Power Steering Gearbox Ratio Tests with Jeff Smith, Part 2 - Lee Power Steering

Part 1 of this series can be seen here - • Power Steering Gearbox...
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Products used in this video:
9:1 Gear Box: goo.gl/VuvM6p
12:1 Gear Box: goo.gl/A5xnu1
16:1 VR Gear Box: goo.gl/oJzypj
Pump: goo.gl/VtMdtv
Reservoir: goo.gl/c8g7qd
Reservoir Mount: goo.gl/cPv6EQ
Pump/Reservoir Kit: goo.gl/eg2xRF
Filter: goo.gl/v2uZzA
AN Fittings: goo.gl/YvZYXp
goo.gl/TcJrDR
goo.gl/nni5LW
goo.gl/dcG6TV
Allan Padelford [AP]: Here we are out at the test track now, and we've laid out a course for Jeff to run through with his car. He'll be able to feel the power steering ratio difference, obviously, and then also the feel of the car.
Jeff Smith [JS]: We'll be doing a bunch of different boxes. We'll do three different boxes?
AP: Right. We're going to start with your 12:1, All we did was clean it up, get the dirty oil out of it, so it doesn't contaminate the other boxes when we switch them out. We'll use your original 12:1 gearbox, that has a light feel to it that you didn't like. Then, we'll switch to our 12:1 gearbox with a 35 pound valve. After that, we've got a 16:1 variable gearbox, which is our standard hot rod steering ratio for just cruising around. After that, we'll go, we'll try our racing 9:1 gearbox.
JS: 9:1 - that sounds like fun.
AP: You bet. Here we are in the first slalom. That's just about maximum for that feel of the wheel.
JS: Yeah, it is. The big thing is, it's fast, but there's no feel to it whatsoever. You could almost do it with one finger.
AP: Couldn't do that around here, around this one little spot here.
JS: Okay. This is nothing. I'm doing one finger.
AP: Yeah.
JS: And you feel it here, too, there's no return to it. In terms of you're not getting anything fed back through the wheel. It seems odd, but a little bit more resistance is better. It's there. It's fast. But, there's…
AP: You need some feedback from the suspension.
JS: Exactly.
AP: Literally, little or no effort on the wheel.
JS: Almost none.
AP: Let's take her in and put in a 12:1 gearbox with a 35 pound valve. We've swapped out the box to one of our new 12.7:1 with a 35 pound valve. What do you think, Jeff?
JS: There is a difference. It feels like a completely different steering box, even though the ratio is still the same. The efforts gone way up, which it sounds weird, but it gives you more control. At low speeds there's quite a bit more effort, then with additional speed, it's not as noticeable, but it's still much better. It's just a much better feel. It inspires more confidence. It just feels better.
AP: I can tell you feel better about it.
JS: Oh, yeah. It's a lot more fun. When you think about it, when you're driving a car this is what you're touching all the time.
AP: That's your feedback.
JS: Yeah. Its instant feedback all the time. You want to talk about something that makes a difference in the way you drive your car, this is it. It's an amazing difference.
AP: Let's take her in and we're going to put a 16:1 variable steering gearbox with a 35 pound valve. It'll have the same feel, it's just an easier ratio to get. It's probably the most popular ratio that the company makes. It comes in trucks, and it's come in a lot of vehicles that were made past the 80s.
JS: Okay.
AP: Here we go in the 16:1 variable. 35 pound valve. So same valving as our 12:1. For an everyday guy that's just tooling around, probably a pretty good choice.
JS: Oh yeah - this is a great.
AP: Definite improvement over the 17:1 that it came with.
JS: Absolutely.
AP: Generally speaking, for an average hot rod, the 16:1 would be fine.
JS: Oh yeah.
AP: All right. Let's take her in.
JS: That was fun. Now, it really gets fun.
AP: Yeah. You're going to notice a big, big difference now. Here we are going out on the track with a 9:1 gearbox. And he's already smiling.
JS: Yeah. Already smiling. That's amazing.
AP: Valve weight is the same. The steering efforts the same.
JS: Effort, yeah the same. Now the response is so much quicker. It's like here before I had to really wheel it over. Boom. Wow. That, right there, is probably the biggest part. Yeah, it's an amazing difference. And then, from the original box to this one, it's just huge difference. It's amazing how it makes the whole car feel different. The whole car feels different.
AP: It feels like a sports car. For auto cross, where you've got a lot of tight turns, this would really be helpful. This is where the gear ratio change was a big difference.
JS: Yes. Yes.
AP: All right. Let's take it out on the road, and see how it feels on the highway.
AP: Yeah, let's see how it feels on the highway...
(transcript continued at leepowersteering.com/blogs/bl... )

[@Camman230]

Great test

[@Camman230]

I just put in a new 12.7.1 from Borgeson in my 69 Camaro and it is very responsive.

