COE Van steering boxes....need input!

Hey guys, who here has done the swap from truck steering box to the more upright van box?

On my 80's 1 ton frame the box lays down pretty flat, making the steering column angle pretty sharp. I bought a mid '80's van box, but need some details for the swap. It looks like I will need to swap the tie rod and idler arm also....AND make a new mount for the box. The van box mounts vertically and the tie rod arrangement is different.....

I was at the junkyard yesterday and looked at some older chevy vans (78ish)....they have a different type steering box that may work also....

So, who has any details or pics???? Thanks

 

I was going to use the stock box,set it more upright like the van box and I was going bend the steering arm,It looks like it would work.
I have an extra steering arm I can bend.
you would have to drill new holes and make a notch on the frame tho

 

on my first cabover which was a one ton frame i used about the same year box from a 3/4 ton van. this gave me the right size ball joint on the pitman arm. the drawback in using the van box is that it doesn't bolt to the right side of the frame to line up to center. therefore you need to notch the frame and build a new mount. i've read of some guys using power racks?

 

I have a mid 80's van box as well and got the idler arm and tie rod from the same van. I haven't worked with it yet but I really don't think it will be a big problem. I am wondering if anyone on here has done the swap?

 

Hmmmmm.... Using a power rack, huh Pex.... I just happen to be stripping a C5 Corvette for my COE's drivetrain...... Hmmmmm.....

 

I got a box from a 91 Chevy van. I will have to build a new mount on the frame. The van box and the original box have the same numbers cast into the housing. The big difference between the two is the steering arm, and the output shaft rotates in the opposite direction. My build is different from most here, (being 4x4). I am going with cross-over high steering.

 

I noticed that the astro van steering box is not bigger than the 3/4 ton box also,the steering rods are thicker of course.

 

I did some measuring, hoping I could use the 80's Chev van box and steering linkage on my truck ch***is. The van frame is about 6" wider than the truck frame, so is the center link. I don't want geometry issues, so this won't work for me. The van box itself MAY work with my existing linkage....

 

Scott,you could cut the center link in the middle and add a 12" bar with threads on each end and thread the 2 ends of the center link and use those clamps that the truck uses on the steering arms...
It be easy if you own a lathe.