1973 Chrysler Newport Steering Gearbox

[badvs3vil]

Hello,

I am looking for some help with trying to not only identify my gearbox but also why does ever site send me what seems like the wrong one. This is my 4th one now that still doesn't fit.

Almost all sites say its an exact fit for my car. Like this...

https://www.carparts.com/search?q=steering_gearbox&vehicle[cylinders]=8&vehicle[liter]=6.6&vehicle[submodel]=Custom&vehicle[model]=Newport&vehicle[make]=Chrysler&vehicle[year]=1973

Its the same for Autozone, Cardone themselve, Advanced Auto and so on...

below is what the one that I removed from my car looks like. It has the valve on the low pressure side of it. However, almost every site that sells remans, sends me the one pictured at the bottom, which does not have that valve but also the bolt holes don't line up properly, I could make the hoses work if I had too but the bolts are close but cant get them in. The only place I was able to get a reman that actually was the exact one was from Napa but I had to return it as part of the casting was broken.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/PNB...ear+Box&impressionRank=1&keywordInput=gearbox

Original

Remans

 

[badvs3vil]

So I called Cardone and they said they are aware that this doesn't fit all applications, including my car, they have it marked for review and upgrades to fix it with no ETA.

 

[C Body Bob]

So I called Cardone and they said they are aware that this doesn't fit all applications, including my car, they have it marked for review and upgrades to fix it with no ETA.

I’ve sold several boxes. When I run the number to see what they fit it looks like the later C bodies & B body’s use the same box in many applications. I think I have a 73ish box & it is also the same casting # as a 75 Cordoba big block car. I usually ship them direct to Firm Feel & have them build it customer specs.

 

[saforwardlook]

I would never ever get a Cardone anything - they are just all junk and I certainly wouldn't get a steering box from an auto parts store that has been "rebuilt" by some crappy vendor every time.

The only options for getting a good reman steering gear are either Firm Feel or Steer & Gear.

If you do anything else, continued headaches are for sure.

 

[badvs3vil]

I tried to get one from those places you mentioned but they have a 6 month lead time right now.

I will have to make one of these work for now.

 

[CBODY67]

What's the issue with your orig unit?

 

[mikedrini]

I tried to get one from those places you mentioned but they have a 6 month lead time right now.

I will have to make one of these work for now.

You try Red Head?

RedHead Steering Gears - Manual & Power Steering Gear Box

 

[traintech55]

Welcome to the wonderful world of some young 20 something trying to sell you parts for a 50 year old car. I have had this fight many times when they look at you like YOU don't know, and their computer is always right.

The gear box they sent you is a newer Saginaw design for newer Chrysler products. It will fit "A, B, and E" body cars, with modifications to the steering column. Your best bet is to replace your gear box with a used one for now so you can drive your vehicle, and have your original rebuilt by one of the reputable companies out there

 

[badvs3vil]

Welcome to the wonderful world of some young 20 something trying to sell you parts for a 50 year old car. I have had this fight many times when they look at you like YOU don't know, and their computer is always right.

The gear box they sent you is a newer Saginaw design for newer Chrysler products. It will fit "A, B, and E" body cars, with modifications to the steering column. Your best bet is to replace your gear box with a used one for now so you can drive your vehicle, and have your original rebuilt by one of the reputable companies out there

You are damn close. In this case, Cardone messed up and have been selling their crap as working when it doesn't. When I called Cardone directly that told me that they know it has issues with some cars and they plan on fixing it down the road with no ETA, but even their site says it fits and they would sell it to me directly...

Anyway, I did find a BBB one that I was able to verify now that I know what to look for. I will do exactly what you said now though, the core charge on this one is only $50, so not a big loss to keep my original and send it in for a good rebuild while I drive on this BBB one.

Thanks

 

[73Coupe]

Lares mfg. in MN also sells quality rebuilt units. You can get one through Rockauto.

Edit: It says that they are "new".

But they might rebuild your OEM unit too. They have rebuilt two of mine on other cars.

 

[badvs3vil]

Update for everyone.

So I did get a BBB rebuilt gearbox and so far its been great. So now everything except the lower control arms and torsion bars have been replaced. Which leads me to my issue.

After I got the new gearbox in and also the moog offset upper control arm bushings, I went and got an alignment. I had set everything to max caster before going in. Both sides had +5% caster! So that's a plus. However, they went to align it, they said the drivers side could not get any positive caster and keep the cambre within spec, as soon as they try, it goes way off. To add on top of that, currently the car pulls a little to the left. Also after a turning at all to the left, it stays there and does not return to center.

My question to the ones that are smarter then I is this. Could my issue actually be my drivers side torsion bar? If you look in the top picture you will see the Torsion Set Screws. The drivers side (right side in the pic) you can see its screwed in pretty far in order to get the car even. The second pic shows how even she is right now. Could that be my issue?