Steering box issues

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Deadeyejedi80

Greasemonkey
Apr 8, 2018
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Saratoga springs ny
I got a new lares 972 quick ratio steering box for my 1980 cutlass supreme , i was assured everything would work by a lares rep. I used this so I could keep my original power steering pump and flared end hoses . Everything works great except my intermediate shaft won’t slide onto the new box , the male spline is either to big or has more splines on it .im assuming it’s because it’s a pre 78 steering box . Is there an intermediate shaft that will work that anyone knows of ? If not I’m sending the whole mess back and starting over . I know the Jeep and Astro van shifts are a good upgrade but I’m pretty sure they won’t fit the new box either thanks
 

TURNA

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Jul 24, 2009
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Socialist NY
78 Uses a different shaft on the column end

are you sure that you cant just open the shaft up a hair a slide it in?

Can you post a pic?
 
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Deadeyejedi80

Greasemonkey
Apr 8, 2018
133
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43
Saratoga springs ny
I did try to open it up but didn’t seem to budge . If I thought I could open it up enough i would make the switch to a Jeep shaft , as long as the splines mesh properly
 

Bonnewagon

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Supporting Member
Sep 18, 2009
10,540
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I had a similar problem. I used the rag joint as an adapter. Undid two different ones and had pre-'78 on one side and post '78 on the other.
 

Gwarren79

G-Body Guru
Oct 29, 2018
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I removed the bolt to the rag joint, jammed a 3/8" extension where a socket would go into into the bolt space and it slid on like butter.
 

Deadeyejedi80

Greasemonkey
Apr 8, 2018
133
144
43
Saratoga springs ny
not sure how this worked i just tried that and a 3/8 extension fits so loose in that gap it won't spread it open .
 

Deadeyejedi80

Greasemonkey
Apr 8, 2018
133
144
43
Saratoga springs ny
bottom line here is the pre 78 shaft is a 30 spline that measures about .790 and the post 78 is a 26 spline that measures about .720 even if i were to mash the two together somehow i wouldn't feel comfortable with it.so depending if the rep has a solution for this im dumping the old style quick ratio and getting the proper box.which leaves me with the issue of hooking my flared end fittings to the oring style steering box (which is what i was trying avoid in the first place).so the lesson learned here if your doing this swap from a 307 to 455 save yourself some headaches , use all the brackets and pulleys and power steering pump from the 307 and put them on the 455 ."They" say it all bolts up without issues.
 

pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
29,270
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Kitchener, Ontario
I got a new lares 972 quick ratio steering box for my 1980 cutlass supreme , i was assured everything would work by a lares rep. I used this so I could keep my original power steering pump and flared end hoses . Everything works great except my intermediate shaft won’t slide onto the new box , the male spline is either to big or has more splines on it .im assuming it’s because it’s a pre 78 steering box . Is there an intermediate shaft that will work that anyone knows of ? If not I’m sending the whole mess back and starting over . I know the Jeep and Astro van shifts are a good upgrade but I’m pretty sure they won’t fit the new box either thanks

if all else fails you can use the Astro shaft with a knuckle that fits. You can cut the lower knuckle off the Astro shaft which is a 1" DD, count the splines and diameter of the input shaft on the box and order a knuckle that fits.

BRG-013468_MQ_ml.jpg
 
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