Flaming River Steering Box?

[69RavenConv 286]

Anyone have any experience with the Flaming River steering box? The factory steering on '69s is pretty sloppy. I don't want to go rack & pinion because of cost and originality but the Flaming River unit looks like a good compromise if it really improves performance.

 

http://www.flamingriver.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=256/category_id=105/home_id=80/mode=prod/prd256.htm

[69RestoRod 10]

I've got a FR box but it's for a manual steering car, my 69 coupe. I like it quite a bit over the worn out original box. IIRC the lock to lock was smaller and the feel was nice, I recall thinking it was worth the money after a few days. But that car is in pieces so I can't give up to date info on the differences.

Edited August 22, 2008 by 69RestoRod

[69RavenConv 286]

Thanks, I've got manual steering as well on the convertible.

[bswor 73]

I also purchased a manual steering box from flaming river, works well. However I wish I had spent the extra money on a rack or power steering/rack setup. But theres nothing wrong with the manual box they make works like a champ.

[wantahertzdonut 10]

I have the box with power steering. It's a vast improvement over the original (which was heavily worn) but it's still not as 'tight' as I'd like. This may be partially due to the power steering, however there is a new valve on the car as well so it may be inherant.

 

I'll probably sell it before long and replace it with a power rack. I just need to convince myself it's ok to spend the money.

[EastYorkStang 63]

With my car having 235 series tires on the front it's all over the road. I've been contemplating upgrading the steering with this Flaming River piece. Is the rack and pinion worth the extra money over this box?

[bnickel 10,004]

the flaming river box is not really an upgrade at all, it's really just a stock replacement box but with new parts instead of using a rebuilt unit. that said a blueprinted rebuilt stock box would be a much better choice than the FR box. a lot of performance built and blueprinted stock boxes will use some corvette parts in place of original parts and would be a whole lot better than any stock box or the FR box but even one of those will be nowhere near as good as a rack conversion.

 

there is also another option from ABS power brake that uses a toyota box but it's an integrated power steering box instead of the add on Bendix style system that is stock on our cars. i don't know much about it at this point but it looks like a good option and will certainly get rid of that loose feeling you get with the stock box and power control valve

 

http://abspowerbrake.com/newproducts.html

[69RavenConv 286]

Well, it is an upgrade - though perhaps not a dramatic one - with added needle bearings and shock and vibration absorbing rubber bushings. The fact that it's all factory fresh (i.e., no wear on anything) is appealing, too. Of course it's not going to rival R&P, but as I said, I'm not interested in R&P. You're right that a good rebuild of the original is a viable option, and one I'm also considering.

[bnickel 10,004]

actually it's a myth that the original boxes didn't use needle bearings, and i'm not sure what you are referring to on the rubber bushings part, the only rubber piece that i'm aware of is the rag joint and the 68-up cars already have that too. i do know they offer a rag joint box for the 65-67 cars so maybe that is what you are thinking of?

 

there is really nothing different about the FR box vs a stock box other than all the parts are new, which you alo get with a rebuilt box, and the casting for the box is new as well, but stock boxes don't typically wear out so there's really no, or not much, of an advantage to that either

[MAD IN NC 21]

Just ripped out my box for the R&P settup....

 

69RavenConv if ya need it PM me.....