Quicker steering box to W114 powered by M104 3,2

[hismajestics]

I was on the race track yesterday with my Coupe to make a base test of what's working and what needs to be improved. Car is really fast with rebuilt suspension and brakes but the steering could be quicker.

Is there a quicker steering box from some other model to be fitted in W114? Thinking of Sportline (W201, W124) models which have a quicker steering. Any professional views on this? Thanks.

Br
johannes

 

[C36fan]

You might need to find a c36 for spares the. Steering box is slightly quicker .
Other solution is applying a des multiplication box in your steering column

 

[John Jones Jr]

Finding a W201 or W124 Sportline box for sale I wouldn't imagine will be easy but you may get lucky, I spent a year looking for one for my old W201 2.6 and gave up.

Anyway, first & foremost you'll need to know if it's reasonable easy/practical to fit one to your W114.

A Sportline box is only marginally quicker than the standard box, from memory maybe around 10-15%, so possibly not worth the effort in the first place. What I'd be inclined to do is to get quotes to have new gearing fitted to your box. A good machine shop or gearbox specialist should be able to do this.

 

[stwat]

Will may still have one from a 190E 16 valve.
LINK

 

[Druk]

You might find fitting a later box will have a negative effect to that which you seek. This is because the Pitman arms on later cars are much shorter giving less of a 'throw' for the same input rotation. This is compensated for on later cars by having shorter steering arms on the hubs (and possibly on the idler).

So...if you have a shortened radius pitman arm with your original hub steering arms it will make your problem worse. If the car's just for the track you might be able to fabricate shorter hub steering arms which, for the same trackrod movement input will give quicker steering. Or...a longer pitman arm (more difficult I would have thought).

 

[kth286]

a 124 sportline box is a direct replacement and will be an improvement.

you must get the pitman arm with the box as it is considered an integral part of the steering box, and does not have a separate part number.

 

[hismajestics]

Many thanks for all replies. However, I'm a bit confused...

@Druk, you're saying that Sportline boxes have shorter Pitman arms and will make the steering even worse...

@kth286, you're saying that a Sportline box would be an improvement (bolt on??)...

Have I misunderstood something here?


@JJJ, any ideas where I could find some information of different steering box gearing ratios?


/johannes

 

[C36fan]

Just fit a des multiplication box in your steering column easy and trouble free .
That box will make your steering direct if you want .

 

[hismajestics]

Just fit a des multiplication box

I don't know what this is. Is it something for drifting, or...?

 

[Druk]

a 124 sportline box is a direct replacement and will be an improvement.

you must get the pitman arm with the box as it is considered an integral part of the steering box, and does not have a separate part number.

Are you saying a 124 box will directly fit to a 114? That would be a revelation to the legions of 107 owners who are suffering from lack of spare boxes if a 124 box would fit.

 

[Druk]

Many thanks for all replies. However, I'm a bit confused...

@Druk, you're saying that Sportline boxes have shorter Pitman arms and will make the steering even worse...



/johannes

I have no idea about Sportline boxes. What I'm saying is a shorter Pitman arm (aka: lever) moving through the same arc will have a lesser resultant at the end of whatever it's moving. Imagine. if you will, doubling the length of your existing Pitman arm. For the same output of rotation of the drop shaft the end of said arm will move will move through a greater arc of distance than the shorter arm and thereby quicken the steering.



.

 

[John Jones Jr]

@JJJ, any ideas where I could find some information of different steering box gearing ratios?


/johannes

Johannes, I do have the spec's for 1980's M-B steering boxes some where (but obviously that won't cover W114's). I'll see if I can find them and if I do I'll post up on this thread. But even if I get you that info, I don't think it will be of any great help unless you find out the ratios of W114 boxes and can match up a W201 or W124 to fit in place of your current st.box. I'm doubtful it's an easy or practical swap, thus why I mentioned this in my first post.

The reason I mentioned getting your current St.box modified is threefold.

1. You'll get exactly the ratio your require or close on as you'll be basing the higher ratio on the current ratio of the box you have now.
2. You'll also have a fully rebuilt St.box, no bad thing considering the age of your present box.
3. It will save you messing about with used St.boxes and from a different chassis too.

The only limiting factor of course is cost.


P.s. Maybe try someone like High Performance Steering, Transmissions and Auxiliary Components - Jack Knight, maybe cheaper than you think?

 

[C36fan]

I don't know what this is. Is it something for drifting, or...?

its basically a box you put between the steering column and as a gear ratio so per ex if you turn the steering a quarter of a turn it will turn a full turn in the box depending on the gear ratio you using.

 

[John Jones Jr]

its basically a box you put between the steering column and as a gear ratio so per ex if you turn the steering a quarter of a turn it will turn a full turn in the box depending on the gear ratio you using.

C36fan, who supplies those multipilers? I'm wondering too are they a universal fit?

 

[carat 3.6]

What about converting the car to rack and pinion? Might be cheaper than getting a steering box messed with.

 

[C36fan]

C36fan, who supplies those multipilers? I'm wondering too are they a universal fit?

yes it's a universal fit there's a bit of fabrication to be made but nothing major it's used mainly in old rally cars with steering box . I don't know of the top of my head who supplies them but I'll ask my friend tomorrow he used one on his toyota ke20 and I'll let you know.

 

[C36fan]

There's a link http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=400665783741

 

[John Jones Jr]

There's a link http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=400665783741

Cheers C36. I suspect 2:1 might be too high a ratio & inducing nervous steering? Interesting all the same.

 

[C36fan]

Cheers C36. I suspect 2:1 might be too high a ratio & inducing nervous steering? Interesting all the same.

you can get different ratios depending on your needs .

 

[hismajestics]

I have no idea about Sportline boxes. What I'm saying is a shorter Pitman arm (aka: lever) moving through the same arc will have a lesser resultant at the end of whatever it's moving. Imagine. if you will, doubling the length of your existing Pitman arm. For the same output of rotation of the drop shaft the end of said arm will move will move through a greater arc of distance than the shorter arm and thereby quicken the steering.
.

Yes, I understood your logics. Was only a bit confused with slight differences in opinions.