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Gm a body Jeep steering box swap

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  • #16
    do you know what specs were used to align your car? old cars have less castor then newer cars - thus, the box is going to react 'faster' to input to overcome that castor. Put as much castor as you can into it, if you want the cheapest 'fix' (and you'll love how it handles), do a b-body spindle conversion. Find a 9A brake kit (cop car, Impala) and you'll get better brakes to boot. CPP sells the kit - you can shop and do a bit better, but it's good to know what the upper dollar figure is. It changes the spindle length (taller), lowers the car about an inch, and the conversion upper control arms give you more castor.....

    yeah, oops - not camber - that said, the longer spindles give you more camber gain (that is, the wheel tilts in more as the suspension compresses)... so camber is there...
    Last edited by SuperBuickGuy; March 20, 2019, 06:57 AM.
    Doing it all wrong since 1966

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Shep48COE View Post
      Would be nice to have someone move the steering wheel while you are looking for the leak.
      a bungee cord at full lock usually is top pressure. Like I said, I dont know why a Jeep conversion would be better, but if you have leaks you are not getting the proper flow to that box and might be sucking air as well.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by anotheridiot View Post

        Like I said, I dont know why a Jeep conversion would be better,
        like I said, faster steering response, removes variable steering, fewer turns lock to lock. People (still) seek the box out of the Monte Carlo SS and the Buick GNX to upgrade the A-bodies - but those are rare and expensive. The Jeep box is close to those most desired boxes and as common as a SBC (and cheap - to the point where you could buy a Jeep with the box for less than the cost of the 'right' box).

        Doing it all wrong since 1966

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        • #19
          Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post

          like I said, faster steering response, removes variable steering, fewer turns lock to lock. People (still) seek the box out of the Monte Carlo SS and the Buick GNX to upgrade the A-bodies - but those are rare and expensive. The Jeep box is close to those most desired boxes and as common as a SBC (and cheap - to the point where you could buy a Jeep with the box for less than the cost of the 'right' box).
          But standard replacements give you the option to go from 2 1/2 to 4 turns lock to lock and can get a remanufactured for less than 100.00.
          Last edited by anotheridiot; March 19, 2019, 01:05 PM.

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          • #20
            Originally posted by anotheridiot View Post

            But standard replacements give you the option to go from 2 1/2 to 4 turns lock to lock and can get a remanufactured for less than 100.00.
            I think you're overlooking something. The Jeep box IS a GM designed and built box.... there is no difference, it's just a cheap way of sourcing the box from a wrecking yard.
            Doing it all wrong since 1966

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            • #21
              Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post
              Put as much camber as you can into it
              Nooooo....!

              Click image for larger version

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              Caster is what you want to look into.

              General rule is heavy cars like less caster, light cars more, but with modern tires etc. 5 degrees positive is in my experience about right for an A-body to handle nice. Too much and the car starts driving you, not you - it.




              if you want the cheapest 'fix' (and you'll love how it handles), do a b-body spindle conversion. Find a 9A brake kit (cop car, Impala) and you'll get better brakes to boot. CPP sells the kit - you can shop and do a bit better, but it's good to know what the upper dollar figure is. It changes the spindle length (taller), lowers the car about an inch, and the conversion upper control arms give you more camber.....
              Again, caster is what is desired, the aftermarket a-arms get you that by putting the upper ball joint rearward more than what you could get by shimming up stock a-arms. Ditto on the rest of it, not needed for a street machine/cruiser but makes a big difference for spirited driving if you wind up going that way, my El Camino done in '95 was some of the best effort spent on the car.. 1LE rotors, long gone from the GM parts counter but available Chinese, are 12" dia. and have the 4 3/4 bolt circle you'd need.

              ...

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              • #22
                Yea that steering box cost me 20 or 30$ and the lee kit cost I don’t even know how much. Maybe 60$ 70$ total guesstimate when I’m done. I just need new hoses and the fittings on the box then everything should be peachy.

                As as far as the Jeep box I read up on this swap because it’s one of the cheapest to do but requires another step or 2 because of the whole standard and metric threads you have to deal with.

                im paying for it with time I guess. Whatever I like trial and error..... really good at trying. And really good at erroring

                but seriously I’m starting to feel that the 200$ plus to rebuild my box to newer style specs might have been smarter but then I have a car I can’t drive or move till the part comes back

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                • #23
                  And Saginaw built the gm box and the Jeep box. Same box but different internals. Jeep just happened to use that same box in their vehicle and we get to take them from the junkyards across America.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Loren View Post

                    Nooooo....!

                    Click image for larger version

Name:	camber.JPG
Views:	183
Size:	15.5 KB
ID:	1237862

                    Caster is what you want to look into.

                    General rule is heavy cars like less caster, light cars more, but with modern tires etc. 5 degrees positive is in my experience about right for an A-body to handle nice. Too much and the car starts driving you, not you - it.






                    Again, caster is what is desired, the aftermarket a-arms get you that by putting the upper ball joint rearward more than what you could get by shimming up stock a-arms. Ditto on the rest of it, not needed for a street machine/cruiser but makes a big difference for spirited driving if you wind up going that way, my El Camino done in '95 was some of the best effort spent on the car.. 1LE rotors, long gone from the GM parts counter but available Chinese, are 12" dia. and have the 4 3/4 bolt circle you'd need.
                    oops... correct, castor.
                    Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                    • #25
                      Caster

                      Click image for larger version

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                      Annoyed with me yet? I'll stop...​​​​​​​
                      ...

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                      • #26
                        And, as noted by SBG, the camber gain w/ the mods is awesome. The mentioned El Camino with (now old-school) 265-50 front rubber became a whole different car under hard driving.
                        ...

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by Loren View Post
                          Caster

                          Click image for larger version  Name:	images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTX7FBmqbVP9oNZ3013Pt4lnfHqE-1xM3TuelBLK1p0R9qACI4R.jpg Views:	1 Size:	7.7 KB ID:	1237916

                          Annoyed with me yet? I'll stop...
                          if only your track car build ran as well as your mouth
                          Last edited by SuperBuickGuy; March 20, 2019, 10:15 AM.
                          Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                          • #28
                            Shots fired on the bangshift forum. You guys crack me up

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                            • #29
                              I shall not be distressed at what Mr. SBG may hurl, but will remember his name each time I pass by the aisle containing popular natural treatments for common conditions like constipation and skin ailments.

                              ...

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by Loren View Post
                                I shall not be distressed at what Mr. SBG may hurl, but will remember his name each time I pass by the aisle containing popular natural treatments for common conditions like constipation and skin ailments.

                                You'll have plenty of time to do so as a spectator
                                Doing it all wrong since 1966

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