Which steering box do I want?

[somethin_random]

My car's steering wheel turns from lock to lock about 3 1/8 turns. I read about a Z steering box which locks at 2.25 turns, that would be great but not everyone in the thread came to an agreement about them working out and I didn't understand a lot of what everyone was saying. Here is the thread if anyone feels like convincing and helping me understand about the Z steering box viewtopic.php?t=31309#.UIMX6IZzX18


If not though, I was just going to get the SS steering box and be done with it, planning on buying it brand new and here at Oreilly's they have two listed. I want the one that locks at 2.5 turns, could anyone tell me the difference in these two and also how I can be sure I am getting the right one?

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/searc ... =Chevrolet

Thanks

 

[pontiacgp]

the Z box and SS box are the same ratio. The Z box has different stops making your u-turn a larger radius. The Z box also gives you a heavier feel on your steering wheel which many like including myself. I have the Z box for that reason and it stops the tires from rubbing on the sway bar at full turn

 

[somethin_random]

I would like a heavier feel as well... Can I buy the Z box at a normal auto parts store?

 

[pontiacgp]

it came in GTA's and IROCs so it should be available. Ritter might be able to help you this one. He's the NAPA rep on the forum

 

[somethin_random]

ok I thanks, I will shoot him a PM in a bit...

Checking out the F-Body forum, I learned that the Z stamped on there doesn't guarantee the 2.25 turns lock to lock. It turns out that the 2.25 turn L2L boxes have the code "XH" or "HX" depending on how your viewing it..

I am curious, what is it about these boxes that gives you a heavier feel?

 

[pontiacgp]

it's the valves in the box that gives it a heavier feeling. As far as I know all the Z boxes are 12:1, same as an SS box

 

[82gbody]

Here is a good article from Car Craft on steering boxes.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/cc ... ewall.html

 

[somethin_random]

Thanks for the article 82g... I'll have to read it later where I can study it to understand it all. Off the bat though, I do notice on the chart that the steering box with "XH" code has the shortest travel to maybe confirm what I was saying in my last post.

pontiacgp, here is the thread I was reading, hopefully it's okay to post the link

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/suspe ... x-not.html

Starts off with them going back and forth and then eventually they settle with the fact that the Z is just a casting number. The problem with the two letter codes is that GM used a marker or something that would eventually wash away.

 

[pontiacgp]

some guys have confused a "Z" casting with and "N" casting and for the donor cars you never know what has been upgraded. If some one found mine in a yard they's find a 86 GP body and that's just about all that is left, almost everything else has been upgraded or modified.

 

[somethin_random]

I can understand that but there really isn't much proof to say who is right... I was just hoping to get a quick ratio steering box on there by the end of today but that didn't quite work out. Here's what happened...

I got up and did some more reading trying to see if I could try and get the 2 and 1/4 box but figured unless i'm going to the junkyard to pull one and hope I would be getting the original internals, then I wouldn't be finding it. So, I said screw it, I'll just settle with the SS box as it would be a worthy upgrade over stock. So, I check autozone.com, they listed one for special order stating 2 1/2 turns L2L, called them to make sure they or anyone near by didn't have one, no good and I wanted it today. So then I look at Advance Auto's website and they list two models, sport and non sport, sport said 2 and 1/2 turns L2L so I called to verify they had the part number as listed on the site, turns out their computer didn't have that part number and the ones their computer showed didn't state 2 1/2 turns L2L, I gave up on them.. Next, I headed to ORileys to see what they had, their computer didn't state the ratio or turns L2L either but I had them bring the one they had out and I saw the infamous "Z" and "2600...." and got a "little" excited as I felt I was making progress. Told them I would check out another place and I might be back to get it. So I headed next store to Napa. Napa got on their computer and told me they had one that had 2 1/2 turns L2L at another store a little ways down the highway, even showed me the description. So I was happy, had him call the other store to verify they had it. All good, drove down there, and took a look at the box.,,, NO "Z" so I was skeptical, I looked at what his computer had on the description and it said "2 1/2 turns TO 3 turns" ... DAMN IT! So basically, my conclusion is YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU WOULD BE GETTING FROM AN AUTO PARTS STORE and you can't put it on and bring it back if it's the wrong one I mean, they don't even list the ratios, the one's that do say something, just states L2L turns, doesn't even sound legitimate.

I checked a few friends to see if they knew anyone that could rebuild mine to the ratio of my liking but to no avail... I don't want to pay a ridiculous amount for this upgrade, 200 is almost too much honestly. I wish I knew a way to measure the exact ratio of the steering boxes at the store without being installed, that would really be ideal. I found this one video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw7egXcVzPo but it doesn't tell me anything because I don't know what he is using to measure.

This sucks, lol