Steering box, what's the best?

[SwitchBlade327]

another question. I'm gonna get REAL irritating in the next month or so with all these.
Whats the best steering boxes to use in an A for traditional steering, I know there are a few options, but what the pro's and con's of each box?

[SwitchBlade327]

btt...

[deuce]

'67-'68 mustang. but don't bother with an original, flaming river makes a repro that works great. i started out with an original box, but it always had a little slop in it. there are no rebuild parts for these boxes. as soon as i found out about the flaming river box, i ordered one and was it ever an improvement. yes they are pricey, but it is what keeps you out of the ditches.

[lowsquire]

Im using a VW bus box, as in rhd form, the arm points down.
easy to make a plate to mount it above your rail.and nice and compact, and the pitman arm is a good length - 5"
Downside is they have a wierd way of wearing..if you adjust them up tight in the centred position, they tend to have freeplay at either end of the travel...cant work out how that happens ,rebuild parts are scarce and a good tight one S/H is often $300 or more.
another handy thing is the bus draglink is just the right length to use as is, just straighten the kink in it out, and have a tapered sleeve turned up to fit it in your ford steering arm.

[playin' hookie]

I've heard some guys have used 1st gen.camaro manual boxes.
Anybody try one?

[SwitchBlade327]

in the speedway catalog, i think it says the mustang box only works with a 4-link setup? Why's that? I'm gonna have a mustang box, but I might sell/trade it if I can get something that'll work better for what I'm trying to do...

[331caddy]

im also in the same boat... and was wondering about the mustang boxes

[lowsquire]

the mustang box will have the pitman arm facing UP and this will tend to increase bump steer issues with split bones, as the arc of travel of the kingpin and steering arm will be different.the option would be to import a RHD mustang box from australia !

you can point the arm down but you end up with REVERSE CLOWN CAR STEERING tm

[SwitchBlade327]

anyway to solve the bumpsteer problem of the mustang box? or should I just get another?

[FoMoCo_MoFo]

a reversed Corvair box is always a pretty cheap and plentiful box. flaming rivier makes a repop that is expensive, but you can usually pick up an already reversed chevy box with pitman arm for $100-$200

[SwitchBlade327]

yeah, i saw the new corvair boxes in the speedway catalog, but they seemed pricey...$360

[desertratrodder]

How do you reverse a steering box??? Maybe a dumb question to some...

[momentumfoto]

duhhh... turn it around!

[AV8Paul]

I used a box out of a '68 falcon. It looks just like the Mustang. The mounting holes may be different but that doesn't matter much. I made my own bracket. It really works great. I have un-split wishbones and don't notice any bump-steer. The draglink and the bones are parrallel with the ground, if that makes any difference. Also the car had the power assist steering with the cylinder attached to the tie-rod. I'm not sure if the ratio is the same on manual steering cars or not

It drives really nice and has a very tight turning radius. I'll try to get a shot of it today to post later.

[Taildraggin]

An old Landrover Box works well.

[av8]

Mustang, Corvair, Falcon, VW, Camaro . . . doesn't get any more traditional than that. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Or, just for something really unusual, find an F-1 box, add a Model A flange, service and repair the box -- if necessary; new parts are readily available -- and be done with it.

[Fat Hack]

Traditional? Or "period correct"?

Traditional covers a wide range of eras, and could include anything from a stock Model A box to a Vega box.

Period correct depends on the time frame you want to replicate. Model A box, to F1/F100 box, Corvair, VW van, early Mustang/Falcon, GM F-body, Vega...

I like the VW van (bus) box idea myself...but you have several valid units to pick from, depending on what you want it to look like.

[Kevin Lee]

Come on, Hack. "Period correct"? Put a new rack and pinion/cross steer abortion in it and it can wear that label. Period correct for 2004. I think we all know that AV8 is saying the F1 box solution is proven, looks better than some garbled together flipped, swapped, reversed, cross steer box. Like it or not, an F1 box is traditional, and everything else mentioned in this thread just isn't.

[Fat Hack]

Well...yeah! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(VeeDub van boxes for me...but F1 or Mustang for the udder guys! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif)

[SwitchBlade327]

So does the F1 box actually work better than the mustang box? or is it just more "period correct"? I can't afford to build a period correct car, I just want an evil looking, quick little ride.

[gettingreasy]

I'm going to be using a '32 Ferd box in my A. It was the cheapest box, column, and pitman arm I could find in good shape, hell $120 shipped aint to shabby. It's "trad" but also relativly small and tight as one of them Virgin things.
-Jesse

[SwitchBlade327]

I thought the later boxes made steering easier?

[gettingreasy]

I don't know if the later ones used different ratios or not, I've driven a stock chassised model A that steered just fine and had 14" rims up front. But then again I'm definatly not qualified in such things, I just thought I'd thrw it out because I noticed noone else mentioned early Ford boxes.
-Jesse

[SwitchBlade327]

hmm...maybe someone else will chime in with more info...

