C3-Jeep Steering Gear Conversion

[badbirdcage]

Now back to my reason for my original post on this subject.

Many of the forum members post that they are considering the Jeep P/S box upgrade.
I have to recommend it as a great change. I also recommend the modified/offset control arms which allow more favorable front end settings to be accomplished. After changing alignment settings, and without changing tires and wheels, the difference in the feel of the car on the road is great. Stability is greatly improved.

I am not hawking the kit from Corvette Steering (CS) as the only way or best way to do this. I went that way on recommendation from a person who had done it at least 10 years before CS was supplying these kits. It can obviously be accomplished through other sources, and possibly at reduced cost. It comes down to finances, what you are willing and able to do yourself and how much you want to struggle with the job.

For everyone that does this change I gotta say you are going to have a big grin on your face when you take it down the road after you are done.

Rich

 

[chris75stingray]

:thumbs: just picked up the correct pitman arm off the fleabay. now i just need a steering box

 

[chris75stingray]

i have just about everything i need now. i'm still waiting for the ujoint from summit. i guess it's backordered for a couple of weeks. i got the spacers threaded and the box modified. ill post some pictures of that later

 

[00fxd]

:thumbs: Pics would be great

 

[chris75stingray]

here are some pictures of my setup so far. i have the power to manual steering relay rod adapter from ecklers bolted on the pitman arm.


here are the adapter plates mounted on the box with the spacers underneath them


i decided to weld the spacers to the adapter plates. it's not needed but i thought it couldn't hurt. i beveled the edges on both pieces before i bolted them together to get a better weld.


here is the backside of the steering box. you can see were it is clearanced for the stock bolts to pass through. you can also see that the original bolt holes have been welded over. i left the bolts countersunk slightly then welded them to the box. i did this for 2 reasons. first i didn't really like the look of the threads on the box , second this will make the adapters solidly mounted to the box with no chance of anything loosening up. again it's not something that needs to be done but i did it anyway.


here's one more showing the holes i taped in the adapter plates for 3/8x 24 bolts

 

[Yellow73SB]

I found someone to machine spacers. .5 tall .5 hole and .15 wall.

I wonder if they could do the jeep box adapters also, they have a cnc machine

 

[chris75stingray]

got the box all bolted in . i had to grind a bit off of the pitman arm to clearance the frame. it just touches the frame at lock to lock but the stops in the control arms hit just as the pitman arm does. i'm still waiting on the u-joint. should get it next week

 

[1982VetteGuy]

Has anybody found an online source to machine these spacers? Thnking seriously about going the borgeson route if I can't get some made pretty cheap and easy.

 

[BBShark]

The plates are waterjet cut using the .dxf file from the VetteMOD downloads section. The spacers should be availibale and, if not, are easily machined by just about anyone with a lathe. Certainly the shop that machines the gear box to accept the spacers has the capability to make a spacer and I can't imagine there is a part of the country that has no local machine shops with a mill and a lathe.

1982VetteGuy, can you be a little more specific about where you are located (other than the USA)? I'm sure I could find someone close to you.

If there are enough people interested in doing this, I might be able to find someone to do this on my end but you have to provide me with a Jeep box and pay for shipping both ways.

Let me think about this. I'm not sure this will work, just thinking out loud.:footmouth:

 

[1982VetteGuy]

Thanks for the help, I think I'm going to go with the borgeson unit instead. I like the fact that it's a bolt on deal w/no mods.

I do have the 7814221 Pitman arm if anyone is interested, I'll list it in the FS section.

Thanks

 

[chris75stingray]

got it done. wow!!! what a difference. great mod steers like a new car.!!

 

[chris75stingray]

i would have to say it has a more assisted feel than a stock power steering box but i don't feel it is over assisted. in my opinion it still has good feel when cornering. but i haven't driven autocross or anything like that so my feel for the steering i'm sure is different for what someone else might like.

