Is Steer & Gear still in business?

Hello all,

I've been ordering parts from Steer & Gear this year, with excellent results, so far. I was going to get another steering box but I can't seem to get through. Their phone isn't picking up and their website is down.

Does anyone have any news on Steer & Gear?

Thanks.

I haven't heard of any issues.

The website opens for me.

https://www.steerandgear.com/

Oh good, the site is back up! I hope everything is ok over there. Carmen does great work.

Thanks.

There was always some marketplace division between Steer and Gear and Firm Feel for steering rebuilds. Has the knowledge and quality levels balanced out to the point where both are okay? I recall many saying to avoid steer and gear say 10+ years ago. Thoughts?

My experience with Steer & Gear was excellent.. Just the opposite with Firm Feel..
Regarding Firm Feel I bought a steering box, paid expensive next day shipping and installed it. It leaked badly, called Firm Feel and got the sunshine treatment, was told to send it back at my expense they would check it and send me a replacement if they found it to be bad, Next I contacted Steer & Gear and got a box shipped overnite installed it all was well. The customer service of Firm Feel was terrible, if I had been local to Firm Feel they would have gotten the box back tossed through their front window... I later rebuilt the Firm Feel box and sold it @ the Spring Fling.

Just my $0.02...

Everyone has read about your story with Firm Feel, man. You complain about it like a jilted lover.

First time I've heard it.

18 years and less that 3700 posts. Of course you haven't read of it.
He complains about Firm Feel every time someone posts a question comparing them to Steer and Gear. It is like summoning a demon or something....the guy just appears.

Bobby..
My experience with Firm Feel does goes back a few years....
But since this charade by Firm Feel cost me $725, I believe it is important to make it known.
Our community of Mopar followers should be made aware of the more prominent and loyal supporters of our classics, who are trust-worthy and stand behind their products.
Many of our Mopar suppliers are smaller businesses and being one myself, I never would have treated a customer as I was by Firm Feel.
If my disclosure prevents another Mopar guy for having to go through the same BS I did, then it has been worth it...
Thanx for listening..

Just my $0.02...

I have had good experiences with Firm Feel but I'm a realist. With every business or product, there will be a failure somewhere.
Customer service is one area where the story is often told by ONE side so some details get left out.
A pissed off customer that calls a business and starts off with yelling, accusations and curse words will surely get on the bad side of the vendor and probably get poor service with their problem.
That may not be the case here.
An employee that answers the phone may have just lost a loved one, had a break up or is dealing with some problem of their own when a pissed off customer calls to complain.

One good way to gauge their worth is to see the ratio of satisfied customers versus angry ones.
So far, I don't recall many people bashing either company but I do recall lots of positive reports for both. Many times, it comes down to geography....if you're closer to one or the other, it will cut down on shipping costs.

I would go on rockauto and buy a new Lares. Firm Feel is cool however they have long lead times and prices have incresead well beyond a new unit.

The last box I had done was $650, took 4 months and spit the input shaft seal after about 100 miles.

I have been a FF customer for 20+ years however in 2022 there are better options for most of the parts they sell.

"New" steering box?
I Haven't heard of any new Mopar power steering box other than the Borgeson. Lares is known for rebuilding original cores but not to any upgraded state. If it was leaky and sloppy before, it will be dry but sloppy after the rebuild.

So you have no experience with Lares but you feel qualified to bash them.

Well, I do have a 20:1 manual box in my '66 Charger. Got it from Firm Feel 20+ years ago. Nice to see Mopar guys pulling together for the common good. Carry on.....

I commend and compliment Steer & Gear for attending the Mopar meets with displays and a staffing... Mopar Nats, Carlisle, etc.... being geographically close to their business location. I've had talks with them at those shows... good people, family owned. They did tell me that FF came to them many years ago... asking for help and guidance in how-to-rebuild steering boxes... which they kindly gave to them. Steer & Gear has been in business a long time before FF entered the market... and FF can thank SG for their initial support.

Ive bought some items from FF... 1.25" hollow front sway bar had a problem being too large at the press-flattened end-link ends... hitting the LCA... when I informed them about it, simply to let them know that they should reduce the ends in flattened size due to hitting the LCAs, they said they've never heard of it before.... and I sent them pictures of what I had to do to grind that area (both ends) for LCA clearance. I'd mentioned this matter to another Mopar friend who bought sway bars from FF... he had the same problem... having to grind the ends for clearance of the LCA.... not a big deal, but for the $$$ I'd spent, as well as the surprise and time required to make it fit properly... I really expected the front bar to be made better, and so did my friend. I don't know if FF ever made a change to that front sway bar.

I would support either company for my needs. (Also, about 10 years ago, MA magazine made a round-about comment recommending FF over SG... which, coincidently, FF was running advertisements in MA magazine. Perhaps $$$ talks.)

Might be time to get out of the cave


new POWER steering gearbox

Read this, Lipshitz....EVERYONE that complains about a Lares rebuild says pretty much the same thing: Their original one was sloppy and leaky while the Lares rebuild is just sloppy. They do not upgrade their rebuilt units. They are cleaned and REgasketed. EVERYONE knows this except for the idiots.
There has been no advertising campaign to push any new Lares steering box like there has been for the Borgeson. I doubt you'll find 10% of the classic Mopar crowd that knows about any new Lares steering box.
If it does not have the slop or the overboosted feel of an original, it would be a great option.

Yes, there is a "new" Lares steering gear.
Cardone has one too.
They look alike but they don't look like the factory original or like a Borgeson.
Where are they made?
Will they fit?

Your guess is bettor than mine!

My experience with S&G and FF have been positive with both. Recently I bought a box from S&G and it's the best power steering I've experienced in an older Mopar. Carmen was good enough to include the T/A stops because I run the longer pitman and idler, as well.

I'm now looking at upgraded torsion bars for another car I have and FF is at the top of my list.

Wow,brand new steering boxes from Lares and Cardone,very interesting,if anyone has actual feedback about using these would love to hear....