What's new
What's new

How to identify a Saginaw Steering Box

Harley

Aluminum
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Location
Burton, MI
Well folks i'm stumped. I inherited a beautiful motherload of chevy parts. Which came at a great time, right in the middle of converting a Jeep to chevy drive train.

So here I sit going through my parts and organizing the shop. And what do I spy? Saginaw steering gears ...... I think.

How do I identify these. I have several, I believe there all Saginaws, but how do I find more info. Gear ratios, box ID's, etc...

The one I took #s off of only has these.

5686815 On four bolt end cap.
7802644 Cast into side.
138 Cast into side.
And a bold S cast into side.
 
Chevy put out some interchange books years ago, they might have them today also, that will give you the part numbers and what they fit. Once you know what they fit then the service manuals will tell you additions information like ratio etc. The second number you posted looks like a chevy part number. All of the Saginaw boxes that I have messed with have an S cast on the box.

Joe
 
I thought I remembered the S in the cast too. As for the Chevy interchange books.... I have several and have found nothing in them to my dismay. But at least the S is going in the right direction. Anything anyone may have would be greatly appreciated. I'm stumped for #s.
 
I honestly don't know. From what I can tell the various parts range in vintage from the mid 50s to the mid 80s. The box could be from anywhere in that time frame.
 
"Mitchell books" are used by junkyards to dtermine part interchangabilty.
Go to Classic industries website and open up the camaro catalog to steering boxes, this will explain, slow, standard and quick ratio box differences for 67 onwards.
All the boxes will interchange but you may have to change the rag jount
 
Pics of steering boxes.

Flaming River: http://www.flaming-river.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=results/category_id=63/home_id=80/mode=cat/cat63.htm

Mullins - Borgeson: http://www.borgeson.com/products.htm


Mullins has a lot of individual pics of boxes that should help you.

If you're looking for a Vega box like the hot rod guys run - getting hard to find - there are Saginaw's out there that are a viable alternative.
Be real careful the pitman arm turns in the correct direction to steer a roadster or coupe.
There's one out there that turns backwards as to what's required.
Probably has to do with front or back steer cars.
(Front or rear steer has to do with which side of front axle centerline the steering arms are on.)
 
The borgenson page was interesting. It looks very close to a Saginaw 800.

Thanks Guys. I'm gonna see if that matchs anything else up to it.
 








 
Back
Top