 

[SmokinBBC]

i would have to say it has a more assisted feel than a stock power steering box but i don't feel it is over assisted. in my opinion it still has good feel when cornering. but i haven't driven autocross or anything like that so my feel for the steering i'm sure is different for what someone else might like.

Do you still have that little bit of of center play? You know, turn the wheel off center about 1/8th of an inch before response? Or maybe it's just my vette...............

 

[pmazza]

This seemed like a good place to post a question about linkage geometry after the Jeep install.

I installed the Corvette Steering version of the conversion a few years ago and it has performed well.

One item I would like to correct is the linkage geometry. As installed on my car with stock Corvette PS pitman and manual drag link, the linkage sits @.25" lower and .25" to the rear at the pitman/drag link mount versus the idler arm/drag link mount point.

How does this compare to others with this steering box? Is it worth rotating the two idler arm mounts to get everything lined up? I have no more room to adjust the steering box without some major surgery since I have a BB with headers.

Thanks.

Phil

 

[BBShark]

You could probably rotate the idler arm and get the idler .25 lower. Might take a liitle more tweaking of the mount holes to get the idler .25 back.

 

[pmazza]

Yep, I would have to relocate both idler mount points which looks doable. The bigger question I have is if this is even worth anything or am I just being anal?

 

[mrvette]

Yep, I would have to relocate both idler mount points which looks doable. The bigger question I have is if this is even worth anything or am I just being anal?

Anal, I just got it damn close on my rack install, so I suspect 1/4 inch is not enough to worry about, unless of course the tie rods hit the lower arm, that was my biggest concern.....

:crutches:

 

[melssen]

What years and model jeep steering box should be used? I looks like from other threads that it is a 99-04 Cherokee, but then some talk about having to modify it, so I am not sure it it the correct, or at least the best one.

 

[BBShark]

The gear is from a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I think that is a different vehicle than the regular Cherokee

 

[melssen]

The gear is from a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I think that is a different vehicle than the regular Cherokee

Great, any idea on years?

 

[BBShark]

You were correct, 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

 

[sagebrush rebel]

Jeep steering box

If anyone is looking for the 99-04 jeep box, look in your local Pick and Pull. Several showed up here in the Pick and Pull from the Cash for Clunkers program run by the government. Seemed like they sure junked some nice vehicles. I got one at 1/2 price day for $25.

Don

 

[Mashman]

I've been thinking about this mod, and I have a couple of questions.

First, let me see if I understand this. If I make this mod, this is what I need - also, I have a 72 with power steering.

1) A new universal coupler from Borgeson to connect column to jeep box
2) A 1999-2004 gear box from a Jeep grand cherokee
3) The adapter plates - I sent the dxf file to machine shop for a quote.
4) A pitman arm (GM # 7814221) from a old chevelle
5) A drag link from a C3 with manual steering, or an adapter like the one Eklers sells.

Is that all I need?

I understand the column needs to be 'collapsed' a bit - can this be done while the column is in the car? Can anyone describe the procedure?

I'm not exactly clear on what modifications need to be done to the jeep gear box. It's said that it should be done by a machine shop, but it only looks like it's expanding the 4 holes? What does the machine shop need to do to the jeep box?

I can't open the dxf file, so I don't know what all it entails. Does it include the taping of the 3 holes? should I ask the chop doing the waterjeting of the adapters to do the taping? Or, have the machine shop modding the gearbox do it?

Thanks!
Matt

 

[mrvette]

I've been thinking about this mod, and I have a couple of questions.

First, let me see if I understand this. If I make this mod, this is what I need - also, I have a 72 with power steering.

1) A new universal coupler from Borgeson to connect column to jeep box
2) A 1999-2004 gear box from a Jeep grand cherokee
3) The adapter plates - I sent the dxf file to machine shop for a quote.
4) A pitman arm (GM # 7814221) from a old chevelle
5) A drag link from a C3 with manual steering, or an adapter like the one Eklers sells.

Is that all I need?

I understand the column needs to be 'collapsed' a bit - can this be done while the column is in the car? Can anyone describe the procedure?

