The car will be a 1937 Buick that will weigh in at about 3800 lbs.
My goal is to build a fun to drive daily driver.
I'm planning on using a ford bronco steer box with a 95 Roadmaster 6" pitman arm & idlers & spindles.
The 95 Roadmaster gearbox was a quick steer 12.5:1 ratio.
I can buy the Bronco steer box with a 12:1 ratio or 17:1 ratio.
Which ratio will be a better fit for my build.
Thanks
"Unless the bronco is power steering, I believe the 12:1 box will require too much effort on a 3800 lb. car. I like quick steering, but not at the extent of strong arm steering.
The first T bucket I built was out of a lot of free stuff, just had to buy the olds engine and adaptor to hook it up to a 39 Ford gear box. and a box of welding rod. The steering gear was 6 turns lock to lock so I made the pitman arm and steering arm on the front spindle use all 6 turns. On the first test drive out in a field I couldn't turn the steering wheel fast enough to bring it out of a skid. For a highway cruiser you don't need a fast ratio.
Both the 12:1 and the 17:1 are power steering boxes. The 12:1 is from 73 to 75 and the 17:1 is 76 & 77. The 12:1 is supposed to be 5.3 turns lock to lock and the 17:1 is 3.8.
An advantage of the 12:1 is it is close to the original quick steer box with a 12:5:1. This is said to be a great feel for a steer box, but I don't know if being close to the same ratio will yield same feel with a different box. On the other hand the 17:1 box is the newer model and hot rod suppliers seem to sell lots quick turn boxes which makes me think the 17:1 would be a better choice.
1) Are there any down sides to a quicker box?
2) If I can buy both boxes for close to same money, what would you all go with?
Thanks
The 12:1 box should be less turns lock to lock than the 17:1 box. Something seems wrong with the description of the lock to lock turns. Are you sure of your description? The 12:1 should be the quicker box. That being said I would use the quicker box.
Thanks for setting me straight on the ratios.
Found specs in several places do not jive.
One place says the 17:1 has 4 turns lock to lock. Another says the earlier box has 5.3 and the later box has 3.8 turns to lock which would match 17:12 for earlier & 12:1 for later box.
I'll work to find a 12:1 box.
Thanks
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