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Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:56 am

what are my options in replacing my steering box? pitman arm now goes up and down about an inch before going left or right. I think its hurt! :? hard to tow as it won't hold a tow in setting. is a rack and pinion worth the fab work it involves? I read about someone using a blazer steering box? what are the pros and cons of box vs. rack? any body using electric assist racks? thanx ... Pax

Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:30 pm

new boxes can be kind of pricey but the good part about it is that you know it will go right in and you can probably fix it in an hour or so.

http://www.mooreparts.com/store/product/4217/415061113C/

racks are a big upgrade but they are a lot more involved of a project, if your running it in a baja then you have to notch and clear the frame head and get new tie rods and you have to rebuild the steering.
the real cheap racks arent that cheap either

http://www.mooreparts.com/store/product/1263/AC425155/

couple that with the price of new tie rods your time and the steering parts and your looking at a whole new cost. around $400

so if you want to go with a rack and go for it, but if you just want to get a cheap fix for now get a new steering box. or even just find another used one.

IMO power steering on bajas and rails is really unnecessary but it all depends on what you like.

Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:57 pm

The screw on top of the steering box holds the roller on the worm gear. If the Pitman arm moves up and down it's either broke inside or the adjustment screw stripped out. It's an easy swap, I just did it on mine. I put in a used one.

Here's the inside of the one I installed, not too many parts...

You have a PM...

Thu Oct 23, 2008 3:47 pm

IMO upgrade to a rack and pinion.You will also have a stronger tie rod set up if you go with custom tie rods.

Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:31 pm

ive got a steering box im not gonna use. i dont knopw how close ya are to covina but if ya want to pick it up its free!

Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:46 pm

I would replace the box so you can drive the car and then start collecting the parts to change over to rack.

Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:33 pm

I would go with a rack,, I've put them in most my cars....

As far as the price , it's matter of what and where you get the Rack... you can pick racks out of junk yards that are as good or better than any being sold over the counter.... The problem is finding a decent looking and strong unit, Thats is not power

I have seen photos of guys showing there S 10 conversations,, it looks like there close the same amount of fab work involved.
as far as power units being unnecessary in bajas... well we don't really need toilet paper either..

Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:35 pm

towd wrote: you can pick racks out of junk yards that are as good or better than any being sold over the counter.... The problem is finding a decent looking and strong unit, Thats is not power

I have seen photos of guys showing there S 10 conversations,, it looks like there close the same amount of fab work involved.

If my car didn't come with a rack, I would have looked into a GM J-car rack. I think that is the old cavalier. Anywho, the classic mustang guys sometimes use that one. The cool thing is that is is a center take off rack (tie rod ends mount to the middle of the rack and not the ends of the rack) and the pinion is on the driver's side, so you may not need the 2 u-joints, maybe just 1. Not sure if they made non-power units, but it's OK to just cap the 2 hose connections.

Here is one of the kits that the mustang guys use:
http://www.randallsrack.com/

google GM j-car rack.

--Tim