1962 Catalina power steering box
 

Curious if we know if the 62 Catalina power steering box is the same as the common saginaw boxes from F and A bodies?

Mine is leaking, and while not a priority I might want to fix that eventually. I do have the original unit from my 67 Firebird in the shop corner. I replaced it with a more performance-oriented box, but I don't believe it leaked. Could be a candidate to swap in with a new rag joint if my hunch is correct and they are the same box.

If they are the same do we know if the Cat box would have internal stops?

It is my understanding that the GM power steering boxes from the 60s to the 90s are the same, except for in the mid/late 70s when the boxes went to metric fittings for the power steering lines from the previous SAE (someone can probably correct me on the year that the metric switch happened).

I swapped a rebuilt steering box from a '70 Chevelle SS/442/GTO/GS into my '64 Grand Prix. It's a faster box (i.e. from like 22:1 to 12.4:1 variable), and I've heard the A-body steering box stops match our full size cars.

Your F-body box has different stops than the full size or A-body cars, which will limit your turning radius. If you're ok with a larger turning radius, your F-body box should work.

67 firebirds actually have stop on the A arms, different from the rest. Assuming my box is originally anyway, which I have no real idea.

I might do the grand cherokee box thing too, the metric part is easy to solve. I put an IROC box in my Firebird, there are swap fitting that make it easy.

I was just concerned they weren't actually the same in the early 60s

I bolted in a jeep grand cherokee box right into the same holes on my 62.

I have the jeep box in my 67 GTO and like it. How do you like it on your 62?

Car is still up on jackstands waiting for me to line up the doors/fenders/hood and install the interior. Will have to get back to you on that!

Good to know. The GC box has the metric o-ring fittings for the hoses doesn't it?

Correct but you can get adapters, like these.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/28463347443...waAjqCEALw_wcB

I know it's probably been discussed before but 2 quick questions. The 62 PS pitman arm is a direct bolt-on to the Grand Cherokee box? What years Grand Cherokees are we talking about. I am considering this change myself. Thanks.

Pitman arm bolts right on, but you may need a different rag joint. I have a 1998 grand cherokee box in my 71 Cutlass, it is a nice upgrade.

Thanks for the information. So would I be correct to say the 1999-2004 Grand Cherokee steering box would NOT fit our old cars? 1999 was the first year for the WJ body Grand Cherokee. Physically, the box looks different from a Saginaw steering gear. Does the 1998 box you have look like a Saginaw gear with a 4-bolt top cover? Asking because we have a huge pull and pay close by with 20+ 1999-2004 Grand Cherokees in it. Not sure about older models.

Found my own answer for anyone else interested. Grand Cherokee steering gears from 1993-1998 are the interchange years. Not sure about the rag joints at this point. The steering gears are dirt cheap. Car-part.com has used, tested gears for $50.00! NAPA has remanufactured gears for $139.00. All remanufactured parts are hit or miss. Probably about a 75% success rate in my experience.

I think the conversion rag joint for early steering shafts to the later boxes end up being from like a 78-82 C10 or something like that. I did the same when I put the IROC box in my Firebird. There is a Hot Rod magazine article floating around out there that has the info.

On car-part.com who had the tested used boxes for $50? To my knowlege, that site just links you up with salvage yards in the area you select.

FWIW the reman gear in my 67 works great, but the input shaft leaks. Super annoying, If I had it to do over I would just grab a wrecking yard box.

Yes, car-part.com is just a huge internet junk yard. But there was one yard that had 6-8 of them for $50.00. The notes said "tested" I have no real idea what that means. If I bought a wrecking yard one, I would just rebuild it before installing it. They are really simple to rebuild. All you need is a service manual, inch pound torque wrench, a 8" piece of wood dowel rod and some basic hand tools. Once cleaned, it's an hour job on the bench.

And the GC box doesn't have a shorter turn radius like the F body boxes, correct? I'm inquiring about putting one on my 66 Catalina. I assume 62 and 66 are the same...