Swapping a Borgeson steering box in a 1970 Charger

[Kern Dog]

Next up was the steering column.

I sure don't know everything but isn't there supposed to be a bearing here....?

This is the original column to this car but I have had it out and apart before. The first time was back in 2001 when the ignition switch shorted out. I must have disassembled it and forgot to but the bearing back in.
I found a spare in my stash and put it in.

This column will likely end up in my other car since I plan to do a Cordoba tilt wheel column in sometime soon. I didn't have all the parts to attach this bearing so I just added a few small tack welds to hold it in place.

I drilled the hole and screwed in the Zerk....

The hole is at the very end of the coupler...

The installation was unbelievably easy with the header out, engine lifted and torsion bar slid back.

 

[64fury74charger]

Next up was the steering column.

View attachment 1290154

I sure don't know everything but isn't there supposed to be a bearing here....?

View attachment 1290155


This is the original column to this car but I have had it out and apart before. The first time was back in 2001 when the ignition switch shorted out. I must have disassembled it and forgot to but the bearing back in.
I found a spare in my stash and put it in.

View attachment 1290160

View attachment 1290161

This column will likely end up in my other car since I plan to do a Cordoba tilt wheel column in sometime soon. I didn't have all the parts to attach this bearing so I just added a few small tack welds to hold it in place.

I drilled the hole and screwed in the Zerk....

View attachment 1290163

The hole is at the very end of the coupler...

View attachment 1290164



The installation was unbelievably easy with the header out, engine lifted and torsion bar slid back.

View attachment 1290167

View attachment 1290170

One would think that the column would have made some kind of noise or maybe a grinding sound without the lower bearing??????

 

[Kern Dog]

With the steering box being maybe 2/3 the size of the stock one, the header just slipped right up and into place.

It is a shame that I had to dent the tubes so much to clear the stock box. Look at the clearance now....

The Pitman and idler mounted up easily since they were stock type items. I replaced a couple of grease seals and greased all the Zerks. Next up was connecting the hydraulic lines. No pictures but no worry....they attached similar to a stock application.

I was all set to add some fluid....

When I pulled the cap and saw this:

There was rust scale from the top to about an inch and a half down. The guts down inside look fine. I don't know why this happened. Even with low fluid level, wouldn't it slosh around while cornering? It's as if the car had been sitting for years. It hasn't...I drive it more now with the 5 speed.
I'm going to pull the pump and disassemble it to get it clean inside. I couldn't just add the ATF and risk having rust flakes pass through and into the new steering box. The cap cleaned up well with a wire brush and solvent. I'll do the same to the inside of the housing.
I'll need help installing the column. I'll enlist the Wife for a few minutes. More to come....

 

[4406bbl]

The lower bearing is just a piece of plastic with a retaining ring, not really a bearing more like a separator for the shift tube and steering shaft, reproductions are available.

 

[64fury74charger]

Wow that pump and cap looks like it found lots of moisture. More crust removal.

 

[Kern Dog]

The lower bearing is just a piece of plastic with a retaining ring, not really a bearing more like a separator for the shift tube and steering shaft, reproductions are available.

Thank you.
I thought that there was supposed to be some type of collar to help center the steering shaft in the outer housing. I found this bearing in the stash and it fit as if it were supposed to be there.
I recall one time I had the column out....after it was back in, the steering had a hard time returning to center despite having over 4 degrees of caster. The shaft was way off center and rubbing the outer edge of the housing. After I adjusted it, it moved freely. This bearing will at least "center" the shaft for whatever time I have this column in the car.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Man Kern, you are a darn good mechanic. Thanks for the superb photo documentation. I did not expect this kind of progress so fast. Makes you wonder why it took almost 2 yrs to finish your A/C haha. Don't worry, I'm in the same boat.

I didn't know you could use ATF+4 trans fluid for the power steering. Why not use chrysler PS fluid? Maybe it doesn't matter, but I thought it did, especially with the viscosity sensitivity of the Borgeson box.

