[TA-71]

What is the ratio for the Can Am steering box? Would a swap to a faster box be worth the effort and money?

[bastard]

I'm not sure of the exact particulars, but I remember hearing that an F body steering box will fit but the stops are different and the tires will rub. A Monte Carlo SS box is a better fit with a more favorable ratio.
As far as being worth it, that is a subjective matter. In my opinion, if you are going to drive the car more than a quarter mile at a time, it would be a worthwhile endeavor to swap steering boxes.

[TA-71]

I am considering a semi G-machine approach so it sounds like a faster ratio box is the direction I need to pursue. Has anyone used one of the aftermarket billet steering boxes?

[billygoatii]

WW3 used the Monte SS box in his CanAm. I was blessed with the chance to drive it. The Monte SS box is much more responsive than the stock CanAm box.

[camerjeff]

If you actually drive your classic car for enjoyment, not just to and from shows, or on and off a trailer, then I would strongly sugest a steering box change. It was the most rewarding change I made to my 66 Lemans, that and the 1 1/4" T/A front sway bar, a new set of radial tires, and a front end aliegnment with as much positive caster as can be put in (usually less than 1 deg.)
The car then handed very much like a late 70's T/A. And as for the difference in the T/A steering box and the original. It was actually in how far the wheels would turn at full lock, I never experianced any differance in tire rub. The turning circle will increase about 20% and you may have to back up and work the car into a tight spot it used to be able to pull directlly in to, but that is about it. I actually stumbled on a WS6 box for this car, but I think the Standard T/A box could possibly be a better choice, not quite as fast ratio, but also does not increase the turning circle as much.
A funny story on this swap is that I never noticed how badly alighned the tie rods were on this car when I bought it. The rt side was adjusted several turns in more than the left, when I changed the box the car would barely turn to th rt, and the left turns seemed almost unchanged. I evened up the tie rod adjustment & the car then turned an equal amount in both directions. With the original box installed, I never noticed the issue!!!!!
The Monte SS Box in my 73 Lemans does have a slightly better feel to it, but it also requires the use of the Metric rag joint coupler that comes with the box, this can also be an issue on 79 & later F-body boxes as they switched to the metric input shaft on the steering box sometime after 78.

[jerry455]

when i had my can-am i had a monte ss box on it. i really liked it. the t/a sway bar was also nice on there. i put b car spindles and 1le rotors on the front and boxed the rear lower control arms and a 1" rear bar , i believe it was from a 73 gto as i found it in a junk yard. back then monroe used to make a formula gp shock and they were stiffer, it made the can-am handle like a trans-am even though my can-am weighed 4400lbs.

[WW3]

'77 is the point change for the rag joint. If you have a 77 column now than it's a bolt in change. The SS box has O-ring fittings for the pressure and return lines and what I ended up doing(which was much faster) was just to buy a remanned pump for a 1980 T/A application. making everything go to together with no trouble. Short of the 4 speed this was bar far the best seat of the pants upgrade you can make to a 73-77 A body.