Steering

[Frankiej]

I know it has been said before but what is the issue with using a steering box from maybe a hk,t,g on a hr front end ( which was a common conversion back in the 90's) for a v6 conversion, the steering rack has issues as is well documented and I know from experience that a steering box works, is it the engineers that has the problem or is it the fact that everyone wants a rack and pinion, for gods sake they used the steering box with a v8 around Bathurst it can't be that bad putting it on the road for normal driving use, can anyone shed some light on the stigma going around about the rack versus the steering box.

Cheers frankie.

[Harv]

Frankie,

From what I understand, the early Holden steering boxes (pre-HK)  are not collapsible. Most engineers (and NCOP) require a collapsible column, so the old boxes get replaced. You could choose anything from HK onwards, box or rack. However, a lot of conversions either struggle with space (the front-mount rack helps a bit around the sump), or use "kit components" (eg CRS) that are designed around the later (typically Torana) racks.

Cheers,
Harv

[hsv-001]

Frankie , I am not sure of the space needed for steering box conversions with V6 . Do you have photos? I ask because I had issues removing H.V. oil  pumps on red motors with and std. steering box[jacking the block over with engine mount removed etc ]. So at a guess I would think you will have problems with exhausts [custom extractors I'm guessing to clear the steering box and or the idler arm ] and at a guess ,I would presume you will still have to modify the sump well to step over the steering linkage . Still if you go this way can you post some photos as I have only done rack and pinion with V6-V8 conversions . Message me if I can be of assistance .Cheers Haydn

[Frankiej]

Hey Harv and Haydn years ago I used to do steering conversions regularly on fx and fj holdens and I designed a mounting bracket to take a hk,t,g steering box with colapsible column it also needed a spacer on the idler arm to stop any bump steer, this worked so good that I could fit red motors and chevs with no problem, so I can't see why it would be any different to fit a v6 its almost the same configuration and size as a chev.
Although You could get a sump to fit from a HK because they came out with a chev and I knew they cleared the trailing arm, the red however was different and from memory we used eh sumps.
I know that whatever you do the sump has to be modified regardless so that's not the issue, I'm just unsure why a steering box can't be used in place of a steering rack and still use the collapsible column for engineering reasons, just trying to get some educated thoughts on all this because the effort would be so much easier if a steering box was allowed.
Cheers frankie.

[hsv-001]

I think I understand what you want to do and like I said ,I would like to see some photos down the track . Be aware that the rails and inner guards on a humpy are slightly wider[don't have the step] than FE-EK and this meant some more modification on exhausts on these models . Cheers Haydn