Has Anyone ever used one of there quick ratio boxes? Thinking of going from power to manual to get rid of the pump, extra belt, and big bulky power gear box, starting to act up and loose anyway. Pros? Cons? Thanks for the input!

link to product http://www.flamingriver.com/index.php/products/c0011/s0008/FR1540

I had one and they're super nice for a manual but heavy. I only gained 13lbs going from a fr manual to a Borgeson power setup. The Borgeson is excellent and its staying.

I Had one fitted to my car needed arm's like popeye to turn the steering wheel.

Billy.

My friend has one on his 64 Polara. He took a power unit off for this unit. He dose not like it at all. He says it's way too stiff at low speed and he knows what manual steering feels like because his 63 Plymouth has a factory manual box and likes it just fine.

I have one in my 68 road runner and it sucks to turn at slow speeds.
It take so much effort that I feel like I am going to break something. A lot of people talk up manual steering so I thought it was just me.
Must be a difference with the manufacturer.

I do have three contributing factors that make it worse: Hemi engine, smaller steering wheel, and wider front tires.

Thanks for the input guys, maybe Ill stick with a factory style then

I have one in my 68 fastback, iron headed small block, 17x8 wheels, 245/45 tire. it is a touch firm, but nothing crazy. im very happy with it. i like it better than a factory manual box.

Its all what you get used to. My 3650lb 72 Charger had a stock 24:1 manual box i robbed from an E-body. It had 295/50 tires up front and with the all-iron 440 was pretty front heavy. It also had a 13" steering wheel. I had two tech friends that both worked out, were bigger/stronger than i was, and neither could even move that car. I'd get in and tool that thing around almost as easy as a PS car. I'd imagine a 16:1 would be quite a bit harder, but still well within a reasonable effort.

I plan to use a 16:1 manual box (would REALLYprefer it wasn't made ov IRON...) and the fast-ratio pitman for 14.7(?):1

When i installed the 24:1 stock box i wanted to upgrade the chuck to 20:1, but my suspension guy said to try it first... i might like it. Well... i didn't like it. Its downright dangerous in some scenarios...

Hell, i drove a 71 Fury III around for years with 275/60 tires up front, another small wheel and the PS box with pump removed and bypassed. You wanna talk steering effort? How about when the pump went on my 6000lb 68 Caddy hearse and it took a week to fix. Okay... THAT one was a bit ridiculous... but i still got to work and back no problem. You can get used to anything. If you cant, just dont parallel park?

Depending on your exhaust, you might have to add some additional clearance dents in your headers since the FR box is larger in some dimensions

Just curious... IS there another option for a 16:1 (or better) MANUAL box than the heavy FR box? Dont say the MP 16:1 chuck kit either... those are as plentiful as Hemi conversion heads... Last i checked, the FR box was the only option out there.

IMHO, the flaming river unit isnt THAT much heavier than a stock manual box..

Has anyone regretted the manual after a switch and wanted power steer back??

I put the 20:1 on my '67 cuda vert (I think it has 195 or 205s on the front) - driving it is fine, and has about the "right" amount of feel, but on low speed parking and stuff it is a chore - very glad I did not go with a 16:1...

I don't know if they still make them; it looked like they have slowly dried up - but I don't know if I would want a 16:1.

BTW it has a factory steering wheel (somewhat large by today's standards).

Just something else to look into. This also allows you to get a new gear and balls.

Here's my I drove my Barracuda around with a disconnected p/s pump for a long time, couldn't find a good core pump. Other than dead stop hard turns, I had no problem driving it. This is with 255/50-17s on 17 X 8" wheels and a 13-1/2" steering wheel. I'm not that big of a guy, so I'm putting a 20:1 M/S box in. The car will get a larger steering wheel, just because the old wheel looks pretty bad, and I'm doing too much work to leave the old one in.

what a bunch of wimps, im 5 10 175 lbs and I have a 70 440 challenger with the flaming river box. heck, it still steers easier at low speeds that my stock 6 clylinder 1966 mustang with manual steering.

I'm not gonna lie. For road racing type fun, power is nice. But for me its just not worth the extra 20lbs, the extra complexity (more things to break/go wrong), the clutter in the engine compartment, nor the HP drain on the engine. E-bodies are so ridiculously front-heavy as it is... 15-20lbs for one item is a goldmine for weight-reduction. I've had two boxes go bad, and i just like a super simple and clean engine bay.