OK,

My power steering box is a mess. Rather than plunk down close to 300 for a new box. I would rather save a bundle and go with a conversion of a junk yard box. What box is the best on to get that would be compatible with a 69 camaro with power steering? What parts would I need to be able to make the conversion necessary? Who makes them and where can I get them? Can I use the existing pitman arm as well? COME ON GUYS!! This question as been asked a couple of times on this board with no response. Some one please give it up.

Thanks
Mark

ThirdGen box in FirstGen Camaro (http://69camaro.nextmill.net)

There is tons of info there, $205 total with a new box! Obviously you can substitute a junkyard box if you want.

I did pay the $295 (w/free shipping) for a box/rag joint, but it is an original '69 box with the IROC gears and contol valve. All of the original hoses fit correctly without fitting SAE hoses into a metric bosses on the box. To top it off it has the correct date code for my car :D . This was an outright price so I'm putting the original under the bench just in case I want to take it back to original feel-less power steering. To get your original rebuilt is less than $300. Conversion of your box would be closer to the $200 - $225 range and a rebuild is even less.

RPOL78, can you post who you bought this unit from and what the part # was for others who might want to spend the extra $90?

I think SPEEDWAY may still sell rebuilt DUREX P/S gearboxes that turn like 3 to maybe 3.5 turns for about $140 or so without a core charge??

Might look into it b/c that's where I got mine several years back, but for $130....

I forget where I got my new rag-joint assembly, Ricks First Gen.??


The buy the belts and hoses locally for not all that much. Then use say an Alan Groves bracket and add-on crank pulley..

http://www.alangrovecomponents.com/

pdq67

RPOL78 - I too want to know where you got that box stuffed with IROC guts.

I already had power steering so this is for the box and rag joint. The guy's name is Colin MacLagan at 520-908-0313. He's a great guy to deal with. He sells quite a few of them on "e-pay". He's out of Tuscon, AZ. The company name is Performance Company. I looked up mine and it was actually $298. He normally charges shipping on top of it but must have felt sorry for me or I caught him at a weak moment. He even called me after FedEx Ground indicated that it had been deliver to make sure I received it ok. Again would highly recommend him.

I called the local Advanced Auto today, they quoted a price of $230 plus $25 core charge for the Cardone 276550 power steering box.
RockAuto.com has a price of $116 plus the $25 core charge plus $12 for shipping. So the price for this conversion is ~ $215.00.
Hmmm.. Interesting option.
Will I experience header clearance problems with this conversion?

Mark, quite a few late-'60s & early-'70s GM car (not truck) power steering gears will work, although ratios will vary. They changed the hose connections from flare to O-ring sometime around 1976, so you can limit your choice to before that, or use hose adapters or custom hoses. I converted my '72 Nova to PS using a '75 Formula Firebird box & it bolted up using the rag joint that came with it from the junkyard. Some boxes have 4 mounting holes, but only 3 are used for our cars. A junkyard should have an interchange book or computer that will tell you what fits.

I used a 1986 Z28 box $50 J/Yard. You will also need short steer arms. You need special inserts for input output on box and new ragjoint to fit smaller shaft, From Lee manuf. If your pitman is good you can use it.. For the price of the idler arm $40 I would repalce it. I used TRW/MOOG. This might sound funny but let your new box (when you get it) sit up against a wall like it sits in the car and see if it leaks out of the front worm where it hooks to ragjoint. I didn't and I had to pull it back out because of leak.

The O-ring kit is only $10 at Azone and easy to put in with instructions from the search area. So I probably wouldn't chance a leak and just replace it before install. This is a great upgrade well worth the trouble. Do a search and you will get all kinds of info. Search under my ID and you will see what I did. Goodluck

go here:
http://www.borgeson.com/products.htm
they got all steering parts.
complete setups aswell.

Today I purchased from the local j-yard a 1989 IROC box from a car with 88,000 miles and paid them $75. I also ordered the kit from Lee Mfg.
Now, the pitman arm on my car is ~6" from center to center. The Pitman arm on the IROC box is ~6.75". Which one do I use?
If you say the original Camaro pitman arm this raises another question, how do I get this thing off? I quickly tried a gear puller on the IROC box arm, it wouldn't budge. Maybe I should put the impact wrench on the gear puller??
What's the secret?

look here;

E-pay steering box requires no conversion (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7929997764&fromMakeTrack=true)

Looking at www.advanceautoparts.com (http://www.advanceautoparts.com) they list a Cardone 276509 Power Steering; w/2 1/2 - 3 Turns Lock to Lock for $128.88. Also a Lares 972 Quick Ratio Power Steering for $144.88. This is for a 69 camaro.
Advance Auto steering boxes (http://www.partsamerica.com/SelectParts.asp?ptset=A&parttype=255&description=Steering&sourcepage=PartTypes&searchfor=Steering+Gear+Box)

You have to use a 67-69 camaro pitman arm, cuase the one off the new box is keyed to point to the front, not the back.

Auto parts store will have a "pitman arm puller" for less than $20.

Pitman arms facing opposite directions....good point.
I removed the pitman arm from the IROC box with a gear puller and a big hammer & brass rod. Today I will paint it, POR 15 it, and pick up the 0-ring seal kit. The pitman arm on the car is more stubburn which I find odd since it is a rebuilt box that has never been on the road. I'll check with Autozone to see if they have the loan-a-tool pitman-arm-puller available.
Thanks guys for all the help, this improved road-feel will be appreciated one day.
Now all I need is an engine-transmission-complete-interior-etc-etc-etc..........
One thing I didn't think about.... my steering column has the tilt feature...I hope my new Lee rag joint will fit my column.

Has anyone ever used an impact wrench on a pitman arm puller? This thing won't budge.
Before trying the impact wrench I may apply a little heat.

With the gearbox on the car, remove the nut from the pitman arm, turn the wheel all the way left, then using the large socket and 3 foot breaker bar you can use the pitman arm puller to pull the arm off.

A little heat won't hurt... easy does it if this is the box you're gonna run tho.

FIRST I'd try putting all the tension you can on the puller, then rattle the arm with an air hammer.

I put a lot of tension on the puller, applied some heat, and it came right off with some more turning. Later this week I should receive my kit from Lee, and this part of the car goes back together.

Now who has the instructions on replacing the pitman arm shaft seals? I did pick up the kit, but haven't spent any time working with it.