GM "605" steering box question

my pals need a steering box for there race car project its using a front sub from a 68-72 chevelle and all of us being mostly ford guys dont know if there where any other cars used the same steering box any info would be helpful?

 

I think they were available on most GM cars of the same size. They show up on ebay all the time & prices all over the map. Good luck.

 

Just about every GM passenger car from 64-88 uses a steering box that will bolt in...but there were many different ratios and a few different splines on the steering shaft.

Also from about 1981 and newer, the fittings use o-rings. Older boxes use flared fittings.

 

those boxes are the "800" series. "605" boxes are different.

 

yup, the older big boxes are the 800 series, they have a 4 bolt top cover. Trucks use a similar box that bolts outside the frame instead of inside. The 605 box was introduced in the late 70s (?) on midsize cars, such as the Cutlass, malibu, regal, etc. It will bolt in place of a 800 series box except for the pitman shaft splines, they are the small size used on manual steering boxes.

also the input shaft spline on the 800 series boxes changed in the late 70s, it got smaller.

The 605 has a snap ring retaining the top cover, it does not use bolts. The 605 box is a light duty box, it does not have the recirculating ball design of the 800 series. From an engineering standpoint, the 605 is a piece of throwaway junk, but it's also light and cheap to make, which is why they put it in those throwaway junk 78-up midsize cars.

 

the best one to use would be out of a 70 to 81 z-28 or trans am they had the fastest ratio i think 15/1

 

thanks guys

 

If I recall correctly, the Trans-am from 77-82 had a slightly quicker ratio IF it has the WS6 suspension package. I had good luck using the box out of the 83-92 z28 and Trans-am. I used them on alot of circle track cars with the early chevelle snout and never had a failure.

 

What manual steering box could you use instead of the newer O ring style power steering box? I have power steering off of a 78 Trans Am now and would like to change to manual. Keith

 

should be most any late 60s-up manual car steering box, from anything besides a vega/monza/etc.

 

Ahhh...the "metric" boxes, with the big nut on the front and the snap ring on top instead of the four bolts. I think some of the oval track guys like them because they are lighter and if you can run a steering quickener the fast ratio boxes are not necessary.

 

Would a box from a pickup work?

 

no, pickup boxes mount outside the frame, not inside, so the mounting holes are in the wrong place.