I've got my whole front suspension pulled apart (63 Valiant), and I've got the power steering gearbox in my front yard, looking mucky and tired. I'm replacing all other suspension components, and I'm wondering what to do with the power steering box. I'd like to order a rebuild from Firm Feel, but the price tag makes me shudder a bit ($329 + $175 core + $125 powder coat = $629 before shipping costs for both the unit from them and sending my core back). Rebuilds from Rock Auto (Cardone) are significantly cheaper, but I'm unsure of the quality. It seems like a very specialized job, so I'm not going to do it myself. My buddy said just clean it up and put it back in, but I figure since everything else is being replaced, I'll do this too while I'm at it. What have you guys done with yours? Any ideas? Maybe I can bring it to a local shop?

I just went through this same drill a few months ago. For two years I have needed the power steering gear rebuilt because it was leaking like a sieve, and had four inches or better of steering wheel free play, and once off the car I discovered lower bushing where pitman arm attaches had a lot of side to side play. This spring I steeped up to the plate, and got her done.

Where I live on east coast I chose to send my gear to Steer & Gear in Ohio because shipping was less expensive and quicker than sending that 40 lbs to Firm Feel on the west coast.

By shipping my gear for rebuilding, I did not have to come up with core charge, I also sent the pitman arm for S&G’s inspection & recommendation to rebuild or not.

I received my rebuilt to stage II firm gear back three weeks later, clean, painted a cast iron gray, in like new condition. The pitman arm did not need rebuilding, but came back correctly mounted on gear, cleaned with a new dust cup & nut at no charge.

I repainted the gear with engine paint in a satin black, matching other accessories housed under hood. I don’t think powder coating is worth the extra expense for this part protected under hood, but that is up to you.

Where you are on west coast I would send your gear to Firm Feel for rebuilding after giving them a call first to establish how it should be packed & shipped, and any special instructions to be included, as well as best method of payment.

The way my car now handles is wonderful. No more darting left to right in long sweepers, sawing the steering wheel back & forth to keep in a straight line, and a general sloppy over boosted feel.

Bill

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

You should read this article from Mopar action magazine's tech archive: pump-it-down.pdf.

Olaf

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Aspenized

Yeah, I like how it works for the pump but says right on the front page "Does not magically fix a worn out steering box."...which is usually what a 200-300,000 mile steering box is...WORN OUT...
You don't need the powder coat unless you are having a nice show car, just paint it or clear coat it with several layers...after a year of driving it'll be back to textured "road grime". $175 core is only if they make one from their pile and you wait to send your in. If you have a second car, just send yours in and waive the $175 also... So that puts you back to $329+ shipping.

-D.Idiot

So, you guys convinced me (again). I spoke with Dick at Firm Feel today, and I'll be shipping him the box for a rebuild. As recommended, I'll skip the powdercoat and no core charge, so the damage wont be too bad. I'm thinking I'll go with the "stage 2" build, which sounded the best to me from Dick's description of the expected handling characteristics. Thanks for sharing that article, Olaf. I'll consider doing that mod to the pump too - seems pretty simple.

After a steering gear stage II rebuild I don’t think you will need to shim your pump. What you will need to do is remove your pump, pull off the fluid tank and give it a good cleaning getting all the crud out so you won’t pollute & ruin the freshly rebuilt gear box.

While the pump is out of the car, degrease it, paint the external surfaces, and locate a new “Oâ€￾ ring to seal the fluid tank. Also you can fix any leaking seams around the filler neck by soldering them.

I got a pack of three “Oâ€￾ rings at an industrial bearing place for about 3 to 4 bucks. They measured my old one, and a few days later I picked up the new ones.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Smart choice. Cardone is garbage.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Haha! I knew you'd have a take on this, Dan. Out of curiosity, what makes Cardone such garbage? I don't remember using the stuff, but they're carried by most chains so maybe I bought their stuff in the past when I was less discerning.
BTW, the box was shipped yesterday to Firm Feel for a stage 2 rebuild. Next stop...pulling the engine and tranny, at which point I'll get a better look at the PS pump and assess that situation. I'm getting good at taking stuff apart, it's just the putting back together that I struggle with!

(Insert Twilight Zone Music here)
Imagine if you will a dirty sweaty warehouse in LA filled with low buck payed employees...where they take all the auto shop cores and dump them in a big bin...The first employee takes the core and pulls it apart and tosses all the parts in a big vat of parts wash...#2 takes the parts out and sorts into bins...where #3 grabs a chinese cast iron body, and slaps all the parts together without regard for governor, springs or vacc. advance...or if the curve is correct or not, and doesn't add any lube to the shaft or mechanism...then slaps them into a box with a singular part number...no check of bushing to shaft clearance, no check of spring tension or if the springs match the governor properly...no OEM aluminum distributor body...

I've recurved a fair amount of these now to say, it really is a jumbled pile of what the *beep* is this?!?!?

-D.Idiot