Opinions of Steeroids Rack & Pinion for C-3

[applevette]

That box I posted above is a new box. Some company called AGR makes them. They don't make a corvette specific one, but they say they are for all GM cars 1965-1982.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

That box I posted above is a new box. Some company called AGR makes them. They don't make a corvette specific one, but they say they are for all GM cars 1965-1982.

From the pictures I saw of the Steeroids system I suspected that it would lessen ground clearance---again, if you drive your Corvette in the real world this needs to be considered. Nevertheless, it's the convoluted u-joint set up which worries me. On the AGR boxes, it may be good to follow-up with them and ask about Corvettes. It looks to me that it would eliminate the control valve and ram, and is an internal assist design.

Would the gentleman who talked about internal wear on these boxes discuss what adjusting the lash screw does---that is, it appears to me that it somehow causes the pitman unit, with its beveled gears, to be pushed up against the worm nut gears, thus taking up slack regardless of whether you turn the wheel left or right. True?

Thanks,

--Chris Kennedy

 

[76okievette]

That box I posted above is a new box. Some company called AGR makes them. They don't make a corvette specific one, but they say they are for all GM cars 1965-1982.

Not sure if it can be made to work on the vette's or not, is it a lot cheaper, it with all the orginal and rebuilt steering components out there it would seem to me to smarter and safe to go with the orginal vette parts.

 

[mrvette]

OK, now the way I look at it mechanically is the controll valve is in the middle between the pitman arm off the box and throught the drag link and tie rods to the similar length of the steering knuckles....figgering pivot center to pivot center, with junk tires of decades ago the reaction of the tire to the pavement was not so much as today, so any feedback was greatly less .....now when upgrading tires, and to performance tires at that, meaning handling is major consideration, that means they grip the road better...welll DUHHHH......

so in a rutted out freeway, the tires have much more input to the valve than if the little controll stem in the center of the rack/pinion setup is in charge....
the input pinion is about say 1.5 inches diameter, and the rack is linear, so the main input from the tires/wheels/steering knuckles is effectively reduced by a GREAT amount since the control valve is now designed much in favor of the steering wheel, instead of the front tires....I see it as nearly a 50-50 contest before as to who was boss...., now it's at least 95-5....meaning force on the direction of the olde tyme controll valve is not acceptable for modern performance tires/rims....

OK, that does not necessarily mean the older more expensive recirc ball steering is necessarily out to lunch, just that we need a better/quicker ratio box of modern design to fit our cars, and the only one around seems to be from a Jeep....GM product, but still 'out of house' so to speak....

the old steering boxes, for years known as the 'big circle' boxes....from the huge O ring and plate/clip in the front lower end of them.... will not fit our C3 vettes at all, the input is a disaster, and the pitman arms/location/lengths/mounting/ all that is a no go...sometimes discretion is the better part of valor....

I have My opinions on the steeroids design, and overall i'ts fine, with a couple of exceptions, but none of my opinions necessary are terminal to the concept, and certainly not to the design, just another opinion....

GENE