Steering gear box

[frega]

Hi
I'm in the process of uppgrading the steering on my 66 Toro for two reasons, the box is leaking and I find the lack of self centering action a little disturbing.
When looking at webpages from suppliers of rebuilt units they tend to list "one size fits all" for boxes. Is for example the box on a 1966 Riviera really interchangeable with a Toro unit? Most listings state this but I've read that the FWD cars boxes are different than RWD full size?
Reading old tests the 67 Eldorados box is listed as "variable rate" but the Toro box up til 1971 as fixed and 17:1 ratio, is this true?
Can an Eldorado 67 variable rate box be used on the 66 Toro?

There is an old thread about upgrading the steering box by switching the torsion bar in the box o get more return action and feel, has anyone else done this?

Fredrik

[Schurkey]

Can an Eldorado 67 variable rate box be used on the 66 Toro?

I would expect so.

There is an old thread about upgrading the steering box by switching the torsion bar in the box o get more return action and feel, has anyone else done this?

Fredrik

A larger torsion bar will give you more road feel and less power assist. Won't change the return action.

Steering wheel return is a function of the wheel alignment angle "Caster" and the internal workings of the steering box. Not enough caster, poor steering return. Steering box worn out, not enough return.

[Twilight Fenrir]

I don't think he's really looking for return....

I know I hate the steering in my toronado... There's no sense of center on the thing, and I could breathe on it to make it turn... Which, I guess was considered to be the best you could get in the day. But it's good to have resistance to help keep your wheels straight. xGecko was talking about making a less numb steering system, I don't think he's done it yet though...

[xgecko]

Hi,

I have done extensive research into this very issue. What I determined is that the Toronado steering box for 68 and 69 are variable rate gearboxes with a ratio of 13 to 16 over the travel. Not sure how this applies to the earlier boxes, but I suspect it is the same.

I also determined that for all intents and purposes any gearbox from some time before our cars were built to sometime well into the '90s you can, perhaps with a bit of fiddling, interchange darn near any box for another. This lead me to investigate all the obvious boxes from cars such as the Monte Carlo SS, Impala SS and other performance GM cars from 1970 to 1996. Ultimately I decided to send my box out for a replacement of the torsion bar used to determine effort as well as some valving and other improvements that will help with on-center feel and such. I have not yet done this, so have no feedback to offer, but it is what I decided to do. I found Lee Manufacturing in California and RedHead Gears here in Seattle. I am sure there are others that can do the rebuild and upgrades.

Here is a good article on the subject:

http://www.hemmings.com/hmn/stories/2007/05/01/hmn_feature30.html