I'm not exactly clear on what modifications need to be done to the jeep gear box. It's said that it should be done by a machine shop, but it only looks like it's expanding the 4 holes? What does the machine shop need to do to the jeep box?

I can't open the dxf file, so I don't know what all it entails. Does it include the taping of the 3 holes? should I ask the chop doing the waterjeting of the adapters to do the taping? Or, have the machine shop modding the gearbox do it?

Thanks!
Matt

First off, Welcome to the motley crew....

others can answer better than I can on some of this, but you shopping list looks accurate....

and to collapse the column, just hit it with a hammer and 2x4 to not mess up the end.....3 lbs hand sledge should do nicely...

the rest sounds correct from what I have read, but I did my own rack 9 years ago....so never did a Jeep box setup....

:drink:

 

[BBShark]

I've been thinking about this mod, and I have a couple of questions.

First, let me see if I understand this. If I make this mod, this is what I need - also, I have a 72 with power steering.

1) A new universal coupler from Borgeson to connect column to jeep box
2) A 1999-2004 gear box from a Jeep grand cherokee
3) The adapter plates - I sent the dxf file to machine shop for a quote.
4) A pitman arm (GM # 7814221) from a old chevelle
5) A drag link from a C3 with manual steering, or an adapter like the one Eklers sells.

Is that all I need?

I understand the column needs to be 'collapsed' a bit - can this be done while the column is in the car? Can anyone describe the procedure?

I'm not exactly clear on what modifications need to be done to the jeep gear box. It's said that it should be done by a machine shop, but it only looks like it's expanding the 4 holes? What does the machine shop need to do to the jeep box?

I can't open the dxf file, so I don't know what all it entails. Does it include the taping of the 3 holes? should I ask the chop doing the waterjeting of the adapters to do the taping? Or, have the machine shop modding the gearbox do it?

Thanks!
Matt

You list looks complete, you do need the plates as well as spacers. The plates and spacers are bolted to the gear with 12mm bolts (using the 4 original Jeep mounts). The plates are mounted on the opposite side from the original Jeep mounts, this is the reason for the spot faces on the back of the mounting ears. The drawing below will show you how to machine the gearbox. As far as the plates go, I would not attach this gear to the frame with the 3/8 fasteners that the original gear was attached with. I would use at least Grade 8 7/16" bolts. The Jeep gear with servo really increases twist on the attachment, I don't trust smaller bolts.

 

[Mashman]

Thanks guys!

I sent the DXF (thanks again for creating it!) file to a place by me that does waterjet fabrication (www.sanmarcoswaterjet.com) - and here's what I got back.

Qty 1 set – 2 steering adapter plates, from 1/2" thick mild steel, with (4) .500” holes and (3) 7/16-20 tapped holes

$91.92 set – material, cutting, and tapping

I don't know how competitive that price is, but it doesn't seem unreasonable. I then asked if some of that was setup, and what it might be for a multiple set order - I then got this.

Yes, part of that is setup. If you ordered 5 sets, I could get the price closer to $50.00 / set (not including tax).

This sounds even better! So I'm wondering if anyone might be interested in joining in for a group purchase? I will also post a thread on CF, and DC to ask there. If it looks like others will join, I will wait and put in my order on Feb 14th.

 

[saudivette]

I'd be interested.

I've already done the Jeep box mod but I bought a complete kit from somewhere (can't remember where) and the adapters were about the only thing that let it down.

 

[BBShark]

Mashman, Have you found the pitman arm yet? I found someone a while back that could get them for about $30. Let me know if you need the name, I'll try and find it.

 

[Mashman]

Thanks, but I already found one on fleabay.

 

[melssen]

Jeep box and the pitman arm for sale

I was all about doing this conversion and stuff got in the way. Then I found a rebuilt OEM steering box for super cheep. I am going ahead with the direct replacement. If anyone is interested in the pitman arm and the jeep steering box, let me know and shoot me an offer. Actual shipping cost. I am in the Miami, FL area.