klein

Hi!

If you run a steering box without fluid for a short time...So you basicly have a very hard manual steering... Can you damage the box?

RBob

iTrader: (1)

Yes, BTDT.

RBob.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

It's hard on the box, but will DESTROY the pump in short order.

How long did you already run yours after all the fluid leaked out?

klein

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

BTDT???

It's pretty unlikely unless you manage to run it dry. Both fittings are on the top of the box and running it dry is very difficult, the old school answer is to take a piece of hose and loop it from the outlet to the inlet so any fluid forced out gets put back in the inlet, I've seen cars run for years like that that worked fine when you reconnected the pump.

OTOH, if you have a factory high effort box and/or any decent width front tires the car will be just about undrivable at low speeds. I know that with 265/40-17's on the front it would take me multiple times to get into some parking lots and to make some turns and getting into a parking space took either a dozen tries or you had to do it going pretty fast, either was sketchy and you couldn't do it in a busy parking lot without really pissing people off.

RBob

iTrader: (1)

Been there done that. Many years ago swapped an inline 6 out for the V8. Didn't have the proper P/S pump brackets and so on to work in that vehicle. After a couple of weeks got the right setup and installed. Nice having the P/S back.

Only lasted a week or so until the steering box no longer had assist. Had several people tell me that could happen, and it did. Swapped in a manual box and was done with it.

RBob.

klein

While we are on the topic of steering boxes...Has anyone bought a used IROC 2 1/4 box from this seller on ebay?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1982-92-Cam...Ra05FD&vxp=mtr

I bought Lares 1282 reman box about a year and a half ago... And it just doesn't feel right from the beggining... It always felt a bit tighter to left than right(replaced power steering pump and its the same) and, it doesn't return to center right... had my car on aligment twice, setting max camber and 3 degrees of caster on both sides....the story just goes on and on and my IROC still doesn't feel right so i was thinking about trying a used box.

Camaro86IrocZ

iTrader: (1)

I swapped to that Laires gear & p/s pump on my '86 and it does feel lighter, tho, I did do the Astro Shaft Swap and added Konis all at the same time.. Works fine for me, and does feel different.. maybe your a tooth off on that pitman arm for exact center wheel feel or some slop in the steering shaft???

klein

Is that even possible because pitman arm has flat spots so you can't put it wrong on the box...

I do have astro shaft on mine also but now i am waiting for brand new one stock rag joint shaft....Because i hate the power steering fluid noise you get with the astro shaft.

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

I'd ask to see a pic of the end cap and if it doesn't have a paint/marker marked HX on it if it is what it's described as. The same close ratio, high effort box with the 15" wheel stops in it will have a WS on it. Those are the only ones that are correct, assuming that the box has been unmolested/not cleaned with a strong solvent.

Some say that they can be identified with the Z casting in the side of the case but I've seen all sorts of things with the Z.

The lares boxes look like nicer rebuilds but the on center preload tends not to be set correctly on them, and I've seen those kinds of things with them (I've seen the more common rebuilds that are spraybombed a heavy black paint that are sold by autozone/advance/napa... in white boxes with their store brand on them with the on center set as much as 25* off of center).

If you want a lot of info on this, including links to videos I've shot testing them (I've tried probably something close to 20 different rebuilds now till I decided that the only way I was going to get the right one was to source it myself and rebuild it myself, even some of the higher end stuff like AGR has been documented as incorrect), search my user name and steering boxes here on thirdgen and you should find a few threads about them (I believe that there might be one or 2 that I started but mostly in reply to others).

klein

Thank you Mark, will look into it. All these rebuilds just make me sad. i also had Lares power steering pump a while ago that i just coudnt't get to work...At low speeds there was no powersteering, i tried every type of bleeding air out and switching valves and springs...

The customer support at Lares told me to take the ignition off and prime the pump with just the starter running and so on but nothing worked..at the end i just throwed it away and bought another pump, this time the cheapest i found - cardone...And it worked right out of the box, turned the wheel left and right a few times and i was ready to go...

I guess that at the end i could live with the current box as it is, its not that bad, car doesn't have bump steer and doesn't wander it just missing good self center and a bit of precision to be perfect.

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

I had a string of pumps that I couldn't get to work, I finally converted to type II. I've posted tons of information on here about steering, pump problems, box problems... if you search. This thread summarizes some of the steering box stuff:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ml#post6206217

klein

Thank you Mark for your input and all the work you ve done.

So the best way will be to just avoid all the rebuilds and find a good used box or rebuild mine?

Seller on ebay responded about the photo of front cap...

"Hello, any codes that were written on that front cap Are long gone but these are true and tested to be 2.25 turn from lock to lock Thanks, Dave"

83 Crossfire TA

iTrader: (2)

I have yet to find one any other way.

Good luck with that. If you get one and you've looked at my threads/posts/ videos you at least have some idea how to test them.

klein

I think i will stay with lares unit for now even thou there are almost 3 turns lock to lock on it. Could poor return to center be the cause of steering box because i run 3 degrees of pozitive caster...i think 4 is max but would 1 degree make such a difference?