Swapping a Borgeson steering box in a 1970 Charger

[70ChargerRT]

Something I didn’t think to ask:
What position is the coupler supposed to be with the steering wheel at center? I have cars here with the coupler in a variety of positions.
Does it matter? I don’t see how it would but I’m not sure.
Here is the Plymouth.

View attachment 1525539

My ratty Jigsaw Charger. The roll pin hole is right of center.


View attachment 1525540

Ginger, my other Charger with a Borgeson box.

View attachment 1525541

Hard to see but the roll pin hole is to the left of center.

My 67 Dart.

View attachment 1525542

The Dart coupler is like Jigsaw.
Anyone know if this makes a difference?

Something I didn’t think to ask:
What position is the coupler supposed to be with the steering wheel at center? I have cars here with the coupler in a variety of positions.
Does it matter? I don’t see how it would but I’m not sure.
Here is the Plymouth.

View attachment 1525539

My ratty Jigsaw Charger. The roll pin hole is left of center.


View attachment 1525540

Ginger, my other Charger with a Borgeson box.

View attachment 1525541

Hard to see but the roll pin hole is to the right of center.

My 67 Dart.

View attachment 1525542

The Dart coupler is like The Plymouth and Ginger.
Anyone know if this makes a difference?

I bought my box in 17 but just now getting to use it. Do you get that whooshing or swishing sound from your boxes that you can hear inside the car transmitted through the steering column Im assuming? I’ve a read alot of post from different sites about this sound. I’m sending the box to Peter to port the inlets and outlets to take care of this sound then hopefully I can get it aligned properly.

 

[Kern Dog]

My steering box makes no unusual noises. I've read that BAC ports the passages before shipping these out now. I have no complaints about mine.

 

[Don selleck]

I got the steering box installed in the cuda, small block 340 super easy slid stock box out thru the bottom and actually slid the Borgeson thru the top. Nothing in the way, did not remove anything. Waiting for the no cut style coupler, pulled the steering column out and had the same vanishing coupler at the bottom of it, talked to Peter and he's throwing in a replacement bearing in the shipment that they sell that will

eliminate that issue for good. Should be here end of the week. Way cool guy, very customer service oriented. Something that is non-existant with alot of companies today.

 

[Kern Dog]

The exhaust manifolds make a huge difference in the ease of steering box accessibility.

 

[70ChargerRT]

The exhaust manifolds make a huge difference in the ease of steering box accessibility.

I guess I’ll have to drop my header to get the Borgeson out

 

[70ChargerRT]

My steering box makes no unusual noises. I've read that BAC ports the passages before shipping these out now. I have no complaints about mine.

Yes he does, I’m running 1 shim in mine. How many shims are you running in yours?

 

[Kern Dog]

None.
My Firm Feel Stage 3 I had needed all the boost I could get. I left the pump as-is when I swapped in the new steering box.
When first started, the steering is a bit stiff at idle speeds but once the engine runs a few minutes, steering at idle is as easy as at higher rpms.

 

[Kern Dog]

The new box is in the Plymouth.....

The Bergman hybrid coupler was swapped over to the column. Included in the kit is the coupler, shoes, spring, roll pin and rubber seal and retainer.

Those thin sheet metal rubber seal retainers are often a problem for me. This car had one of those cool wire type retainer clips....

It lays over the sheet metal retainer and keeps tension on it.

Here is the problem. The Bergman coupler is longer and the roll pin hole is 1/2" further away. The roll pin hole is where the ends of this wire retainer slide in.

The fix?
Either use a neoprene boot like so:

Or get creative....

 

[Kern Dog]

Just to see what I can mock up, I took some welding rod....

Made a few bends using the bench mounted vice and pliers...

Test fit....

Then the bends to fit into the roll pin hole that isn't used with the Borgeson unit.

Not perfect but I think it will work.

I was able to bend the tabs on the steel retainer piece to get a better grip on the coupler.

It looks like this might work.
It was so typical for me....I encounter a situation on a Saturday where I needed a part from a company that is closed on weekends and far away.
This happens a LOT.
The choices are either step away from the car and wait on parts or try to see if I can make something else work.

At this point, the column can go back in and tested. Just a few small details to address. This car had no inline PS oil cooler but I have a few used ones I pulled from Dodge minivans awhile back...

I have three similar to the one on the left. Very simple. Now, where to mount it?

 

[Darter6]

Hot Rod tech 101 ! Nice work .

 

[Gus chiggins]

I'll be doing the same swap on my 67 Belvedere, but I have manual steering, so i have to cut three inches off the steering column to make the power steering conversion. I'll also use CVF racing serpentine system for the ac, and power steering. I already have their alternator system, i'll just have to swap out the crank pulley.

 

[Sixpactogo]

Just to see what I can mock up, I took some welding rod....

