b'TECH TIP PAGE Tech Tip 4:Continued Front Steer Examples: OEM 70-81 F-Body Base w/16-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 6.25 Steering Arm = 12.5% Slower OEM 70-81 F-Body Z28/TA w/14-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 6.25 Steering Arm = Baseline RSRT 70-81 F-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 5.25 Steering Arm = 25.3% QuickerRSRT 70-81 F-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 5.00 Steering Arm = 30.1 % QuickerRSRT 70-81 F-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 4.75 Steering Arm = 34.8% QuickerRSRT 70-81 F-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 4.50 Steering Arm = 39.6% QuickerRSRT 70-81 F-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 4.25 Steering Arm = 44.1% Quicker OEM 75-79 X-Body Base w/16-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 6.25 Steering Arm = 12.5% Slower OEM 75-79 X-Body Upgrade w/14-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 6.25 Steering Arm = BaselineRSRT 75-79 X-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 5.25 Steering Arm = 25.3% QuickerRSRT 75-79 X-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 5.00 Steering Arm = 30.1 % QuickerRSRT 75-79 X-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 4.75 Steering Arm = 34.8% QuickerRSRT 75-79 X-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 4.50 Steering Arm = 39.6% QuickerRSRT 75-79 X-Body w/12.7-1 Box, 6 Pitman & 4.25 Steering Arm = 44.1% Quicker E. Steering feel in the steering boxes of old were directly affected by the ratio, because they did not utilize what we now call torsion bars, which are a technology that came from the newer Delphi steering boxes of the 80s, as well as rack & pinions. Super slow ratio boxes from the 60s & 70s (think big ol Cadillac) could be easily steered with 1 finger. Besides being slow steeringrequiring many hand over hand operations to turn tightthey were horrible for autocross, because the driver could not feel the tires in the track.Even quicker boxes of the 60s & 70s erawith stiffer feelstill had too easy of a feel for the driver to get good tire on track feedback. The car could be tightor even pushingand the driver could not feel it in the steering wheel.Torsion bars in steering allow us to dial in the steering feel (firmer or easier) separate from the ratio. Big ol boat Caddy steering boxes were equal to about a .145 size torsion bar today. Quicker boxes like 14-1 felt like a .175 torsion bar today. When the Delphi boxes came out in the 80s they installed the torsion bar size to GM specs for luxury (smaller) to performance(larger) or somewhere in between. 12.7-1 boxes commonly had a .185 size torsion bar. Better feel, but frankly still too easy for good track feedback.Ron designed the Speedtech Extreme Sweet racks to use a .210 torsion bar. Borgeson designed their 12.7-1 box with a .210 torsion bar also. It is a great size that gives good tire-in-track steering feel without being too hard to steer. 128'