Source for a 1200 Steering Box

[Canadian510]

Hey everyone, got a 71 1200 from a buddy but my steering box is totally done.

 

It was installed wrong at one point and would only turn to the left (nascar jokes aside) took it apart and reset the worm gear into the box and fixed that issue but another has come to light. I have between a quarter to a half turn of play in this old thing. Box is adjusted as tight as it'll go but even while installing the column back into it could tell there was a ton of play. Checked all my steering components and they're tight all the play is coming straight from the box/worm gear. 

 

After doing some research it seems my only options are to gamble, buy an old box and hope it's better then my current one or try and fab up a rack and pinion setup and delete the box all together. 

 

If anyone has been in my situation before what did you end up doing or where did you find a box? 

[Draker]

I have about the same amount of play.. 300k miles on it. 

[datsunfreak]

On 7/31/2018 at 8:18 AM, Canadian510 said:

If anyone has been in my situation before what did you end up doing or where did you find a box? 

 

Bought a box from a low mileage '91 model and converted my car to RHD.  ?

 

I think I may have one in decent shape? Came from a buddy's car we converted to rack-and-pinion steering. 

[datsunfreak]

Or just convert it to rack-and-pinion steering.  ?

[paradime]

I see them on ebay from time to time, but if the Freak has one, I'd trust his over any random seller's on ebay.

[Morrisun]

This steering box is listed with less than 60,000 miles. Don't know the price.

 

Hidden Valley Auto Parts USA-AZ(Maricopa) 602-252-2122 / 520-568-2945

 

Other than the White Salmon coupe, I haven't seen a 1200 with less than a bilzzion miles on it in years!

 

 

[datsunfreak]

22 hours ago, Morrisun said:

Other than the White Salmon coupe, I haven't seen a 1200 with less than a bilzzion miles on it in years!

 

 

Oddly, almost all of the 1200s we've seen around here have been low mileage cars since none of them have been driven in the last 30 years...  ?

[Morrisun]

OK, I was wrong. In the Pacific Northwest, the ones I come across usually have been driven hard and left out in the wet!

[Mattndew76]

Icehouse has his beautiful front cross-member that can accommodate a newer steering setup so you can eliminate the old box.

[njoz1200ute]

no one likes an old sloppy box

[Icehouse]

On 8/27/2018 at 6:06 PM, Mattndew76 said:

Icehouse has his beautiful front cross-member that can accommodate a newer steering setup so you can eliminate the old box.

 

 

Only for the 510 as of now.  Although I do drive my truck all the time and the steering box leaves a lot to be desired.  

[Mattndew76]

10 hours ago, Icehouse said:

 

 

Only for the 510 as of now.  Although I do drive my truck all the time and the steering box leaves a lot to be desired.  

 

I would be willing to buy one of your setups and make it work on the 1200

 

Gimme a couple weeks and I will put in the order.

[datsunfreak]

3 hours ago, Mattndew76 said:

 

I would be willing to buy one of your setups and make it work on the 1200

 

Gimme a couple weeks and I will put in the order.

 

Seems like the inner tie rods would be in the wrong spot?

[Mattndew76]

Not for me.

 

I will most likely engineer what's needed to make it work.

 

 

[Icehouse]

6 hours ago, Mattndew76 said:

 

I would be willing to buy one of your setups and make it work on the 1200

 

Gimme a couple weeks and I will put in the order.

 

Send me a text and week can talk.  

 

 

 

2 hours ago, datsunfreak said:

 

Seems like the inner tie rods would be in the wrong spot?

 

If there is one thing I've learned from modeling suspension is no one can look at it and say it will work or what it will do.  Even our simple strut suspension is super complex, we tried playing the guessing game haha I was wrong every time.  :) 

[datsunfreak]

8 hours ago, Mattndew76 said:

Not for me.

 

I will most likely engineer what's needed to make it work.

 

That doesn't really help the OP, though...   ?

 

6 hours ago, Icehouse said:

If there is one thing I've learned from modeling suspension is no one can look at it and say it will work or what it will do.  Even our simple strut suspension is super complex, we tried playing the guessing game haha I was wrong every time.  ?

 

I agree 100%. Just thinking with the LCA pivots being closer together on a 1200, it might take some fiddling...  

[Mattndew76]

10 hours ago, datsunfreak said:

 

That doesn't really help the OP, though...   ?

 

 

It gives him an alternative to the stock box.

 

If someone has done it then it lays out a blueprint for anyone else wanting to get away from the old setup.

 

For now.... Not many options.