what steering box is best and lightest

[mechanic30]

can yu use a corvette or small type box in imca / usmts cars? whats the lightest options people are using for a chevelle front clip car?

[drtrkr244]

Sweet 6:1, and you wont need a quickner. Pricey, but worth it.

[mechanic30]

right that's pretty much what im looking at but its heavy all those large gm boxes are heavy, supposedly a vega steering box will bolt up and is way lighter but don't know anything about it I knw hot rodders do it but not sure about modifieds. thanks for input

[Racer96m]

A Delphi 600 series box is the lightest and best. The heavy Sweet box you are talking about is a 700 series. The 600 series is 5 lbs lighter and is the next best thing to a rack as far as box's go. The 600 series is the last redesign from the 60's technology that is the 700 series. Its superior in every way. Much better feel.

Dave

[Racer96m]

The 600 series box looks like this. Easy to tell from the old 700 series.

[JustAddDirt]

The lightest is not always the best. especially when it comes to the steering system.

You do not want to run a Vega unit, they are too weak, most were manual, and I do not believe they will bolt up to the full size car mount. They are a 20:1 ratio, they take a 5/8-30 spline u-joint and if you buy one new they are $400.00 range.


The GM 605 box was the lightest one that I know of, that was somewhat tuff enough to work.It came on metric GM cars.
Had a snap ring on top of the vertical gear shaft instead of the 4 bolts the other ones have.
weaker, but liter, have to run a 2:1 quickner with it.

The 600 series is a later model chevy truck box. 5 lbs. lighter than the normal boxes, but as far as I know the quickest ratio is a 12:1 so you need a quickner with it. so buy the time you get a quickner, mount, universal or straight connector, the weight savings is virtually none, and the cost will get you in the same ballpark as the 6:1-8:1 700 series boxes.

JMO tho.

[Lizardracing]

Except you can used quickeners and used boxes all day long for $100.
You can even rebuild a box for $50 if you want.

Why do you think that you have to buy new?

[JustAddDirt]

no one said you had too buy new.

[Verdoorn Racing]

Racer 96M - What year and make of vehicle did that box come on? Do you have a Part number? Thanks Jeff

[setup479point2]

The 2 drivers that I know put Sweet 6:1 box on said they'd never go back to a box with a quickener . That's good enough for me . Very experienced drivers .

[JustAddDirt]

The 2 drivers that I know put Sweet 6:1 box on said they'd never go back to a box with a quickener . That's good enough for me . Very experienced drivers .

I agree with those drivers as well.

[powerslide]

I agree with those drivers as well.


Have you tried the 12:1 600 series w/ a quickner? How about the other two drivers. Just curious whats so much better.

[Racer96m]

All the manufactures make a 600 series box in 6-1, 8-1 etc. Sweets is $2185.00. I use a PSC Steering 600 series box, they can be had for $1159.00. And yes many used 600 series boxs from Na$car land on ebay but most are valved for asphalt and you wont find a 6-1, they are all 16,14,12 to 1. The 600 series box is the best, it is fundamentally better in every way to the older 700 series. Na$car only uses the 600 series box's for this reason. Your not gona find one on a production car and if you did you wouldnt want it, if you put a quickner on it the "T" bar valving would be to heavy. If you go 2-1 on a quickner you need .185 valving.

Dave

[Racer96m]

sweet 12-1 600 .185 is only $525 I already posted the link above

You are correct, but if you dont want to run the quickner and want a 6-1 box the price goes way up . I think the drivers that say they went to a 6-1 and no quickner and will never go back were running a 700 series box. I would have to agree that there would be slop with that. A 6-1 with no quickner would be an improvement. In my opinion you can get good feel with a 12-1 600 series box (because it has less slop than a 700) and a 2-1 quickner, if you use a good quickner like a Howe Stealth HD. Also a great article on adjusting the lash on a 600 steering box in the Jan 2015 Speedway Illustrated, to keep everything tight.

Dave

[Hagen14t]

I believe that the 600 box is illegal in imca. Just throwing that out there for anyone looking.

[stockcar5]

The 2007 on up gm 3/4 and 1 ton trucks use the 600 delphi box. Not sure if the bolt pattern is usable or not. Youll need a different pitman arm also. Might be worth a look into if it's legal for you.

[JustAddDirt]

Have you tried the 12:1 600 series w/ a quickner? How about the other two drivers. Just curious whats so much better.

Yes I drove a car with one last year
car steered hard in the pits, and on track if you had to really turn the car quick.
that could have been power steering pump related though.
I still like the 6:1-8:1 700 series.
just personal preference I guess.

[powerslide]

Thanks for the feedback. We have a 600 12:1 w/ 2:1 quickner. Almost wish it was a little quicker sometimes!

[drtrkr244]

According to Sweets website, there is only one pound of weight difference. That would be hard to justify spending another $1400. I know plenty of racers using Sweets 700 series box ($750) with no complaints.

[setup479point2]

Have you tried the 12:1 600 series w/ a quickner? How about the other two drivers. Just curious whats so much better. Sorry didn't mean to ignore you . Both said the feel of the track was better , less slop . The other part of this is one less thing to break when quickener is eliminated . Have seen 2 of these break ( the lightweight ones ) . If you do run a quickener I'd recommend the Howe Stealth . I have cars running quickeners and it works , so its your choice .

[bigc]

The 600 series box is NOT IMCA legal... which is why I have two of them for sale. Both are Sweet 12:1 .185 servo and were used with 2:1 quickner. Loved them, and would go back in a heartbeat if I could. Had no reason to switch other than IMCA. Still for sale. Message me if interested.

[GavinHunyady187]

what t-bar are you guys running with the 8:1 or 6:1 boxes? I feel like mine is a little heavy at mid-corner.