Quick ratio steering box

Hi there.

I have a 1978 Bel Air sedan with a slow ratio (3.5 turns lock to lock) steering box that I would like to replace with a quick ratio unit(2.5 turns or less). Im aware that the Saginaw 800 series recirculating ball steering box was used in many GM cars and trucks but has anyone found that a particular box from a donor vehicle that works good?

Thanks.

I was just reading about this recently. Grab one out of a 9C1 equipped car, it's a faster ratio.

Hello I have a 78 coupe my stock powersteering box is leaking and in need of replacement. I saw this post but will my lines still work on the 96 steering box? Are they both standard or is one metric? Are the spline for steering link the same as well. I have a youtube channel cfmechanic. Car is modified stroker motor stereo efi etc. I looked up on autozone first and a replacement is $770 pepboys said theres is 670 but i could get a deal and have it for $440. I have also been told a quick ratio won't be good on the street or drag strip is this true?

There are a few cars with the 2.5 turns lock to lock gearbox. The F41 package came with that, and I believe it was standard on the 1994-1996 Impala SS, as well as the 9C1 package.

The best way to tell if it is a 2.5 turn lock to lock gearbox is to look at the splines on the pitman arm. The pitman arm has a 'key' (spot with a wider spline/missing spline so that the pitman arm can be lined up properly on the gearbox shaft) The 3.5 turn 'key' is only 1 spline width, the 2.5 turn has a 'key' that is 2 splines. (also, a 2.5 turn pitman arm will not fit onto a 3.5 turn gearbox, but you can use a 3.5 turn pitman arm on a 2.5 turn gearbox)

Here's a good article on the subject:

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/ccrp-0901-gm-steering-box-upgrade/

at some point in the early 80's, I think, they switched from standard inverted flare to metric o-ring fittings. The pressure line should be an 18mmX1.5 and the return should be 16mmX1.5, but I'm not 100% sure since it's been a couple years since I swapped my gearbox over. And I ran all new lines since I was changing over to a GM type 2 power steering pump.

slimwud wrote:Hello I have a 78 coupe my stock powersteering box is leaking and in need of replacement. I saw this post but will my lines still work on the 96 steering box? Are they both standard or is one metric? Are the spline for steering link the same as well. I have a youtube channel cfmechanic. Car is modified stroker motor stereo efi etc. I looked up on autozone first and a replacement is $770 pepboys said theres is 670 but i could get a deal and have it for $440. I have also been told a quick ratio won't be good on the street or drag strip is this true?

Hi, I bought. 12-1 quick ratio for my 78 Olds Coupe and recommend it for anything other than Bonneville.
Believe that is what comes in the SS