Which steering box do I want?

[pontiacgp]

You don't want to get a quicker ratio than what you get in an SS. I have driven one that was custom made and you can't relax at all on the highway, just a little twitch will put you in the next lane. 2 3/4 to 3 L2L is nice for these cars. I have the 2 1/2 but with the stops it travels less so it's the same as a 2 3/4 to 3 L2L . You won't find a G body steering box with a 2 1/2 L2L

 

[somethin_random]

my car has 3 1/8 turns L2L already and I figured that was the stock ratio, is that considered a fast ratio? I don't want to buy a new one if I might end up with one that only removes that 1/8 of a steering wheel turn. On a curving (a little wider) right turn I made, I payed attention to spin and the steering wheel almost made a full rotation so I figured on a 90 degree right turn, it would be a little or more over a full steering wheel rotation. It seemed like a little too much but I may be giving it more thought than needed. I like your point about being on the highway, that's honestly one of the reasons why I thought I should buy a quicker ratio box but logically it would be the opposite as you mentioned. It just feels like I could lose control too easily as I don't really feel the car hugging the road, that is why I was interested in the 2.25 L2L box as you and others have mentioned. I figured you had that box after you said that... I'll probably just hold off on the steering box and work on the suspension and wheels\tires first. Thanks for your help

 

[grandamman]

This post made me check my factory G/A steering. 3 turns full rotation...It does turn extremly easy...

 

[somethin_random]

Thanks for the bump. I just re read the thread and realized I overlooked all pontiacgp's posts where he points out that the XH, HX, Z boxes have the same ratio as a stock SS box, I apologize.. I was fixed that the Z box had 2.25 L2L as I had read it somewhere else.

 

[pontiacgp]

that's it, just different stops. Where I am the police can yank the plates off the car if the front tires rub the sway bar or fender so with the Z box it doesn't rub the 36 mm sway bar.

 

[85GPLef41]

I personally rode in a SS Monte with this steering box and it handled like it was on rails!!
http://scandc.com/new/node/246
But it also had the SPC control arms with ZQ8 spindles and Hotchkis coils all around.... That SS Monte didn't even have hp tires and wheels....

 

[grandamman]

The 78 to 80 Grand Ams supposedly have the same steering box as the Monte SS. I personally have never compared the 2.
I did pull a steering box from a GTA today. It appears to me that it turns 2 full rotations L2L compared to the Grand Am box which turns 3 full rotations L2L. Found that it has 12.7:1 ratio
I'll look for any significant identification if anyone is intrested.