PS Gear Box Rebuild

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charliec

charliec

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I have two PS gear boxes. One from my 68 Dart and one from a 73 duster. Are they substantially different in their operation/specs? They APPEAR the same from the outside. Will need to rebuild something to go into my 68 Dart. Can I use either one as the core for rebuild or do I need to stay with the one from my Dart?
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Also, I've read on the forum where folks have used Firm Feel, Steer and Gear or Cardone. Does anyone know of a reliable shop for this rebuild in the Houston area? Shipping for one of these things to go to west coast or midwest is a big deal. If I can find someone locally, I can save the shipping charges and monitor progress/preferences more closely.

Lastly, do most rebuilders have options for final set-up the way Firm Feel does, e.g. Stage I, Stage II, Stage III?
 
So to the best of my knowledge, a 68 model and a 73 model would have 2 different sector shafts, need 2 different pitman arms and 2 different center links. Those sure do look identical though. If that nut is 1&1/8 hex and fits both shafts, I'm scratching my head. LOL
Are you sure one of them was OEM 73 model? Both appear to be pre 73.
The common OEM rebuild kit will produce OEM results. Firm Feel is surely using custom made parts in their "stage" rebuilds. Good luck
 
Shipping wasn't too bad. I used a big "milk bone" dog treat box to ship mine to firm feel. Cost like $60 If I remember correctly. I replaced my old box with a remanufactured A1 cardone box and it was absolutely awful. It had more slack in it that my Original box only good thing about it was it didn't leak as bad. I sent the A1 box in and had a stage 3 rebuild done. Haven't driven the car though.

PS: remove ALL of your fittings before sending them off. I forgot the high pressure fitting and had to order one from Firm Feel.
 
No guarantee that it's 73 OEM. I just say that because it came mounted to a 73 K-member I bought years ago to get the disc brakes, sway bar, etc to upgrade the front drum brakes on the 68. No reason it couldn't have been a pre-73 box installed on the old K. I will chase that down and make sure.
 
Which center link will you be using - 72 and back or 73 and up? Or to put it another way, try to use all the parts from similar years in the rest of the steering linkage. 72 and back mount the pitman and idler with the tapered stud in one orientation - pointing up; 73 and up uses the opposite orientation - pointing down. The 73 box will therefore have a pitman arm taper pointing down.
 
Thanks to all. This gives me some things to look into and make some decisions.
 
airgrabber said:
Which center link will you be using - 72 and back or 73 and up? Or to put it another way, try to use all the parts from similar years in the rest of the steering linkage. 72 and back mount the pitman and idler with the tapered stud in one orientation - pointing up; 73 and up uses the opposite orientation - pointing down. The 73 box will therefore have a pitman arm taper pointing down.
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I obviously have not thought this through, but it sounds like I need to go with steering links, pitman arm and idler from 73 and up. I am definately using the 73 and up Kmember because the 73 and up OEM disk brakes requires it. Am I understanding correctly that the 68 arms, etc, will not work with the 73 steering box/Kmember?
 
The k member difference has to do with sway bar routing. The 73 and later disc brakes and steering linkage will work with the earlier K member. Either steering gear will bolt to either K member too.
If you have the 73 and later K, you gain the fail safe spool type motor mounts, and a sway bar routing through the middle of it. Why not use it?
If you need to retain the 68 K member, and add the 73 steering gear with its linkage and the disc brakes to it, you can do that. You would still need the earlier sway bar routing around the front of the K.
 
I got you re. the use of the 73-up stuff. No reason not to use it. Here's a little clarification with regard to the sway bar. Not only does the sway bar route differently; it is a different bar altogether...much shorter since it routes through the k instead of in front of it. This also means that the LCAs have to change to 73-up because of where the tabs for the end links are located. The pre-73 bar won't work because the 73-up calipers mount in FRONT of the discs instead of on the back side like the pre-73. Steering would cause the caliper assembly to interfere with the old style sway bar. All of this gets back to your original point...use the 73-up if you've got all the pieces.
After I started this thread, I went back and consulted my copy of "Performance Handling for Classic Mopars" by Tom Condran and confirmed all of the above. Should have started there in the first place...a great reference resource. Thanks, Tom if you're still out there.
 
charliec said:
I got you re. the use of the 73-up stuff. No reason not to use it. Here's a little clarification with regard to the sway bar. Not only does the sway bar route differently; it is a different bar altogether...much shorter since it routes through the k instead of in front of it. This also means that the LCAs have to change to 73-up because of where the tabs for the end links are located. The pre-73 bar won't work because the 73-up calipers mount in FRONT of the discs instead of on the back side like the pre-73. Steering would cause the caliper assembly to interfere with the old style sway bar. All of this gets back to your original point...use the 73-up if you've got all the pieces.
After I started this thread, I went back and consulted my copy of "Performance Handling for Classic Mopars" by Tom Condran and confirmed all of the above. Should have started there in the first place...a great reference resource. Thanks, Tom if you're still out there.
Click to expand...
It's very possible to own 2 or 3 pairs of lower arms with no sway bar tabs on any. Easy enough to weld whichever tab on any pair. Early sway bar conflicts with later disc caliper? Two different methods to resolve that conflict. switch spindles left and right or switch end links from over to under the tab.
Bottom line... If you want to bolt in the later model K and disc brakes along with the pre 73 sway bar, lets do it.
The greatest advantage to having every part be of the same generation... Identifying correct replacement parts in the future.
 
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