Technical Uni-Steer cross steer rack vs. pos Vega box...

Go ahead on and say "I told you so", because after another 150 miles on after adjusting the cheap-o Vega box in the '34, it's again loosened up to having about 4" of play at center. Speedway's adjustment video not-withstanding, these things are dangerous.

In the interest of self preservation, I'm going to buy another steering box, it looks like the Uni-Steer rack is the same price as a Borgeson Vega style box, and should bolt in on the same Vega mount I already have hanging from the frame rail. The idea of precise R&P steering really sounds good, especially after driving my wife new Chrysler 300C, and not having to fabricate on the finished frame sounds even better.

Words of wisdom before hit the "Finish and Pay" key?

 

I had the same issue with the speedway crap, lesson learned... Bought a Borgsen and its been golden driving for 2 years now. Will say this, the R&p isn't much of a difference on these light cars from what I have driven, the borgsen vega box is about just as good in my opinion. I know the disgust that comes with buying something for over a hundred bucks and have it be crap, but the borgsen was one of the best investments I made in drivability on mine.

Either way you go man, it will be a drastic improvement in service life and control. I just don't like the look of the R&p down there on a fenderless hotrod, sticks out like a sore thumb, that's my about my only issue there. But you have a hood so you're good man.

 

What is the turning radius on a unisteer?
Also,they look like crap

 

I've been very happy with the unisteer in my avatar, with 40k miles. I'm not hung up on traditional details in terms of looks. Of course the Vega box is from the 70's also.
I would not go back to an old style box for a highway driver.


Phil

 

Just get rid of the elcheap O vega a box, and get a new borgson unit.
https://www.borgeson.com/xcart/product.php?productid=1729

 

I agree with the "They look goofy" guys.

 

Brian, if you have the room, maybe a 525 box would fit. It would most certainly be a great improvement in steering and the cost of a new Borgsen(sp?) Wouldn't be that bad. Pretty much a straight forward swap from what I've heard, just shorten steering shaft a new joint and a 40 Ford steering arm. I'm planning on going that route on my 36 to eliminate my Vega woes. Someones had to have done it. MITCH

 

525 is much better if you got the room . I use Mustang , but that’s a completely different steering setup . R&P is great just the looks of the turd floatin in the punch bowl . But hey if you gots a Chebbie as an engine you cares what it looks like ! Just kiddin !

 

I had an after market vegas and had the same trouble as every one else.
Constant adjustement and hard steering. I'm running a 401 naihead in my
model A. I changed to the unisteer set up. Its a bolt in swap and took about an
hour. at now drives like a dream and easy to steer. Only down side is that the turning
radious is slightly compromised on a right turn as the ram hits my hair pins on
the drivers side.

 

Unisteers in the '31 and '32. Steers like a go Kart not a land yacht.

 

Brian,
Beautiful car. I think you'd be very happy with a good Vega box, and it's a absolute bolt it since that's what you have now. Long term, my bet it would be a better value. The 525 is also a good box, but in a light car it's a tad big. Both are available in different ratios.

 

I have only had one "treatment" with a Uni steer. It wasn't for me or my Customer. Same starting point, worn Vega box and why not go with the new stuff. Went in okay. Drove it didn't care much for the feel, yes Right turn radi was not so good (read that as lost quite a bit). Removed connecting link to right side and went with Bronco right side tierod end. Recovered some right turn radi. Drove it again wasn't real pleased. It just seemed to keep us to busy trying to just go strait down these Old roads. Started looking for bad or worn items we should have addressed with the steering gear change. Found nothing in Beam Axle moving parts in worn condition but Did remove the Uni steer mount bracket and build a over the steering gear gusset to stop the bolt on bracket from Flexing. What a P.O.S. that was. It helped out a bunch. It did drive a bit better but after 1500 miles it came back and we installed a Borgsen Vega unit and all is well now. What neither of us liked was that you had to stay on top of the Wheel at all times. You couldn't relax and let the Coupe just go down the road. Every single change in road surface and the Car wanted to follow it. R&P is designed for A-Frame suspension not I-Beam. We gave it a chance and neither of us were impressed. You can get used to or accept anything but driving your Hot Rod is supposed to be fun, not a Job. I accept the Facts. Good luck on your Quest.
The Wizzard

 

I guess take it all in bud, and look at how your steering is set in your frame, check clearances before making the decision. Just make an educated decision and don't expect 2018 technology and driving characteristics on a straight axle.

