68 Charger steering box rebuild

[Roger S]

Hi All

My standard equipment power steering box is a little sloppy and leaking from the bottom seal on the box itself.
It it worth having it rebuilt, if so is there anywhere in the Uk ? I read about upgrades with better gearing etc. Can I buy these boxes in the UK, if so where from ? Getting a little fed up with paying large shipment and import duties.

Any thoughts / recommendations would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

Roger

[Dave999]

Not aware of a supplier of rebuilt boxes or aftermarket boxes in the UK....

rebuild well in theory any mechanic or reasonably competent enthusiast should be able to but they do look quite complicated....a manual box is way easier

if you can establish the version of the box and navigate Rockauto site you can get a bearings seal and shim kit for notta lotta cash for a rebuild no problem

Edlemann 8539 looks about right

https://www.plews-edelmann.com/repair-kits/


The box is a chrysler built copy of a saginaw design anyone who can rebuild a box for a chevy or ford can rebuild this box.
but given them a copy of the factory service manual when they do.

here
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=109

same site has parts books as well...get one of them while you are there
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=107

if the ware is in the teeth of the sector or the worm screw better parts will be necessary
the rest is not going to suffer that kind of ware
worm screw bearing surfaces can pit but a competent machine shop and cut and sleeve.

Option 2
if you want a new one bergman autocraft sell a borgeson designed Delphi (saginaw) made box that was designed for a modern vehicle but has the appropriate mountings for an old mopar

bergman provide a kit of parts to allow it to bolt right in to you car with the original pipes and pump and steering column

Option 3
US rebuild from reputable company
steer and gear
firm feel
borgeson
all do nice rebuilt boxes

you buy your rebuilt box from them and send yours or find one on US Ebay to send to them as a core (reduced postage) to get some money back

option 4 take pot luck with a rebuild from rockauto Nappa or any of the other generic US parts suppliers some of which hawk their wares on Ebay

slop in the centre of the box is either worn bearings or bad adjustment allowing both worm screw and sector to slap about or jump up and down
or the teeth on the sector have worn a tooth like shape into the ballnut teeth. one or both could be scrap.... both are robust pieces so unless there has been serious neglect or the box has received attention from a geezer with a file who made a mess. i'd suggest they will probably be ok.

more cars had power steering than manual so New Old stock parts appear on ebay from time to time.

if stuck i think rodley motors used to have a rack full of second hand boxes...you won't know what you have got until its fitted or dismantled but could be a supply of parts....

initially Id check it wasn't play at the slip joint in the steerings shaft coupling
if not

Id then then try adjusting the sector so its a bit stiff turning the steering wheel, make it slightly stiff in the middle with the wheels off the ground. this is done with a stud and lock nut on the top of the box when its in the car

then you could try to pri out the lower seal and replace with new but seat it a 1/4 - 1/2 a mm higher into the case

see how ya go


if you take the box out
try to avoid moving or loosening the manifold that the pipes go into. its position on the case dictates the level of assist-balance between turning left and right

get it in the wrong place and the steering wheel will spin with vigour to 1 lock or the other of its own accord, and finding the sweet spot again to stop it doing it can be hard work. there is a jiggly little pin under there and its position in the middle of its jiggle is vital to normal operation

Option 5

Manual steering

need an adaptor/extender for the steering shaft spline and potentially a new pitman arm but not necessarily depends on year

id suggest 20:1 for a B body and 16:1 for an A body

your power box is 14.5:1 ratio


Dave

[RobTwin]

We did get our original power steering box rebuilt over here a few years ago. They did a good job EXCEPT for fitting the wrong o-ring on the top 'cover' (not sure of the correct terminology), underneath the adjusting screw, so we had a leak almost from day one. Anton came to the rescue with the correct o-ring and the loan of a spanner to change it, so all good now.
If you're desperate I could find out who it was....