View attachment 1526102

Made a few bends using the bench mounted vice and pliers...

View attachment 1526103

View attachment 1526104

Test fit....

View attachment 1526105

Then the bends to fit into the roll pin hole that isn't used with the Borgeson unit.

View attachment 1526106

Not perfect but I think it will work.

I was able to bend the tabs on the steel retainer piece to get a better grip on the coupler.

View attachment 1526108

View attachment 1526109

View attachment 1526110

It looks like this might work.
It was so typical for me....I encounter a situation on a Saturday where I needed a part from a company that is closed on weekends and far away.
This happens a LOT.
The choices are either step away from the car and wait on parts or try to see if I can make something else work.

View attachment 1526107

At this point, the column can go back in and tested. Just a few small details to address. This car had no inline PS oil cooler but I have a few used ones I pulled from Dodge minivans awhile back...

View attachment 1526112

I have three similar to the one on the left. Very simple. Now, where to mount it?

Why is your Bergman coupler so long? The one they supplied me back in 2014 is the same length as a stock coupler except for the added stem to compensate for the shorter gearbox. The stock retainer worked just fine on my Bergie coupler.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Great info Kern.
I hadnt noticed that. Im bringing out the metal saw on mine.

 

[70ChargerRT]

Why is your Bergman coupler so long? The one they supplied me back in 2014 is the same length as a stock coupler except for the added stem to compensate for the shorter gearbox. The stock retainer worked just fine on my Bergie coupler.

View attachment 1526265

View attachment 1526272

I have the same one as you.

 

[Sixpactogo]

Something I didn’t think to ask:
What position is the coupler supposed to be with the steering wheel at center? I have cars here with the coupler in a variety of positions.
Does it matter? I don’t see how it would but I’m not sure.
Here is the Plymouth.

View attachment 1525539

My ratty Jigsaw Charger. The roll pin hole is left of center.


View attachment 1525540

Ginger, my other Charger with a Borgeson box.

View attachment 1525541

Hard to see but the roll pin hole is to the right of center.

My 67 Dart.

View attachment 1525542

The Dart coupler is like The Plymouth and Ginger.
Anyone know if this makes a difference?

It does matter if you want your steering wheel straight and level at zero. Since the Borgie gear is not clocked, (at least mine wasn't) it is a bit of a chore to get it right. I thought I had my gear box at zero and lined up my steering wheel when I slid it in place but it was off a couple cogs. When I got it where it needed to be, I marked it with a center punch in case I ever take it apart.

 

[Sixpactogo]

I have the same one as you.

I wonder if that longer one was meant for a different app. Like maybe swapping a manual gear onto a P/S column.

 

[Kern Dog]

I've noticed that the original couplers have had a variety of lengths.

The early A body ones were the shortest of all that I have seen.
A Mopar Action magazine article detailed how they determined the center of the Borgeson left to right range of travel by testing turning torque with a torque wrench. That seems too complicated to me when it is far simpler to just rotate the shaft a few times and watch the coupler. The effort to turn the shaft is higher as it gets close to center so I see some value to it. Still, turning 3 3/4 turns is easy.....divide by 2 and you get 1 7/8 turns.
For my red car, the tires touch the frame rails before I can make any full 1 7/8 turn from center. The lower ball joints in these cars have those nubs that limit travel as well:

 

[70ChargerRT]

I wonder if that longer one was meant for a different app. Like maybe swapping a manual gear onto a P/S column.

That’s a good point.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I've noticed that the original couplers have had a variety of lengths.

View attachment 1526357

The early A body ones were the shortest of all that I have seen.
A Mopar Action magazine article detailed how they determined the center of the Borgeson left to right range of travel by testing turning torque with a torque wrench. That seems too complicated to me when it is far simpler to just rotate the shaft a few times and watch the coupler.

The reason the torque increases & the reason they were looking for the point with the highest torque value is the sector gear is what's called a crown gear... The mesh at the center is set to a tight tolerance but five to ten degrees away from center the tolerance loosens quite a bit... On center the tight tolerance means precise control/quick reaction to steering input... But off center the tolerance is not critical because the feedback from the wheels (due to caster trying to return the wheels to venter) forces the gears to mesh with no perceived lash...

 

[Sixpactogo]

For my red car, the tires touch the frame rails before I can make any full 1 7/8 turn from center. The lower ball joints in these cars have those nubs that limit travel as well:

KD, When I bought my 68 Charger and stripped it down, I noticed the front tires had been rubbing on the frame rails too. I figured it must have had some wrong parts or something but never really thought about it. It had 14" wheels and tires at that time. I now have 15" wheels and tires but no rubbing. I didn't even remember it until you mentioned your tires rub. My suspension is pretty much stock except for larger T bars, adjustable strut rods and sway bar end links along with the Borgeson steering gear.