68 Charger - steering box rebuild. Conclusion/supplier

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morgan
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68 Charger - steering box rebuild. Conclusion/supplier

Post by morgan »

A few of you have asked me about this, and I wanted to wait until it was in and working.

Long story short, I used a place called WPS down in bristol, who rebuild all steering systems but also work on 'historic' stuff.

It was a bit of a blind punt, but the options appeared to be -
- Go firmfeel/Borgesson (£1000 by the time you are done)
- Get a rebuilt one - impossible. The big supplier claim to have them but when you enquire they say 'nope. No idea when back in'. Apparently its a shortage of cores.
- Send off to the states to a specialist. They were quoting quite a lot of money and of course there is the 'ship it round the world' thing.
- Have a go myself (didnt fancy that.)
- Find a UK supplier - but everyone seemed a little quiet on that.

Anyway. Sent it off to WPS. Chap called Gary.
- £250 incl parts, VAT and shipping. (they collected)
- Took about a week.
- Came back shiny.
- It doesnt leak anymore (which was my main problem)

The only issue I have had is that it didnt come adjusted. In fairness, I didnt ask for it - I didnt know I had to - I expected it to come back ready to run. I suggest if anyone else goes down the route they have the conversation first and avoid my panic and constant adjustments. Having said that, once you know how its not a tricky adjustment, but it is annoying and I boiled the fluid. There is the lash screw and the proportion valve. Its fiddly though, would have been much better pre-set.

So thats it -
WPS. They did what I asked them to. £250. In my case the adjustment has been really irritating but they might have been able to do it - I didnt ask - my mistake.

Not sure what section to put this in, but people have asked me. Mods feel free to adjust.

:thumbright:
"Cum homine de cane debeo congredi." Woof.

Current Charger status - "Working !"
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RobTwin
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Re: 68 Charger - steering box rebuild. Conclusion/supplier

Post by RobTwin »

Good info, thanks Morgan.
We had a similar experience with a different company, a few years ago when we got ours rebuilt. Cant remember who it was, but they also collected it and returned when rebuilt.
We didnt have any issues with the adjustment but ours leaked like the proverbial, due to them fitting the wrong o ring under the large dome-shaped section that houses the adjustment screw.
Since replacing that o ring (with some help from Anton :thumbright: ), it's been fine.
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Dave999
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Re: 68 Charger - steering box rebuild. Conclusion/supplier

Post by Dave999 »

based on experience with manual boxes its very easy to buy kits under the correct kit number but with the wrong parts in, listings on generic parts suppliers web sites are wrong
the term "full kit" is often a load of old cobblers as well. yes the box that arrives is full but it doesn't contain everything you will need

i ended up using internet resources and parts manuals to translate mopar parts numbers into generic supplier parts numbers and finding stuff that way.
even so japanese parts numbering overlaps with american and european numbering so some care is necessary, and you end up passing on good deals becasue the seller is unwilling or not capable of giving measurements to prove their part is the equivalent of the 40-50 year old US part.
the temptation is to buy new old stock seals becasue yes they will fit... but buying new old stock rubber is not a good idea and the cost is silly.

pretty damn certain every bearing and seal and o ring for a power box is available, its a case of finding a supplier who cares more about you having the right part than cash flow through the till.

the bits that are not available are potentially available in the new chinese/mexican boxes sold on ebay i.e the big mechanical parts... but there is a reason that these boxes are cheap. all the parts might be good but i can't think someone earning $2/hour gives a monkeys about how well they work when combined in a steering box.

at least with a UK rebuilder you have recourse, and they are worried about their reputation, they know you can turn up on their doorstep with a flaming torch and a pitchfork, with facebook open ready to comment on their reaction, so in theory will do a decent job

Rockauto are great but search on part number not car when looking for individual parts.
or search out part numbers via the car/model/year and then check the parts manufactures site and car based message boards, look for posts wingeing about it being wrong/crap on message boards any thing followed up by and mine and me and i told them this 10 years ago
and the kit has the wrong bits in.

order when all research is done don't trust the first place that appears to have it right unless steering boxes for mopars is their business .
The Greater Knapweed near the Mugwort by the Buckthorn tree is dying
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MattH
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Re: 68 Charger - steering box rebuild. Conclusion/supplier

Post by MattH »

Good info this. I havent yet needed this service, but have just replaced the original pitman arm, that was fun!
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Panther Pink 73 Aussie Charger 265 Hemi 4 spd
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morgan
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Location: Berkhamsted - Herts.

Re: 68 Charger - steering box rebuild. Conclusion/supplier

Post by morgan »

MattH wrote: Tue Jul 23, 19 7:30 am Good info this. I havent yet needed this service, but have just replaced the original pitman arm, that was fun!
Tight aren't they ? :lol:
"Cum homine de cane debeo congredi." Woof.

Current Charger status - "Working !"
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