Technical Install of a steering quickener in my 1930's Special?

I designed and fabricated a 1930's style race car and it needs a steering upgrade. It drives and handles great, but the steering response is too slow. It's got a Vega steering box that's tight and in great condition. Steering input needs to be about double what it is.
The best way to upgrade it is by installing a Steering Quickener like a Howe Racing 5225. I've never used a quickener and don't know if it's a good idea for use on a street car. The car weighs around 1300lbs and the steering is very light, like its got power steering.

Would it be a good idea to add a quickener? Is Howe a good brand for quickeners?




1930's Style race car build:

 

You should ask Marty Strode. I believe he's used them, as i remember he recommended that for me if I have the same issue when the Whatever project is done.

 

Jay, The Howe units are great quality and reasonable in price. The good thing is the option of the 1.5 unit, if the 2 to 1 is too quick. I would use one in a minute

 

If you have room, lengthening the pitman arm will speed things up.
It only takes a little, 1/2 to 3/4 will make a noticeable difference!

 

Are the Howe 5224/5225 strong enough to use on a build like mine?

 

They are used in Stock Cars on dirt.

 

With the Vega box having a ratio of 22 to 1, I used a 525 Borgeson box with a 16 to 1 ratio in my Model A. We use the Howe quickeners in the Bonneville cars, installed backwards to slow the steering down.

 

The 525 box will bolt to the same mount as the Vega box. The 525 is a bit bigger and different size shaft.

 

I have a reversed Corvair steering box in my '27 roadster. I, like you, hated the 4 turns plus lock to lock of the box. Way too slow. I installed a 2:1 quickener. It worked great but was a little too quick. Then I installed a 1-1/2:1 quickener. That made it just right. It did add steering effort. 50% worth. (The added effort doesn't bother me. Don't tell anybody that I have EPS in front of the quickener. Bad shoulders necessitated the EPS, so I could continue driving the car.)

 

One project coming up in my shop is to install one for a customer, backwards.

His current steering requires a bodybuilder's strength, and about a half-turn, lock-to-lock.

 

Mine is 5.5 lock to lock, it's super slow.

 

I’ve never seen/heard of these before. I assume it’s put where the column would couple to the box, then the column shortened and the column now turns the quickener?

 

1/2 turn lock to lock! Even a 1:2 reducer (backwards quickener) will only result in 1 turn lock to lock. That's still awfully quick steering, too quick. Me thinks there are more problems that need correcting.

 

You are correct, the gears inside the Howe box do the job quite similar to a torque multiplier wrench. HOWE BASIC QUICKENER - 1.5:1 RATIO - Howe Racing Enterprises, Inc
Note that the shafts going in and out are offset.

 

That's is in the works, too, but the physicality of the vehicle will only allow for a certain amount of correction, without the 2:1 box.

This chassis was one that I started, but was finished by someone else.

It was not finished to my engineered design.

I am fixing it as best as it can be, without chopping off the front, and doing it over.

 

Gimpy, Weve all done it : tried to put bandaids on an amputation... You'll never be happy until you bite the bullet & cut it off & do it right!! In the long run it will be "cleaner", & you'll feel better about it for doing it "right"! As in : "Been there, done that, & have the scars to prove it!!" LOL

 

Can this not be addressed with different legnth pitman arms?

 

In that particular car I am going to say no. I'm thinking that it is pretty tight space wise in that area and you don't have the room. I'm thinking that he has about an inch or so clearance between the end of the pitman arm and the tie rod with the drag link running real close to parallell with the the tie rod. A lot closer than most Ford based setups with the same box.

 

Same here, never knew anything like that existed. I can think of a couple of times one of those would have come in handy.

 

We always put the quick box under the dash.

 

Lock to lock is 5.5, that's 5 and half turns.

 

This is not my car. This belongs to a customer.

My happiness with it has no bearing here. The decisions about what gets done to it, and how much money is spent, are solely up to him.

 

So what is your ratio? As Mr. Strode said, Borgeson makes a different ratio box that will almost bolt in.

 

It's a 4 turn box, as I remember.