Anyone using the Flaming River 16:1 manual steering box?

My '64 Valiant with manual steering is pretty easy on the
effort, but 24:1 is a little too slow. I've heard the new
FR box is cast iron and weighs about five pounds more
than the OEM boxes, maybe a little more durable ( in
case I need another 40 years out of it )

I have a 20:1 manual steering box and the effort at slow speed is pretty high. I have 215 60 14" on the front with a stock steering wheel. I think a 16:1 Power box would be pretty cool.

Mike

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1965 Valiant 200 /6 2dr Sedan.
1965 Valiant 200 V8 4dr Wagon
1965 Barracuda /6
1965 Valiant Convertible V8

Hi Tim,

I just purchased a Flaming River Mopar steering box that I should be installing sometime next week. I believe it has a 19:1 ratio. I'll let you know when I have it installed.

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'68 Dodge Dart 4dr Sedan

I was wrong in my previous post. I have the Flaming River manual box at my house right now and it is in fact the 16:1 ratio. Sorry for "correcting" you, Tim... the box is 16:1 as Tim said and not 19:1.

I should have the front end apart and the box installed, along with .920" torsion bars sometime this week (before Christmas, hopefully). I will let everybody know how it works out, what steering is like, etc.

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'68 Dodge Dart 4dr Sedan

Hi everybody,

Last week, I finally got my Dart's suspension back together with all new bushings, new idler and Pitman arms, new strut rod bushings, tie rods, etc. .920" MP torsion bars AND the Flaming River steering box.

Now, I'm still not sure on exactly what the ratio of the Flaming River box is, but it is 4 and 1/4 turns lock to lock.

The new box makes steering on curvey roads so much better, and steering effort is not too much higher than the stock box. It feels good.

The .920" torsion bars have improved the Dart's ride quality greatly...it stays flat in turns and I can take turnpike exit ramps at greater speeds (no sway bars on this car, either). The car seems much, much more stabile over all. The ride quality is BETTER than before, and LESS harsh, believe it or not. I recommend the .920" bars to anybody wanting a safer ride.

I just want to mention that my Dart has 5 leaf rear springs and the front is at about stock ride hieight and is aligned to stock specs.

Please ask me anything you want to know about this set-up.

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'68 Dodge Dart 4dr Sedan

Patrick,

Are you using a stock steering wheel, or if not, what is it? Good job on the swap and rebuild!

Thanks,

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Lou,

I'm using the stock steering wheel. Here's a strange fact about my steering wheel--it has a Plymouth horn button on it. I've always wondered if a previous owner did that or if it came from the factory that way. My Dart is an early '68 Dart, and it has a pre-'68 block...seems like it was put together with some left-over '67 parts.

After driving the car more, I am even happier with the new steering components and suspension. Take it easy!

Pat

Does Flaming River make a quick ratio box for the 72-93 2WD Ram pickups? I've been thinking about converting my stock manual box to a quick ratio manual box, but have been coming up empty. I'm pretty sure the Mopar Performance gear kit is for the passenger car box only. Can someone verify this?

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"That thing gotta HEMI in it??"

I don't think they make one for trucks, but I could be wrong. Excuse me for my ignorance when it comes to trucks. Maybe somebody else here can help you out.

Pat

The truck box is entirely different than the car.

Cecil

Good to hear that the .920 bars work well. I might use those in my '71 Swinger with a 225, I'd like to know more. The stock '71 suspension is very soft and no longer inspires confidence after driving smaller cars for some time. I don't want to go too firm either, don't want to break parts.

Tim,

The .920" bars don't make the ride quality hard at all...just more stabile feeling. There could be another reason why my car feels balanced with these bars: the rear has the HD 5 leaf springs.

Pat

83RamDude Scribed:
<<Does Flaming River make a quick ratio box for the 72-93 2WD Ram pickups? I've been thinking about converting my stock manual box to a quick ratio manual box, but have been coming up empty. I'm pretty sure the Mopar Performance gear kit is for the passenger car box only. Can someone verify this?>>

Rammster, i think you're SOL on the box. However, you could go a little one off and get a steering quickener. Of course you'd need to fab up a collum-- nuthin' a little chome-moly tube and some billet joints wouldn't take care of. Then you get to keep the ease of your power unit and exploit the quick ratio. *rubbs hands together greedily*

Re: the .920 bars and 5 leaf rears. That's a killer combo. Much fun on the street. Get a nice 1.125 front bar, an adjustable rear bar, and some adjustable shocks-- kill Audi's at will, embarass BMW's while merging onto the highway, make the guys in vettes sweat it out all the way up the on-ramp! Smile knowing that your leaning tower of power will be around well after those cars are gone.

-JYH
64 Dart, Trans-Am
69 Cuda, man i wish it was a /6...
SoCal

???*perx*

More info on the adjustable rear bar and shocks please!!!

How about caster?

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I've been calling it as i see it for my entire life and that's not about to change. Take it or leave it.

<<More info on the adjustable rear bar and shocks please!!! >>
Adjustable rear bar is accoplished by using rod ends and a threaded sleeve in place of the standard bolt and bushings. I run mine on the axle and mount it up to the frame. You can also run pinch collars to adjust the rate of the bar which is the full boogie.

adjustable shocks... how much ya wanna spend? you can go from the super bling-bling afco double adjustables at 400 each to spax adjustables at about 80 each. each presents a set of unique installation challanges. Unless you're running bigger than .920 bars and big rear rates just stay with the tried and true KYB's or some HD stockers.

<<How about caster?>>
Depends on the tires, ride height, combo and driving style.
A good street setup would be 1" lower than stock spec. with 1~1.5* negative camber, 2.5~3.5* positive caster (depends on tires and steering), and 1/16" toe in.
To get that much caster you may need to run the moog offset uppers, but it depends on the strutrod bushings and ride height.

get crazy wit it homey!

-JYH
64 Daaaht
SoCal