I know i'm getting old and weak. I'm thinking about putting R&P steering or a 605 box on my 57 chevy wagon. what do you think?
WUSSY....... Unisteer makes a kit..........about $800 http://www.unisteer.com/product.php?productid=16159&cat=250&page=1 I have their UniSteer for a 32 Ford......have NOT drove it yet but the kit is a Hi Quality deal ...IMHO....
FWIW, I have a 605 PS box on my '55 and love it. I also have Heidt's dropped spindles & disc brakes, 1.5 coils cut from the springs and a 0.75" anti-sway bar. I love the setup. It's no Porsch, but it works great. You might consider the size of your steering wheel. A bigger diameter will reduce steering effort by giving you a little more leverage.
Check the modified Tri 5 forum at www.chevytalk.com . Pros and cons have been discussed several times.
We just put a rack and pinion/power steering setup on a customer's 55. He got it off Egay from a guy in Arizona/Nevada...it ****s. It's on there and it seems to work. We just fired the blown 540 yesterday. It's a pain in the *** to get on, and does NOT fit a dam thing properly. Had to modify every part to achieve enough clearance around the pan/headers and it MUST be removed or dropped to pull the engine. It MAY fit ok with a small block, but uses a Citation steering rack and is simply not the way I would do my own car. Mark
Why would someone even bother to try a rack on a 55-57? So many better alternatives that fit perfectly! I think people get caught up in the fact so many new cars run with a rack...but they forget that new cars have suspensions and steering geometry that can handle the fast inputs of a rack ***embly. You have a load of work to do to a 55-57 to get to the point where a rack would be a helpful addition!!! LoL I'm all about using what you got, but sometimes the fact is...you need something else!
If ya' removed the original steering wheel for one of these tiny big belly clearance wheels, you've made your first screw-up. I wish I had $1 for everytime I've had some say they need power steering. Then ya' find out they took off the original steering wheel. Doesn't make any difference if it's a Tri-five Chevy or an old straight axled Ford. So then it's time for a 605 PS box (should really be called a 605 POS box) or this new R&P gadget that's supposed to be the panacea for all old tri-five Chevy ills. I've driven stock, 605 and R&P. Best road feel and overall steering was with a rebuilt stock box and a rebuilt correctly aligned front end that had a ball bearing idler arm kit (ya' have heard of those haven't ya'?). Best thing ya' can do to improve handling on a Tri-five is to install front and rear sway bars and good quality shocks (that's after ya' fluff up the rest of the suspension, i.e. rear springs, bushings, etc.) Also, from what I've been told, that 1/2 R&P's that's marketed for the old straight front axled Fords is a derivative from those John-Deere utility vehicles with the high floatation tires and tandem rear axles that ya' see runnin' around all the golf courses, plant maintenance sites, etc. . My source of info on the 1/2 R&P John-Deere gadget, was from inside the street rodding manufacturing community. Maybe others here can provide more info. Until I hear otherwise, I'll stick with rebuilt Ford or GM steering boxes .
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