pst vs firmfeel fast ratio pitman arms...manual vs power steering dilemma...

[Mpdlawdog]

Ok so I would like my car to handle the best it can (for being 40 some years old)....I saw the pst and firmfeel have the "same" fast ratio pitman arms...pst is almost $100 cheaper by the time you buy the idler arm...I bought PST stuff for my car and was happy with the quality.....so Ill probably go that route...my question is....anyone running both the fast ratio kit with a stage 2/3 rebuilt box??  I was also considering doing away with the power steering...anybody running manual steering with fast ratio arms???..I searched and didnt find much on the pst arms on the site...any commits or suggestions??  Thanks

[crash340]

I have a stage 2 FF ps box and fast ratio arms, recommend stage 3. I also have offset UCA bushes to max out caster angle, this also adds weight to the feel. I love the way my 73 ,Cuda drives, out on the interstate, the faster I go the better it feels, in the parking lot its fantastic

[1 Wild R/T]

Fast ratio pitman was never offered with manual steering & the pitman shaft is different between manual & power steering...  Might want to ask Firm Feel if they offer a fast ratio pitman arm for manual steering..

[Mpdlawdog]

http://www.p-s-t.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7660/.f?sc=12

Says will work with both..I'll give them a call monday

I have a stage 2 FF ps box and fast ratio arms, recommend stage 3. I also have offset UCA bushes to max out caster angle, this also adds weight to the feel. I love the way my 73 ,Cuda drives, out on the interstate, the faster I go the better it feels, in the parking lot its fantastic

Do you have headers?  It says on firm feel they will fit my hooker...but pst says nope

[crash340]

I have TTI headers, plenty of room with them, can't comment on Hookers as I've no experience with them,

[CUDA JAS]

http://www.p-s-t.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7660/.f?sc=12

Says will work with both..I'll give them a call monday
Do you have headers?  It says on firm feel they will fit my hooker...but pst says nope

Depends on the power box...the fast ratio that PST sells fit the early style PS box and manual box (the output shaft is the same for both) If you have newer PS box, the fast ratio arms will not fit.

I ran the fast ratio on my manual box, and converted to PS (early style) and it worked fine.  Very nice beefy parts, very happy with them.

The only issue I have with them is that there is no master spline on the pitman arm.  No issues on the manual box, car aligned just fine, wheel was straight.  On the power box, not other changes, and the wheel was a bit less than a half turn of center.

I found that the fast ratio was bit twitchy and switched back to the stock ratio arms. 

(I still have the fast ratio arms and the manual box...hint hint).

Jason

[1 Wild R/T]

Says will work with both..I'll give them a call monday

Interesting, I have a buddy that has owned his T/A since 78, back in the late 70's early 80's when he was restoring the car he bought a fast ratio pitman arm from Chrysler, but discovered since his T/A has manual steering the fast ratio arm wouldn't fit....

Which goes against what Cuda JAS just posted,  I don't recall the details but I know he still has the OE fast ratio arm in his collection of NOS parts... Along with tail lights, real 15 x 7 trim rings & all sorts of other rare stuff... I could never collect NOS parts, I have this problem where I bolt them on my car & drive the car..

He hasn't put 50 miles on his T/A since 85..

[Pimtao]

Interesting, I have a buddy that has owned his T/A since 78, back in the late 70's early 80's when he was restoring the car he bought a fast ratio pitman arm from Chrysler, but discovered since his T/A has manual steering the fast ratio arm wouldn't fit....

Which goes against what Cuda JAS just posted,  I don't recall the details but I know he still has the OE fast ratio arm in his collection of NOS parts... Along with tail lights, real 15 x 7 trim rings & all sorts of other rare stuff... I could never collect NOS parts, I have this problem where I bolt them on my car & drive the car..

He hasn't put 50 miles on his T/A since 85..

I think the fast ratio arm was only available on power steering in the TAs and AARs if you had a manual steering you would have the regular pitman arm.

[1 Wild R/T]

I think the fast ratio arm was only available on power steering in the TAs and AARs if you had a manual steering you would have the regular pitman arm.

True, and kinda my point, not only wasn't it available with manual steering, it didn't fit the box.... Yet Firm Feel shows it fits... But if you check normal parts sources they show a different pitman arm for manual vs power steering...

[GreenFish]

Pretty sure the borgeson box has a 14:1 ratio built in to the box. FYI

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I run a level 3 box, don't feel the need for the fast ratio arm.....     

[CUDA JAS]

True, and kinda my point, not only wasn't it available with manual steering, it didn't fit the box.... Yet Firm Feel shows it fits... But if you check normal parts sources they show a different pitman arm for manual vs power steering...

I have both a 70 power box and a 74 manual box under my bench and the fast ratio arm I have fits both boxes just fine.  Not sure if there is a difference in the T/A boxes??

As far as I know there is only one size output shaft for manual boxes.

Jason

[HP2]

I found that the fast ratio was bit twitchy and switched back to the stock ratio arms. 

(I still have the fast ratio arms and the manual box...hint hint).

Jason

This is an aspect of fast ratio steering that not many think about and the higher the speeds you drive, the more twitchy it becomes. High speed racing, like superspeedways, actually use some more like a "slow" ratio to avoid this problem.

Speeding up the steering ratio is not really a handling upgrade unless you do a lot of lower speed directional changes and then it doesn't necessarily do it better than a standard ratio so much as minimizes the motion to do it.

[1 Wild R/T]

I have both a 70 power box and a 74 manual box under my bench and the fast ratio arm I have fits both boxes just fine.  Not sure if there is a difference in the T/A boxes??

As far as I know there is only one size output shaft for manual boxes.

Jason

No idea.. I didn't personally try fitting the pitman arm, just what was told to me by my friend who had bought a part & tried to install it...

And a bunch of parts catalogs that list a different # for P/S vs M/S...

I haven't owned a manual steering E body since my 71 Hemi Challenger back in 79-80...

[Mpdlawdog]

I guess my question is as far as road feel and switching it over to non power steering...I had a 68 charger that was power steering and was not a fan..it felt way to "light."  I grew up driving a 72 MGB (no power steering and yea I know what your thinking) and loved the way it felt as far as road feel...I dont want to switch mine over and hate it...anybody went from power to manual??  I will do some auto crossing and maybe some track days/back road racing...level 3 box with fast arms??

PST said they will fit both non power and power boxes fyi

I read this in an article about the Emax challenger...anybody done this?  It has powersteering at least in a few pics I have seen.....

"Here's a little trick about his retro pony car that Hotchkis doesn't mention publicly. He uses a Coleman Racing Products 1.5:1 steering gear that's located directly on the shaft to the steering wheel. When combined with the heim-jointed steering linkage, this item both quickens the response of the steering and transforms the precision of its action."