Borgeson adapter

[Ford Blue blood]

I feel your pain.  I changed out steering box last spring.  I don't bend very well anymore so I take the front seat out.  Extra work but makes things much easier.

Yup, need to put wing nuts on them!

[ROKuberski]

Day 2 of the install

It felt like I was being punished today.  I cut off the steering shaft and tried to mount the adapter.  My shaft was .012" larger than the adapter.  Crap!  Careful grinding and filing made for a perfect fit, only took about 20 minutes.  Then, I installed adapter and shaft on the new steering gear.  @!#$%^&  It's too low at the dash, a full 3/4" too low.  All the bolts fit tight, no slack in the system.  I took the new gear box out and put it on a table, tucked it tight to the edge and drew a mark in each bolt hole and located the center line of the main shaft.  Then I did the same thing with the original gear box.  What do you know, NOT the same.  I called Borgeson, politely explained to them that they screwed up my new gear box.  The guy at the other end explained that what I had was not unusual, they just require some "fitting up."  I reminded him that the instructions state that any modifications void the warranty.  No problem he said.  (I will follow up that statement with an email so just in case I do have equipment failure it will be in the record.)  Anyway, I got out my die grinder and started to elongate the holes.  The nose of the gear box was down on the frame so to lift up the shaft, all three bolt holes had to be worked on.  I ended up opening them up about 1/2 of their diameter, but I did get a perfect fit.  I snuck up on this with three removal and installs to make sure I did not take too much meat off of the bracket.  Has anyone else had that problem?

Thursday, I will get the adapter welded to the end of the shaft.  Then Friday, I can attack this project again.

[gasman826]

Thanks for the pictures and the candid, 'blow by blow' description.  I've been following closely with anticipation of upgrading the Raunch Wagon steering.  I've used Borgeson stuff with no issues but I have reservations on this kit.  You've overcome several issues.  I was surprised to see the kit continued the use of the ridged steering shaft.  I would have thought they would have upgraded to a lower column bearing and a rag joint.  The rag joint would have eliminated some of the "fitting up".  Another concern is the exhaust manifold clearance.  I've heard others voice this concern.  Some installed a heat shield.  I'm sure many others didn't.  Many of these kits have been successfully installed and I'm sure you'll be happy with the outcome.  I really like the pump, pump bracket, and pulleys setup.

[ROKuberski]

The steering gear is real close to the exhaust manifold, but so was the original.

I am using the stock column with automatic transmission and stock column shift.  Right now, I feel that that a rag joint, which I would have preferred, will not fit.  I will post the dimensions shortly, but I think I will be cutting the column off right at the bottom of the column where the shift linkage mounts. 

I am fabricating a brass bushing to stuff up the column about 2" above the cutoff point.  The bottom of the stock column fit over a piece on the original gear box and that stabilized the end of the column.  My brass bushing will do the same.  I am also considering putting a collar on the split sheetmetal floor access plates where I can also attach the bottom of the steering column.  Right now, I need to clean rust and repaint those pieces as well as part of the firewall.  Some of this area has not seen daylight since 1957.

What I got was not really a kit.  I used the list of parts on the Borgeson website and then bought the gearbox and pump off of eBay.  I did buy the coupler and hoses from Borgeson.  I was pissed when the coupler did not fit, but it was very close.  The hoses do not require the adapters that they mention on the website.  However, one hose is a little too long, but it can't be easily cut.  It's the high pressure line and I would have to get a pro shop to reinstall the connector on the end. 

I don't know how many cars came with a three groove pulley, but I am now using all three.

I hope to be back together early next week. 

I still have to replace gasket and seal on the distributor.   I bought a small blue gasket and a rubber seal.  It's listed for 1958 - ? forgot the end year.  However, I've been looking and I think my distributor is the same as a '58 and later.  It's leaking oil down the back of the engine and I want that to STOP.  I hope these parts are what I want.  Otherwise, is $2 bucks down the drain.

Rich

[RICH MUISE]

As usual, I'm a bit confused.....in the first pic of the 4 you just posted...Is that a splined shaft that the steering shaft fits over? If so, is there any reason why one could not adapt a rag joint or other universal joint to that instead of the long shaft? Gary's questions got me to thinking like it was like an oem setup where the shaft itself is an intergral part of the gear box
I'm thinking of late model steering columns like mine in particular that no longer use the long steering shafts, and if the Borgenson box could be adapted to a setup like mine.

[canadian_ranchero]

on my box install,if you want to use the stock shift linkage you need to use the coupler.the rag joint if you use it is almost inside the car.i modifyed my outer column tube to fit tight on the box just like they did it in 57 

[ROKuberski]

As usual, I'm a bit confused.....in the first pic of the 4 you just posted...Is that a splined shaft that the steering shaft fits over? If so, is there any reason why one could not adapt a rag joint or other universal joint to that instead of the long shaft? Gary's questions got me to thinking like it was like an oem setup where the shaft itself is an intergral part of the gear box
I'm thinking of late model steering columns like mine in particular that no longer use the long steering shafts, and if the Borgenson box could be adapted to a setup like mine.

