Option 628 fast ratio manual steering

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PWdart

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I saw this option on a build seat of a dart. But I can’t find any details about it. Was it a 20:1 box or was it the fast ratio linkage? Or something else?
 
I’m pretty sure it was a 70. I took so many pictures at carlisle, and I took a picture of the window sticker, but I cut off the year.
 
Factory manual steering boxes were either 24:1 or 16:1, the fast ratio boxes were 16:1.

The only cars that got fast ratio pitman arms were the TA/AAR E-bodies, and that was a 16:1 power steering box with a fast ratio pitman for a final ratio of 12:1. But again, that was a power steering set up.
 
I’m aware of the fast power steering boxes, but this is the first day I’ve ever heard of a fast manual box from the factory
 
D156FFC7-57AA-4EAA-9373-38110D9D3490.jpeg
 
That's a 16:1 manual box. Oh, and the window sticker is for a '68 Dart GTS 2drht with a 340.
 
Thanks. Makes me think I should’ve done 16 to one in my steering box. I did 20 to one thinking 16 would be too tough.
 
The manual 16:1 box was only available on A-bodies. And only available 1966? to 1969. No 1970 and later A-bodies in US or Canada got them.
 
20:1 standard on Australian A bodies. utes, Hard top, 4 door, 2 door coupe....
Aussie R/T chargers, but only "Track pack" equipped cars got 16:1 we are talking race and semi race spec cars. we are talking 500 - 1000 or so made.
and Police could have it if they wanted it.

The aussies used a short "truck length" worm shaft and a longer steering column shaft to stop you putting the race 16:1 steering box easily on a street car. this was dealer/racer/race team kit

I looked for ages for a US Dart 16:1 ballnut and worm screw becasue it would be the standard normal length.
I wanted to fit 16:1 nut and screw into to my Right hand drive steel cased standard austrlian 20:1 box and never ever found one.. they must have been really rare in the US or wore out quickand were scrapped

eventually got a new one from firm feel when they started making them again. I reconfigured it for RHD and built it into a RHD case. 16:1 RHD box without having to pay Austrlian price for a rare race only R/T charger box (about $2K for a worn out POS)

blabbed all this on the aussie messageboards should have kept my mouth shut.. i could have been a millionaire by now. :)

20:1 manual I think was used on some export barracudas,
This is a guess based on having purchased 20:1 parts (ballnut and worm screw x 2) from the US marked as RHD, hence cheap to pick up on US ebay...!
and the Main RHD mopar export to UK/Aus/Jamaica etc was the 67/68 barracuda

Chrylser US made 20:1 RHD parts or should i say put 20:1 ratio parts in boxes with the right hand drive part number. There aint no physical difference to the component parts but the part number so keep that in mind if on the hunt.

Right hand drive and left hand drive ballnut and worm screw components are the same. Just the RHD one has the Ballnut on upside down compared with a left hand drive USA configured one, This to facilitate mesh with a Sector shaft teeth in a "mirror image" steering box case.
hence the different part numbering but you can swap that about.. just don't lose the ball bearings.

Manual steering box rebuild is easy enough to do....there is practially nothing in there, and you can get the parts. build it with 2, i.e 1 extra, OR one big long 16mm rather than 12 mm lower sector drawn cup bearing and you have made it a "super" heavy duty box, the extra drag on the sector helps stop it chattering its teeth...thing just lasts longer

Dave
 
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Also related, I think -
Which vehicles got the 16:1 Large sector manual box?
Someone swapped one into my 68 Dart. Has a B-body pitman arm on it....It works fine in the car, but it needs to be rebuilt.
Looking for other options.
 
19_Dart_68 said:
Also related, I think -
Which vehicles got the 16:1 Large sector manual box?
Someone swapped one into my 68 Dart. Has a B-body pitman arm on it....It works fine in the car, but it needs to be rebuilt.
Looking for other options.
Click to expand...

No stock vehicle off the showroom floor have large sector 16:1 ratio. That's aftermarket.
 
19_Dart_68 said:
Also related, I think -
Which vehicles got the 16:1 Large sector manual box?
Someone swapped one into my 68 Dart. Has a B-body pitman arm on it....It works fine in the car, but it needs to be rebuilt.
Looking for other options.
Click to expand...
yeah a manual with a fat sector would normally be 24:1 i think....
aint nobody gonna make a specific 16:1 ballnut and screw for a fat sector box in my opinion
tooling it and cost/minium order would be hard enough without having to do it twice.
16:1 is really for A bodies only, the bigger cars really need 20:1 or 24:1

So i'll take it until i know different that both fat and thin sector boxes use the same ballnut and screw part... i.e a guess based on whats be said.

You could get a Lares Rebuilt/new in 16:1 20:1 or 24:1 and a new pitman arm for the small sector box and fit that.

Or here is my rebuild and conversion to RHD for a small sector australian box
yu could apply what you see to your box, with slight alterations to part selection.

Manual steering box rebuild - Mopar Muscle Association UK

believe the ballnut and screw and asscoaited seal are still the same for your big sector box
but you will need a lower sector seal from a big sector box . or potentially the lower sector seal off a big sector power box would do....
when it comes to big sector drawn cup roller bearings you will have to work with part numbers on what is in there.... so avoid bashing the number up when you push out the bearings with a socket on an extension.

get a long one for the bottom bearing... it will have a short one at the moment.

if you can't get top cover bearing out just remove needles and reload with the new ones. the top bearing has the least hard job

Dave
 
Last edited:
Dave999 said:
yeah a manual with a fat sector would normally be 24:1 i think....
aint nobody gonna make a specific 16:1 ballnut and screw for a fat sector box in my opinion
tooling it and cost/minium order would be hard enough without having to do it twice.
16:1 is really for A bodies only, the bigger cars really need 20:1 or 24:1

So i'll take it until i know different that both fat and thin sector boxes use the same ballnut and screw part... i.e a guess based on whats be said.

You could get a Lares Rebuilt/new in 16:1 20:1 or 24:1 and a new pitman arm for the small sector box and fit that.

Or here is my rebuild and conversion to RHD for a small sector australian box
yu could apply what you see to your box, with slight alterations to part selection.

Manual steering box rebuild - Mopar Muscle Association UK

believe the ballnut and screw and asscoaited seal are still the same for your big sector box
but you will need a lower sector seal from a big sector box . or potentially the lower sector seal off a big sector power box would do....
when it comes to big sector drawn cup roller bearings you will have to work with part numbers on what is in there.... so avoid bashing the number up when you push out the bearings with a socket on an extension.

get a long one for the bottom bearing... it will have a short one at the moment.

if you can't get top cover bearing out just remove needles and reload with the new ones. the top bearing has the least hard job

Dave
Click to expand...
Thank you for that!
 
Yes, the worm gear assembly is the same between large and small sector boxes. 2267454 for the 24:1 ratio......2267640 for the 16:1 ratio (only available in an A-body....at least here in the U.S.) You can make a 16:1 big sector box easily (I've done a few) by swapping out the worm gear assembly. Finding a big sector box is getting a little harder to find these days though. Not many C-bodies had them from the factory, but, the B-vans had them too. Those are a lot easier to find and are the same box.
 
The ‘69 340 Formula S Barracuda survivor that I once owned came from the factory with the fast ratio steering according to the window sticker and build sheet.
 
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