[@blermie]

Great video. It would be great to see more. Espcially, if it involves ford obs trucks.

[@sparlin88]

So i have a 69 El Camino . Original steering box Which would be better ? 12.1 or 16.1 Sounded like almost the same feel between the two . Im looking for what you call the valve pressure . I want to feel me turning the wheel . Thanks

[@studio571]

link for the 35 pound valve.?

[@DanneyTanner]

I was recently been trying the Sweet brand boxes. I did a LT swap in my 70 chevelle.Power steering pump in from Holley. The first Sweet box was .210 valve with 8 to 1 ratio.Steerring is to stiff .Didnt like it at all.Then went to .185 valve 12 to 1 box. It was a lot better but steering still stiffer than I like.When i let go of the wheel at anytime is just want to stay were its at .I hate that.I like it when you let go of the wheel and it will turn its self back straight by its self.Im not sure of my next move yet.Im thinking just trying a factory GM box and ratio.

[@lsonechevelle]

caster has a lot to do with the wheel returning to center.

[@leepowersteering6620]

Just like @lsonechevelle said, returning to center isn't really the gearboxes job. Your issue sounds like binding somewhere in your linkage.

[@LC-fl3zm]

Nice

[@bigtires100]

Why didn't you show the cone course with the 16 to one variable??? Also, it would have been helpful to mention how much positive caster you're running.

[@TandD1w]

So why not a 12:1 or 9:1 variable?

[@leepowersteering6620]

We offer both.

[@goosseperformance1444]

JUST CHECK YOUR WEBSITE FOR A 70 CHEVELLE FOR 9:1 AND DIDNT FIND IT

[@NoName-ml5yk]

Call them.

[@bluecollarbiker8005]

I got a 05 f350 and my steering is all wrong think about a bicycle now pick that bike up off the ground and free spin the back tire with your hand. That's how my truck steers just spin that steering wheel and it will not stop till you hit steering stop. And that is stopped its vary scary as you drive down the road been to the shop 7 times and no one can figure it out. It's way to easy to steer

[@thedobermangang3503]

where you all seat belts

[@gjohns316]

Lap only in the 60’s no shoulder belts

[@deankay4434]

Excellent questions but silence is deafening. Not parts, just the entire box for $6$&! dollars for a retired ASE Master Tech with bad elbows! Only in my dreams will my 67 C10 ever turn less than 4 1/4 turns, lock to lock. Already changing to an automatic as my knees can’t even operate a clutch. Too young & too tall. On foot after 4 decades of fixing the root cause of other peoples cars. If I did gamble, powerball?

[@deankay4434]

Was to have 4th lumbar fusion on the 17th. Pre-Op physical, heart rate too high, erratic , sent me to ER, gave Rx sent home. Asked if i had stress or bad pain, yea, been married 39 years, wife can’t work, got bill for 5k, back burning for 8 years, can’t walk to mail box. Why be 6’3” in a world build for 5’2” people? If i did not have my pickup, i would fall into Missouri river.

[@deankay4434]

Pre-op physical show fast heart beat. Doc sent me to ER. Clear chest, clean blood just med, but no surgery. More money more bad pain. Stuck at 62. Worked enough to to kill two grown men since age 7. Yea, learned how to run fast from belt if chores were not done, done right or forgot one, otherwise got beat. Left at 14 to $1 per hour to plow. The farmer had a house about to fall in and I lived in it for 3 years. Adopted red-headed step child road hard and put away wet. Just drinking today! I am done! Jump into wood-chipper, no more wife complaining. Later!

[@turboflush]

@@jeffallen3382 that is just too common of a story. My car's been sitting for the last 10 years. It all needs is for me to work on the clutch. But life and other adult issues come first. Now as I'm getting older back hurts knee pains, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my career.

[@tomkelly3896]

Fake news