Saganaw 525 steering box

Call the folks at Borgeson. They make a 525 replacement box. What are you hooking your 525 to? I'm building a 39 with all Chassis Engineering dropped axle components and right now am going back to the stock box (in good shape), but CE recommended the 525. Anyone with any experience with this set up and problems, such as steering arms, header clearance, etc?
 
If you are still running the flathead you will have clearance problems with the 525 box. You will need to use the CE bracket that replaces the stock bracket as this bracket moves the box closer to the frame rail. You will also have to use the headers from Speedway that are used with the Vega box. If you are running a "Chebby" you are fine, but the 525 is a tight fit with a flathead or a Ford 302.
The stock steering arms will work fine and so will the stock drag link. You can use the stock pitman arm with some modification, but I prefer to buy the one from CE or other companies that fit the 525 and are tapered for the Ford tie rod ends.
 
Grease, if they are like late '60's Chevy manual box. Book calls out a spec for grease, but it is pretty ordinary stuff. If I remember, grease goes in a bolt hole until it comes out another bolt hole...
On my '68 Nova, I tapped a spare cover bolt for a zerk to make the job easy. These are recirculating ball boxes and can use grease because the balls continually carry the grease through the mechanism. Gear type boxes like the '40 Ford can't use grease because the gear contact forces grease out and it doesn't get back into the critical contact point at all efficiently.
 
cuzncletus said:
Call the folks at Borgeson. They make a 525 replacement box. What are you hooking your 525 to? I'm building a 39 with all Chassis Engineering dropped axle components and right now am going back to the stock box (in good shape), but CE recommended the 525. Anyone with any experience with this set up and problems, such as steering arms, header clearance, etc?
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I have Chassis Eng. components in my '39 coupe as well as a 525 box. Fit and works great. One of my fellow Poor Boys members rebuilt it for me. The only issue I could see is with block huggers or rams style exhaust. The box is right in the way. There are some Chevy truck cast iron manifolds that will work. 1972 or so, I believe, and use the right side manifold on the left (drivers) side. I am using fenderwell headers so no clearance issues for me. Hope the attached pic will help. Mike
 

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Is there a big, or at least noticeable, advantage of using the 525 over a good stock box? I want to do this once, do it right, and drive......... a lot.
 
cuzncletus said:
Is there a big, or at least noticeable, advantage of using the 525 over a good stock box? I want to do this once, do it right, and drive......... a lot.
Click to expand...


I have the same question. What is the advantage of going with the GM steering box. I have a 1941 Ford P/U and it is unbelievably difficult to steer. If this conversion will make the P/U more fun to drive, I'll look for the parts to make the conversion ASAP. Mechanically (kingpins etc are free) when there is no weight on the front wheels the steering is easy. But as soon as I put the wheels on the ground, I feel like I'm driving a 1950s era garbage truck. It takes the fun out of driving an otherwise fun vehicle.

Thanks F.F
 
By the way I would give a body part to find a chassis as nice as 39coupe's. Anything I can find as a replacement for the crappy frame I have under my PU is junk or needs repair. Mine is safe but has patches all over it. I feel the body deserves better but cant find a nice one within 600 miles of Raleigh North Carolina. I must confess I have fond one or two out West. But by the time I get it shipped to the East Coast, the cost is prohibitive.

Thanks FF
 
cuzncletus said:
Is there a big, or at least noticeable, advantage of using the 525 over a good stock box? I want to do this once, do it right, and drive......... a lot.
Click to expand...

I can't tell you if there is an advantage as I never drove my coupe with the stock steering. It was a basket case. But it does steer well with the 525 and I'm quite pleased with it.
 
FatFender said:
By the way I would give a body part to find a chassis as nice as 39coupe's. Anything I can find as a replacement for the crappy frame I have under my PU is junk or needs repair. Mine is safe but has patches all over it. I feel the body deserves better but cant find a nice one within 600 miles of Raleigh North Carolina. I must confess I have fond one or two out West. But by the time I get it shipped to the East Coast, the cost is prohibitive.

Thanks FF
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The 525 fits well and, with a 15" steering wheel, is not to bad to steer. I'm pleased with mine.
Don't be too jealous of the chassis under my car. :) It's a '36 and we had to plate the left side and a couple of other places. I used it more for convience than desire for it. Plus, it was free. lol If you look in the background of my picture, you can see my body is still on it's original '39 frame. That way, I could have a frame prepped and ready to use while the body was being worked on. Then swapped the body over. I ended up giving the frame to a pal and he cut the crossmembers out and is going to use it for a '40 truck. Decent frames are still out there. Check some of the streetrod builders that use TCI chassis and such. Maybe an owner would let the original go. Good luck.
 
"...it is unbelievably difficult to steer" The original certainly isn't power steering, but that description means something is wrong. Go through the full adjustment procedure (online if you don't have manual), then look at alignment and tires. Make sure you have gear oil and not grease.
The car should be easy to drive, though the recirculating ball design will make it easier. On any manual steering setup, steering should be easy when moving, harder when standing still until you learn the secret handshake for parallel parking.
 
39coupe said:
The 525 fits well and, with a 15" steering wheel, is not to bad to steer. I'm pleased with mine.
Don't be too jealous of the chassis under my car. :) It's a '36 and we had to plate the left side and a couple of other places. I used it more for convience than desire for it. Plus, it was free. lol If you look in the background of my picture, you can see my body is still on it's original '39 frame. That way, I could have a frame prepped and ready to use while the body was being worked on. Then swapped the body over. I ended up giving the frame to a pal and he cut the crossmembers out and is going to use it for a '40 truck. Decent frames are still out there. Check some of the streetrod builders that use TCI chassis and such. Maybe an owner would let the original go. Good luck.
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Thanks for the encouragement, I'll keep looking. I would like to get an excellent chassis, clean up, make some upgrades to it and then place my current body on it. It has taken me so long to get to the point where I can drive it that I hate to take it off the road for "refinements".

Best Regards, FF
 
Bruce Lancaster said:
"...it is unbelievably difficult to steer" The original certainly isn't power steering, but that description means something is wrong. Go through the full adjustment procedure (online if you don't have manual), then look at alignment and tires. Make sure you have gear oil and not grease.
The car should be easy to drive, though the recirculating ball design will make it easier. On any manual steering setup, steering should be easy when moving, harder when standing still until you learn the secret handshake for parallel parking.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments too Bruce. How much difference will the size of tires make in steering effort? I have noticed that on most these era Fords 1939, 1940 etc. The owners are using very narrow tires in the front. While mine not quite as narrow as the original tires (6:00 x 5 x 16) still very narrow. I'm not in the same state as my car or I would run out and get the size off the front wheels

Best Regards, FF
 
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