Rich,

You are correct, that is a splined shaft and I am using an adapter that goes from that to the cutoff original shaft that went into the stock steering gear.  The problem with all of this is that the shift arms for the automatic transmission mount on the outer tube of the steering column.  When I cut that off to mate up with the new gear box, there is almost no space left.  My shift arm lever will be right at the top of the new steering box.  If you are not using any of the stock shift linkage, then you've got some room, but your rag joint may well be inside of the cabin.

You can see in the pictures below where I will be cutting the steering column.  It's really close for all of this to work.  I'm not going to cut the column off until I get the adapter welded on and set in position for one last measurement, but I am pretty sure that the relationship I show in the pictures is  at least 99% correct.
Rich

[ROKuberski]

Friday the 13th Progress

I got the steering column fitted and set into place.  My math was good and no screw ups all fits like I thought it would.  Yesterday, I made a brass bushing to fit inside of the end of the cut off column.  This will hold the end of the shaft inside of the tube so it won't rattle around.  See pictures.

I also was ready to fill the the power steering pump with fluid.  So, here was a project stopper.  The pump leaks.  Yes, I know that the bolts all have to be tight and the were.  Sucks.  I called the supplier and they will try to have a replacement to me by Tuesday.  Have to check stock.  Borgeson is in the process of moving so that may screw things up. End of the day was a bummer.

The second picture shows the bushing inside of the shaft.  However, it is actually mounted down inside a couple of inches to allow clearance for the coupling at the end of the shaft.

Also, the splined shaft on the gear box where the pitman arm attaches is .006" larger than the original.  This prevented the pitman arm from fully seating by about 1/8".  I gave it all I had and could not get it to fully seat.  Over 200 ft. pounds.  My impact wrenches are rated about 180 - 185 and I managed a little more than that with man power.

Rich

[lalessi1]

Rich, man I feel your pain. Nothing is worse than finding out that something is defective at the moment you are anticipating a test run! 

[gasman826]

Don't ya' just hate ending a Friday needing parts!!!!!!!!  If the pump is leaking around the reservoir/cover, there is a o-ring or seal around the edge of that cover.  The cover is easily removed.  It might be worth a couple of minutes to check.

Pitman shafts have a slight taper for a wedged fit.  The pitman arm should not bottom out on the pitman shaft.  Sounds like yours is normal.

Since the modified steering column has a fixed point at the top (bearing) and a fixed point at the bottom (adapter on the steering box), is a lower column bushing needed.  My slight concern is the potential of intermittent binding with three fixed points...body flex and all that.

[ROKuberski]

I have thought about taking the pump apart, but the high pressure fitting on the pump is so tight that I can't budge it.  I have not tried the impact wrench on it, but may just do that. 

I know the spline shaft is tapered.  I am using the stock pitman arm.  The stock tapered shaft is smaller than the new one.  Installed, the pitman arm was flush with the stock spline.  I am about 1/8" short of flush on the new one, but it is well engaged.  The nut is fully engaged with threads. 

I don't have three fixed points for the cutoff outer tube.  There is nothing to hold the bottom in position except my bushing and the hole through the two piece floor plate cover, so it kind of floats, but not much.  I am about .010" undersize for the O.D. and about .010" oversize for the I.D.  That's not much slop, but I believe it is enough so that there will be no binding.  Also, there is zero room for an adapter to go from the gear box to the outer tube on the column.  In my picture you can see that the bracket for the shift linkage is right at the cutoff point.

I am beginning to wonder if anyone had done exactly what I am doing.  I am using the stock steering column, with automatic transmission, using stock shift linkage and installing the Borgeson gear box. 

I really appreciate the comments and insight from others while working on this project.

Rich

[canadian_ranchero]

i did the vary same thing you are doing. check my post for pictures

[ROKuberski]

i did the very same thing you are doing. check my post for pictures

Thanks, I knew I saw that adapter picture before.  Sometimes my memory fails me.  The neutral safety switch is really close in there as is mine.  I had to grind off the extra length on the set screw on the adapter so it would clear the inside of the column.  I have the column back in the car and the shift linkage indicator remounted.  That was one of my index points to be sure I had everything back in original position. 

Did you have the alignment adjusted as noted in the Borgeson literature?   Since this system will essentially operate as the original stock steering I was wondering why they were recommending changes.

[lalessi1]

Rich, stock suspension alignment specs are a compromise between handling/directional stability and steering effort. Since you'll have power steering you can improve the driving experience by wheel alignment adjustments.

[canadian_ranchero]

try about 3* to 4* positive caster if you can get it