help with steering gear

[77nighthawk]

My 79 has a power steering gear in it(not factory installed), and I want to change it to manual steering. I have a manual steering gear, that I "think" will work, but I am not sure. The shaft for the column is the same diameter, and I think the shaft for the pitman arm is the same diameter(don't know if splines are correct for either). The numbers that I found on the gear housing are: 11, 5679142, 299. There is a number stamped in the gear housing: A3066. The numbers on the 3 bolt cover are: 286, 6723, 63. If anyone knows if this steering gear will work without any other parts, PLEASE let me know. Thank you in advance. Brad

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[monzaaddict]

the box will bolt in - a spacer goes between frame and box. the pitman arm is not correct and the power steering part will not work.

[283vega]

you will also need a manual steering drag link

[cosvega76]

Brad,

You can use your P/S centerlink, but you'll have to source the pitman arm and steering column shaft from a Cosworth (or use an aftermarket u-joint with the correct spline). The Cosworth used the large manual steering box.

You may also be able to use the pitman arm off of a later Monza/Sunbird/Skyhawk/Starfire as well, but I don't know when they changed over. I remember the '79 Monza I bought new had the large steering box.

A manual steering box from an S-10 uses the power steering pitman arm spline, but it has a really slow ratio.


Chuck

[77nighthawk]

Thanks for the reply's. I don't know if it will help, but I did a google search on Saginaw 5679142, and it resulted in": Saginaw 525 steering gear, '65 to '79 full size, 24:1 ratio, 6 turns stop to stop. I removed the pitman arm and rag mount, and checked the splines for steering column, and they appeared to be the same. The shaft for the pitman arm has 4 reliefs in the splines. I think this is the large manual gearbox, but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. Here's a pic of it by a vega gearbox.

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The top one, I think, is a vega gearbox.

Brad

[77nighthawk]

I went back out to the garage, and started looking over everything real good. I bit the bullet, and removed the power steering gear, so I could compare it to the manual gearbox. Overall dimensions were the same, as far as mounting holes to end of shafts, and mounting surface to centerlines.

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I then removed the pitman arm to check the splines, and they were also the same. So I installed the pitman arm on the manual gearbox. I had the end of another steering shaft, and checked the splines there as well. They were the same also.

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Using the spacer that was used with the power steering gearbox, I then proceeded to try installing the manual gearbox in the car. Perfect fit.

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If someone is wanting to convert to manual steering, I'd say this is this is the gear to use.(on a 79 Monza anyways) Brad

[Monza Harry]

Brad Is that a V6 or V8 frame plate I see here in this Pic' Harry

Engine Bay.jpg

[77nighthawk]

Hey Harry! Did you get my pm? To answer your question, those are v6 frame plates. They were in the car when I bought it. Whosonfirst was in the process of converting it to v6, when I bought it, but could not find a good used 3.8L. Brad

[hammerdown7]

Does this mean you are going to use the box that is 6 turns lock to lock?

Dick

[77nighthawk]

Hey Dick, yes, I am using the manual gearbox in this build. I'm not sure about the spec's on the steering gear. But it does turn easy without the engine in it. Brad