto ($282) and the Mancini adapter ($132), or buy the PST kit that comes with adapter ($435)? I’m definitely under a budget but I just wonder which box will be better quality? Thank you.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Screw that. Get a good used Chrysler box. I'm sure a member in good standing has one they'll sell reasonably. Put you up a wanted ad.

 

[Darter6]

Agree.^^^ 24 to 1 you might as well use a factory box.
Very rare will you find a used wore out one.
That said, if you want new I'd go with the PST kit.

 

[Commando66]

If you're going to buy new, get a 20:1. But like the others have said if it's a 24:1 that you want, buy a good used one here on FABO.

 

[jimjimjimmy]

you will be way happier with a 20 to 1 imo

 

[Icetech]

i got a 20:1 from PST and i believe there was a 10% discount... for being a forum member

 

[Youngblood1989]

I’d be interested in knowing what it’s like to drive a 20:1 box. Being a daily driver I need it to be able to perform well in all conditions which is why I figured on just getting the 24:1 since that’s what most of the original cars would have had. The only manual steering car I’ve driven is my uncles 66 Malibu with a stock 24:1 box and I had no real issues driving it.

 

[Darter6]

I'm thinking a 20:1 won't be bad. I had a manual 16:1 box in a 72 b body with 40 series tires on 18'' rims.
Almost impossible to turn at low speed. Forget about parking. Put the stock 24:1 back in.

 

[72bluNblu]

20:1 should be fine as a daily driver. The 24:1 is pretty slow as far as steering ratio goes.

I run a 16:1 manual steering box on my Duster with 275/35/18's in the front with +6.5° of caster too and I use it as a daily most of the year. It's no peach to parallel park, but it's never stopped me from running errands in it. And above 15mph it's great. There's no way I'd swap over to a 24:1 box. If I ever do anything other than the manual box it will be an even faster ratio power box, or maybe a quickener on the 16:1 box with an EPAS unit for like 12:1.

 

[Youngblood1989]

Does PST use the bearing style box or bushing?

 

[72bluNblu]

Does PST use the bearing style box or bushing?

You'd have to ask them, but even if it's the bushed style box it would last a lifetime in an A-body if the clearances were set properly.

 

[Youngblood1989]

You'd have to ask them, but even if it's the bushed style box it would last a lifetime in an A-body if the clearances were set properly.

I sent them an email but they seem to be confused on what I’m talking about. They insist that slant 6 and V8 boxes interchange, and yes they do, but they aren’t the “same”.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I sent them an email but they seem to be confused on what I’m talking about. They insist that slant 6 and V8 boxes interchange, and yes they do, but they aren’t the “same”.

"Theirs" might be the same. This is why I suggested simply using a stock box. This is the kinda crap you run into in the aftermarket.

 

[Youngblood1989]

I agree, that’s what I’m leaning towards now. What is the best way to determine a 6 vs 8 box? I heard there is a rib but I’m not really understanding what rib is being referred to.

 

[Darter6]

What is the best way to determine a 6 vs 8 box?

I was told that the 6 boxes had bushing sector shafts and V8 were needle bearings.
Not saying this is correct but what I have been told. Maybe hearsay.

 

[72bluNblu]

I was told that the 6 boxes had bushing sector shafts and V8 were needle bearings.
Not saying this is correct but what I have been told. Maybe hearsay.

All of this is pretty well documented. The A-body /6 and V8 boxes are the same. In fact, the vast majority of manual steering boxes are the same- and the vast majority had bushings and not bearings.

Some of the B-body V8 applications had bearings in the manual steering boxes, but that was it.

All of the A/B/E body manual steering boxes were the small sector shaft too, and that didn’t change like the power steering boxes did. There are large sector Mopar manual steering boxes, but they were for trucks, vans and C-bodies.

This is all covered here, with pictures
Steering Box Info

So I would imagine that the PST boxes, since they appear to be exact reproductions of the factory manual boxes, would be bushed. And that would be just like factory for pretty much any A body, /6 or V8. Except maybe some of the race specials, but they were different in a lot of other ways too.

 

[Youngblood1989]

All of this is pretty well documented. The A-body /6 and V8 boxes are the same. In fact, the vast majority of manual steering boxes are the same- and the vast majority had bushings and not bearings.

Some of the B-body V8 applications had bearings in the manual steering boxes, but that was it.

All of the A/B/E body manual steering boxes were the small sector shaft too, and that didn’t change like the power steering boxes did. There are large sector Mopar manual steering boxes, but they were for trucks, vans and C-bodies.

This is all covered here, with pictures
Steering Box Info

So I would imagine that the PST boxes, since they appear to be exact reproductions of the factory manual boxes, would be bushed. And that would be just like factory for pretty much any A body, /6 or V8. Except maybe some of the race specials, but they were different in a lot of other ways too.

Thank you for that information!! So only the power boxes changed for 73 then it sounds like, but since I currently have power steering in my 73 I will need to get a pitman arm for manual steering I assume?

 

[72bluNblu]

Thank you for that information!! So only the power boxes changed for 73 then it sounds like, but since I currently have power steering in my 73 I will need to get a pitman arm for manual steering I assume?

Yes, you’ll need a manual steering box pitman arm for a ‘73-76 A-body

 

[Youngblood1989]

So since they used the larger sector shaft on the 73 power steering, would you be able to use a manual box with the large sector shaft? I found one cheap here at a car show.

 

[72bluNblu]

So since they used the larger sector shaft on the 73 power steering, would you be able to use a manual box with the large sector shaft? I found one cheap here at a car show.

Maybe?

If you read the end of the article I posted above it says that the clocking on the pitman arms is different for the different models. Which would mean that using a C body or van box in an A with an A-body pitman could mean grinding a new master spline to re-clock the pitman arm.

 

[Icetech]

I installed a PST 20:1, i have only moved my car around in the driveway but it's not too bad...

 

[Youngblood1989]

Maybe?

If you read the end of the article I posted above it says that the clocking on the pitman arms is different for the different models. Which would mean that using a C body or van box in an A with an A-body pitman could mean grinding a new master spline to re-clock the pitman arm.

I was curious about this. We’ll the box sold while I was trying to figure it out. All mopar show and it was the only manual box here. Not sure why these seem to be so hard to find outside of $100+ on eBay….