My borgsen vega box one handed all the time unless the tires are spinning. Its nice turning into and out of parking lots one handed, hard turns one handed, on freeway 2 fingers.

 

I've got a Borgeson and it's doing it's job quite well. I would however like to figure out a way to lube it.
Been considering fabbing up a cover bolt that is hollow and tapped on top for a grease fitting to install in place of a bolt on the lower end of cover, only for greasing, then replace with the original bolt.
Plan is to do this with removing an upper bolt while greasing, and pumping in cornhead grease from lower bolt till it oozes out at top bolt. Then replace bolts with original.
All this hinges on these bolt holes being clear drilled into the case, and I haven't checked that yet. Anybody got one that's torn down to take a look?

 

Built my brother's '29 Roadster Pickup into a legal 'A' Street Roadster for the Baylands (Fremont) Old Time Drags. 472" LS-6, Muncie M21, narrow 9" rear, 6" shortened wheelbase, Superbell tube axle, and 'then-new' Vega cross steering, front spring dead-perched on pass. side.
This was in 1979, steering box has performed perfectly...(I didn't want to go that way, fenderless roadster should have pickup/drag link, blah, blah...) Surprise...
The car is not traditional, just looks it from a distance. So use the Vega. We did.
That car has run in the high 10s, comes out straight as a string. Car was then relegated to street use, everything still mostly the same, Vega box feels like a 'late model', still smooth and great.
Really 'turned my head around'.
My '27 tub? '55 F100 box, but one false move...and it gets a Vega!
Glad to hear the warning about Speedway boxes...

 

Obviously I don’t have hard numbers but I’d bet anything that far more Borgeson Vega boxes have been sold than Uni-steers. They are comparable in price but everything I have read about the U-st box gives me the reasons why I believe my statement is true.
If you can live with some of the quirks the Uni-steer apparently has that’s fine, but my vote goes with the Vega.

 

d-o-m why do you see a need to lube a Saginaw box? You might see a bit of oily film by the seals but as long as no actual grease is oozing out everything is fine.
Way back when I was searching for Vega boxes in wrecking yards one thing I saw more than once was a loose locking nut on the adjuster plug for the worm shaft. When that is loose you will see grease coming out by the threads of the adjuster and too little bearing preload can wear the internals.

 

If I had it to do over on my truck I'd probably go Vega instead of the Uni-Steer
I made my own mounting bracket so that at least my turning radius is the same side to side.
Gathering parts now to resurrect my '33 two door and the Mustang steering box will be replaced with a Vega.
I chuckle when I look at what I did when I built it in the '70s.
Oh what I have learned, or did I?

 

Fordors, I don't really know that it needs lubing.
Just that after messing with cars for about 65 years I sorta feel like anything that moves and rubs or rolls 2 pieces of metal against each other needs a bit of oil or grease attention once in awhile
Do you know if the cover retaining bolt holes are open into the gear section? Have never looked to see by removing a bolt, just a thought as a way to lube it. No visible leaks.

 

So,I guess between all the bitching,there could be some one who actully works on stuff too fix,enough too find out if things are just not locked in place or,a part is grinding away some place or something ?? I don't have the prob. all good ,added a Vaga box,to replace my rusted out F1 box 6years ago in my 28A{ F1 want bad from me ,not keeping water out an lube in !}. So was reading just to fine out. If there is anyone that knows,thanks.