[36-3window]

no one has said it yet....why not just put in a vega box? if you are creative you can hook it to any column. they are easy to intall , stear great , no stuff hanging outside you frame rails , hide bellow your motor/motor mounts..i know they are getting costly thanks to ebay ( i used to get them for $10-15 at any junkyard)...but they work great! the old f-100 box is cool for looks , but they were never really any good in my opinion,even in a f-100! my dad bought a new ford f-100 in 1956 and it was always 2 turns to the right and 3 to the left to make it go straight

[thirtytwo]

f-1,f-100, vega anything else and your "pissin up a rope" as my boss says, the vega will probely last for ever , but you have to buy all those steering u-joints ...becomes expensive rebuild parts are avalible for either ford box and are priced reasonable... you have kind of a broad question thought what might beright on a trad highboy would be differt whaen something else is concerned

[SwitchBlade327]

I thought the vega was only for cross steering?

[36-3window]

yes, that's how the vega is used...makes a clean look... if you want the old time hot rod look with all that crap hanging outside the frame rails and a crappy and sloppy box...go with the f-100...i will make you happy.

i gave up on them 25 years ago , but maybe you young guys need the experience of them....but i like to drive my hot rods at 70-75-80 with one hand on the wheel....

[SwitchBlade327]

Post deleted by SwitchBlade327

[36-3window]

tell me , how can you have 1393 posts and not know what box is "best" or "traditional" ???? have you ever built a hot rod? or do you just give lip service? i'm just amazed by people on this board that that post all the time , but have no clue what to do on their "project"...and then ask for advice...then don't like what they get


at that many posts...you SHOULD be giving advice


i've been messing with hot rods for a long time...i guess i KNOW what works for me

[Levis Classic]

Well said 36-3 window! Every time he has a great trade to make on the classified side, he tells what he wants and people respond with the stuff he is looking for (including myself) and all he wants is info. I dont think he knows what the hell he wants. If you ask to trade something be prepared to do it don't waste everyones time.

[SwitchBlade327]

you know what. fuck you guys. When I first got on this board i didn't know ANYTHING. I'm trying to learn here, i have NO experience on a pre-49 car. I'll figure this out by myself. this board USED to be worth a shit.

[gettingreasy]

Fuck yeah, way to many shity fuckin attitudes. The dude just wants some info, if you know it give it to him, don't be a dick and tell him he should already know this shit. I got 1300 posts and I don't know all about this stuff should I just leave? Fuck no thats why I'm here.
-Jesse

[av8]

Don't throw out the baby with the bath water, Justin. I gave you an honest opinion and recommendation based on my experience and I stand by it. Bad-mouthing the Ford F-1/F-100 steering boxes is one person's opinion and doesn't square with what I know about them.

In 1955 I road tested dozens of new F-100s as part of my job as the new-car get-ready guy at a F-M-L dealership. Not once did I experience sloppy steering or any tendency of the trucks to wander. In my opinion at the time the F-100 steering felt lighter and more precise than Ford and Mercury passenger-car steering. A couple of years later my dad purchased a well-maintained used '50 Ford F-1 that I used on weekends to haul my dirt trackers, and it was a treat to drive -- good solid transportation with no bad steering habits.

I've also driven high-mileage F-100s that were extremely "road happy," and while worn sector shaft bushings were likely a contributing factor, most of the wander and slop could be chalked up to worn kingpin bushings and drag-link ends, plus occasional help from worn tie-rod ends.

I drive maybe a dozen cars with F-1/F-100 steering during the course of a year and find that those that are well maintained, which includes an occasional rebuild, steer fine and are safe at any speed the respective vehicle is capable of.

I drove two vehicles equipped with F-1 steering today, a flathead V8-powered '29 Model A roadster and my own '48 F-1 (which I drive almost every day). The steering box in the roadster was freshened up before it was installed about a year ago, and it has zero slop. The mileage on the steering box in my truck is unknown to me; I've owned the truck for only a few months and am still getting acquainted with it. It does have 20-25 degrees of free movement in the steering wheel, attributable to worn drag-link ends which will be replaced in a couple of weeks during a total suspension rebuild that will be done in conjunction with the installation of a dropped axle. Otherwise, I'd just replace the drag-link ends. For all that, the truck moves along at highway speeds (60-70 mph) with no drama or surprises.

So, you now have another opinion about F-1/F-100 steering.

[SwitchBlade327]

ok cool, some good info. so how does the F-100 box compare to the mustang box. I'm gonna have a mustang box with the car I'm getting so I'm wondering if it'd be worth it to trade or sell it.

[daveydeuce]

Question for AV8, am familar w/53-56 F 100 boxes, whats the difference between them and the F 1? Thanks http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif <font color="red"> </font>

[aussiesteve]

53-6 f100 box has the worm gear below the sector shaft and sector shaft OD is bigger.F1 box has worm on top of the sector.Thus your column shaft comes out higher on the box.
AussieSteve

[daveydeuce]

Thanx much!! Now, I too know the difference!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Davey

[AHotRod]

Re-pop Vega box.

[av8]

They're just the opposite, Steve. F-1 worm is below the sector, F-100 is above.