 

[Kern Dog]

The Mopar Action article written by Rick Ehrenberg stated that any hydraulic fluid works, even cheap ATF. I was surprised too.

 

[moparmarks]

Actually GM cold weather P/S fluid works the best in Saginaw pumps. Stops any chatter. Sorry I don't agree with Rick on this one. I've tried using ATF in Saginaw pumps and they would chatter. Drain them and used good P/S fluid and the chatter went away.

 

[Charlie Brown]

Make sure you don't use synthetic fluid - as told to me by the Borgeson rep. I've been using the "clear" ps fluid in my Borgeson box with good results.

 

[ckessel]

My 65 used a rubber boot with a nylon insert in the center at the end of the tube for a bearing. I got a replacement one plus I had a guy make a Delrin bushing that I can slide up inside to really keep it in line.

 

[autoxcuda]

Make sure you don't use synthetic fluid - as told to me by the Borgeson rep. I've been using the "clear" ps fluid in my Borgeson box with good results.

What brand and/or type of P/S fluid is that clear stuff?

 

[Kern Dog]

Actually GM cold weather P/S fluid works the best in Saginaw pumps. Stops any chatter. Sorry I don't agree with Rick on this one. I've tried using ATF in Saginaw pumps and they would chatter. Drain them and used good P/S fluid and the chatter went away.

I've used ATF before and don't recall any bad habits. It is hotter here than Colorado and I have yet to drive the car in weather colder than 45 degrees. Maybe that is the difference?

 

[moparmarks]

It is 90° all summer here in the desert where I live

 

[moparmarks]

I should say we are in the 90s and low 100 all summer here

 

[Kern Dog]

The only time that I ever had anything that could be described as "chatter" was way back in 2001-2002 with my first 440. It was Summertime and the steering was notchy at low speeds. This was with old parts, old steering box, used pump and old belt. I added the Police spec cooler and haven't had any trouble since. I changed the steering box a few years later, the pump in 2006 and have driven it in 45 degrees to over 110 degrees. Maybe I have just been lucky ?

 

[LowBikeMike]

This was posted by Borgeson in a recent "hard steering after Borgeson install" thread.

We have had problems with synthetic fluids, royal purple in specific, it tends to thin out too much when hot and you loose assist due to fluid pushing past piston seals. We always recommend a standard GM power steering fluid such as AC Delco 10-5073.

www.borgeson.com

 

[Kern Dog]

Well, that makes sense. I will heed that advice. Thank you Mike!

As I mentioned, I've had the column out of the car a few times. In doing so, I must have lost the foam seal that goes here:

Reproductions are available but going into a 4 day weekend means that I wouldn't get it for well over a week or more. I made one out of some 3/16" foam sheet I had in the attic. I suspect that this will in some small way aid in the reduction of road noise and such. Last month I went on a 900 mile car show road trip and although there were no breakdowns, the road noise at freeway speeds was something I've wanted to reduce.

 

[Kern Dog]

The Saginaw pump is out. This is the unit that is often called the "Canned Ham" since the reservoir does look like something like that.

Mine looks pretty weathered.
Here you can see where the pressure hose attaches. A 1" nut retains the spool valve.

You can tilt the housing to get the valve out or use a magnet....

Look close....A shim/washer or group of them usually is right here:

The consensus was that .125 of shims provided the best balance of adequate boost without binding in a healthy pump and good steering box. Rebuilds could have .060 worth of them.
Mine had none. Peter Bergman said that zero shims gives the highest pressure.

 

[Kern Dog]

Although I am in no way a concourse car guy, I can't bring myself to install bad looking parts on this car. I had to clean and repaint the pump and brackets.

I try to always spray metal etch primer on bare parts just to get a better bite.

This is the rather simple inline fluid cooler. GRAB these when you can! I got this one over 20 years ago. I doubt anyone reproduces them.