[mopar_mark]

More excellent input from Chief Technical Officer Dave 999

[Roger S]

We did get our original power steering box rebuilt over here a few years ago. They did a good job EXCEPT for fitting the wrong o-ring on the top 'cover' (not sure of the correct terminology), underneath the adjusting screw, so we had a leak almost from day one. Anton came to the rescue with the correct o-ring and the loan of a spanner to change it, so all good now.
If you're desperate I could find out who it was....

Hi Rob

That would be great if you still have the details, yes another excellent response from Dave.

Thanks

Roger

[morgan]

Any update on this ? Did you find someone? I am still chewing it over - need to do something with my leaky one and I am not yet at the "bung £1000 at the proper borgsen" space. Getting there though...

[morgan]

So doing some shopping and I came across this at rockauto.
Am I reading it right ? I mean yes, postage will be expensive but this suggests they rebuild your box for £100 ? Doesnt sound right to me... but given that nobody appears to have hot tips here in the UK it is making me wonder.

[Steve]

I think this is a bit of a play on words...My understanding is that cores are becoming scarce (and power steering pumps) so they carry a stock of rebuilt cores from previous customers and send you the correct one as a replacement for the one you sent. Yours is then sent off in a batch to be mass reconditioned (remanufactured hence the term 'reman'). The cycle continues etc etc. I may be wrong but think that's the system.

I tried to have my power steering box rebuilt and it was never right to be honest. I took the plunge and just bought one through my local American car parts supplier who brought it in on their regular shipment. Took a week to arrive, £150 all in and been fine since. This was a while ago so not sure on prices etc. I didn't have to give them my old one but this may have changed now.

Cheers Steve

[Dave999]

one has to assume that

with steer n gear firm feel and borgeson charging way more...that there must be some kind of difference in quality.

there is a mexican company making new manual boxes....they may have branched out into power boxes as well....


i guess you pay your money and take yer pick


Dave

[Dave999]

https://www.larescorp.com/

MMmmm

seems like a nice site

Dave

[Dave999]

i can find lots of reviews/comments from people delighted when their LARES rebuilt steering box for brand X turns up (Chevy Ford ETC) for such a small outlay (once the core is sent back and accepted, its quite expensive if you don't have a core)

seem to be suppliers to national chain "Local parts store" type establishments....

what is lacking is people returning to say if it is any good. most seem to go for faster ratio so like for like comparison is lacking as well

sounds like a option though

as a minimum new bearings and seals, can't think they fanny about finding a mix of parts that takes it close to blueprinted for $100 rebuild

but you never know Not leaking is a big +

bearing and seal kit costs about that if you just want 1 of each part....

i spent 50+ on a manual box for consumable parts, i have no economy of scale but there is a lot more in a power box


Dave

[morgan]

Well the wandering doesnt really bother me - but the leaking does. Thats all i want really.
While engine out seems daft not to...
I will give them a call and see prices with/wout core.

[MrNorm]

Yes I think you can pretty much order a rebuilt box from any auto parts store (including rockauto) in the US. they are disassembled, seals replaced etc and possibly major wear items replaced, but I don't think they go much further. Firm Feel boxes are also re manufactured (cos no-one makes new original style boxes) but they also either remachine, or rematch, or fit new sector shafts etc so the box is back to as-new specs, then they also make several options of firmness (not sure that bit is much more than reducing the flow of fluid). Borgsen are brand new but re-purposed from a different application to fit Mopars. You pays your money.......

[MrNorm]

Thought I might as well remind myself....
"All FFI Power Steering boxes are thoroughly cleaned and inspected; the cases are machined for roller bearing sector supports, and the worm gear assemblies are resized. The box is then fitted with Firm Feel's exclusive reaction springs, ranging in three steps from slightly firmer than the OE police box to two steps firmer yet, depending on your needs. All boxes are bench tested and shipped ready to install."

[morgan]

Well I have contacted the Lares people and will post on here when I hear.
I imagine there will be a hefty core charge (which we will have to weigh up against the price of shipping the thing).
I am attracted to just swapping out for a nice recon, repainted, non leaky OEM... Keep ya posted folks.