 

You may find that the end of the rack wants to occupy the same space as your left wishbone on right turns. Need to fit the pieces just right.

 

A fellow put exactly this question to me a few days ago.

Reason, shit Chinese look-a-like Vega he rebuilt 3 times in 300 miles trying to make it work and is frustrated. He is a skilled long time rodder, but the initial cost of the Borgeson put him off. Lesson learned. But it is not a 'Vega' vs. Uni steer question, it's a shit cheap Chinese copy vs. properly made more expensive one question.

(The cheap one had places not machined where a real one is, ball bearing that he miked and were not even round! etc. etc. He replaced the balls with round ones, tried all kinds of lube and adjustments, nothing really worked...it's beyond help. Now he has to pay more money or not drive the car.)

 

The worm gear adjuster lock nut actually strips out is the initial cause, then the adjuster backs out, people try to take the slack up in the selector shaft but it keeps pushing the worm gear adjuster farther out, the clearances in the box casting are not good to begin with, upon almost complete failure the threads that the adjuster ride in get more and more loose finally it starts jumping threads then its time for full thread failure to happen, box is completely useless, if you are driving then you are going for one hell of a ride.

So if you want to break out the forge, re cast the cheap box housing with better quality and thread pitch etc by all means go for it, cause I for one don't have the time or tooling.

If you caught it early you could get a worm gear adjuster lock nut from a junkyard, but the vega boxes are not common in any of the ones in my area. But then you are at the mercy of the cheap casting threads.

 

I had a real GM vega box on my A
never had an issue. I think the quality unit would be the easiest way to go.

I agree with the odd look to a unisteer.

 

Hope this might be of help.
GM sells a hollow bolt for the top plate with a zerk fitting to get it in the steering box.

steering box lube holes.jpg (114.81 KiB) Viewed 411 times


63-82 Steering Box Greasing Tool.jpg (8.8 KiB) Viewed 411 times

 

^^^^^^^^ Thx for the info on lubing Sorta the reverse of what I was planning in that I was gonna try putting the lube in thru a zerk fitted bolt installed at the place they're saying to check it and pumping till it came out where they are saying to pump it in Not the first time I've gotten things bassackwards
I have a lathe and have about 50 years experience in the machinist field, so it shouldn't be any problem to make one of those bolts up, and Prolly easier than finding one to buy now after all these years.
Does the tech article concerning this mention type of lube to use? I was planning on using John Deere "corn head grease", which is a thin grease used in the corn picker's head where the mechanism is rotating at a slow speed under fairly heavy pressure.

 

Info from the 1971 Chassis Service Manual, yes GM engineered and had a bolt available but the box is a sealed unit, unless of course it had a bad seal at the worm or sector.
With GM using R&P now I'm sure there is no 1051052 lube out there so if you must lube it then the corn head is a good option.

 

Having read all the comments here's my spin on it some of it is the same, different,right,wrong and indifferent.
My 34 coupe had a vega box which was good and had nothing wrong with it except it was LHD and I had to change to RHD. I chose the Unisteer because it was new, different and RnP. Having fitted it the steering is precise and has a great feel to it a bit better than the vega box. Having said that I lost some of the turning radius I had before. A friend of mine made me a steering quickner which gave me about 3/8 in more travel giving me a much improved turning radius. Having done that I lost the mechanical advantage making the steering heavier so I fitted smaller tyres which lightened the steering some. All in all it was worth doing and as I drive the coupe a lot it is great steering.I can take my hand of the wheel and it steers straight, no having to fight it for control like some one else mentioned. If you had a traditional rod with a big steering wheel and skinny tyres it would be much better. That's my take on it however it's one of personal choice.That's my pros and cons, would I do it again...yes I would.
The pic shows the steering quickner that my buddy made. It goes on the track rod and the drag link was shortened to line up with it and not having to use the second hole on the steering arm.

 

Have a Unisteer in my 38 delivery. It goes down the road straight as an arrow.Will be putting one in my 36 Ford Ute