I had a box blow apart a few years back so I got my "good" spare out of storage and found exactly what your photos show . I got one from a friend ... Same thing . So he found me a 2nd one and it was good.

I think they fail there because the wholes are just too close together.

You can get new ones from Afra s.a.s. - Alfa Romeo Vintage spare parts

To get the cracks welded up the oil that is in there would have to be removed somehow . Maybe it could be washed out ? Aluminum has to be super clean before it can be welded . I think you would have to cut through the crack and then weld the fresh aluminium together .

The box would need to be heated before the welding started or it would warp for sure.

 

The problem is that the box is a machined casting. With stress, it may develop new cracks at the edges of any weld. I wonder if it would be possible to drill out the holes to an oversize that would allow a steel tube of the correct diameter to replace the drilled hole. The casting could be welded, the holes sleeved, the sleeves epoxy glued in the oversize holes, hopefully transferring the load that cracked the casting away from the weak area.
Just a thought.

 

David,

Did I understand correctly, you found three boxes with the same failures? It makes me wonder how many boxes have these fractures around the end plate bolt holes?

Michael

 

The Burman boxes have a wonderful "feel" to them, but you have just uncovered one of the great dark secrets of Alfa history...these boxes all crack and are potentially deadly. I did some research on the Burmans and uncovered many horror stories about them failing. Luckily, none of our drivers have lost a life or limb to a failure, but there were a few very close calls. It is just a matter of time until a serious accident occurs. See the attached pic for one that completely failed.

These boxes were used on cars with skinny tires and soft suspensions. Modern, wide tires and upgraded suspensions - together with age-related weakness - cause 90 % of these to develop the hairline cracks you pointed out. My '67 Giulia Super had them too. It is clearly an under-designed part, which could have incorporated much larger bosses at the ends.

There is a fix. Jim Steck of Autocomponenti has reinforced Burman boxes for race cars. Since I consider my life worthy of race-car level safety, I hired Jim to reinforce my box per the attached photo. It was not cheap, but the potential failure had no price tag in human life or limb. Jim could have welded up my old box, but preferred to work with a fresh casting and did so. He also rebuilt the inner components, as there are items that often wear out. I feel very secure that my box can no longer experience a catastrophic failure.

 

Hi, do you have any more pictures of the reinforced box from other angles?

Thanks

Ken

 

Wow! That's nice work!

Robert

 

My original box looked like the red one in the photo .
So it was number 1 then my spare had cracks 2 and the first use one
I bought had cracks also 3.

I don't think it's has much to do with tires but more with cranking the wheel when the car is not moving . Also could be loose bolts. If the bolts get even a little loose it's all over .

The symptom of a box coming apart is looseness in the steering in only one direction .That is the end of the box moving . If you have this happen with an Alfa pull over carefully and call for a tow.

I was out on a club drive the day the box broke . I noticed slack on way ???
Thought that was strange but I had never heard of a box failing so I drove back to the garage . It was pouring rain and when I got to the garage a *&$^%#$#% had parked half in front of the garage door.

I was trying to get around evil mini-van when the box blew apart .

The guy came back just as I got the car into the garage with two floor jacks.

He saw me more angry than I have ever been X10000000000

But after I relized he may have saved me from a crash.

Montreals had a problem braking boxes back in the day. The fix was just like what Jim does . Very nice part how much ?

Someone had made a run of steel boxes but they are long gone .
Also a guy in France was making them out of aircraft quality Aluminum .
More BB info here Victor-parts-burman-casing-replica.html

Lots of good info at The Alfa Romeo Montreal Website
Under Steering .

 

I wonder if a cheaper and/or better option might be swap over to a ZF steering box? (Assuming of course that a ZF box does not suffer from the same design flaws).

 

That is what I did, and I've never heard of ZF box developing cracks.

 

I dont know if Jim is still in business. He built my box over two years ago.

I agree that turning the wheel while the car is stationary is very tough on the box...but this is a normal part of driving, and Burman's design is flawed if parking can damage the steering box! Fatter, stickier modern tires DO contribute to box failuire, both when the car is stationary and also during hard cornering. Jim Steck believes so, and his word is good enough for me.

ZF boxes are an option, but I was unable to find one with a proper column that fit my Giulia Super. Apparently a few of them were fitted to 105s, but they are fairly rare. One can take a mid-1970s Spider ZF box and have a competent machine shop modify the column to fit a 105. By the time you are done, you could probably buy a new Burman casting for less. And that new casting will likely crack in short order too...regardless of whatever aluminum it is made out of.

This box has a serious design flaw, pure and simple. They are not robust enough.

Safety first...

 

Bob:

What car did you put the ZF into, and what was the donor car? Did you need to make any modifications to the box or shaft to fit?

BTW, I live in CA since '88 but originally from Bristol. I get home a few times per year and always find myself in the Litchfield Hills...Height and Sunset Meadows are draws, as is White Memorial. Would love to drop by and say hello sometime.

-Dennis

 

Dennis,

The car it went into was a '69 1750 Spider, and I think the car it came from was a Duetto. The replacement was done by the Alfa Import Center on Long Island (where we used to live), and I believe it was a direct bolt on.

The next time you are in CT, let me know. My phone number is 860-567-5905.

 

Bob:

I know that Spider ZFs are relatively plentiful. The Giulia Super has a different length steering column, complicating things greatly...or I would have used the ZF myself. I've since learned that here in the USA, the Super is an even more "exotic" car than 101s are (I have a '62 Abnormale Spider). Finding model-specific parts is very difficult, as few of them were sold. The steering box issue is just one of many I've encountered.

Next time I'm in CT I'll give you a call. I look forward to meeting you.

-Dennis

 

Here is another angle from Jim's web site .

And one of a similar repair.

 

Here is another angle from Jim's web site .

View attachment 199617

And one of a similar repair.

View attachment 199616

Thanks Dave. So something the home handy man can do by the looks of it. Or have his favorite machinist and welder collaborate on.

Welded one likely needs to have a slightly thicker cover made so it can be milled or turned flat on sealing side after welding. Second example just uses a thicker cover that can accept threads to attach the end reinforcements.

My experience with a broken one was on a 71 GTV and was finalized by tight maneuvering on the Pelee Island Fairy. In hind sight I may have had warning signs, indicated by an oily box high up rather than only at bottom as if from the bottom seal.

I have found other boxes in cracked condition. All that I have found cracked to date have been the long shaft type as opposed to the short splined type you show in first pic.

Ciao

Ken

 

No, sorry I dont have any more pics.

 

There has been terrific input on this topic...thanks!

While several options have been presented for replacement or reinforcement of the Burman box, I think I might try the ZF route.

Fortunately, I have a ZF box that came from a '66 Super. It appears that the steering column length is the same as the Burman box that I am replacing. Also the taper of the shaft at the steering wheel is the same. The mounting points on the ZF box also mirror that of the Burman.

Before using the box I would like to rebuild it. I have diagrams of the parts from CarDisc. Are there any other sources for ZF rebuild info...could not find any with the BB search function.

Thanks,

Mike

 

......Are there any other sources for ZF rebuild info...could not find any with the BB search function.

Thanks,

Mike

Kenneth Ball's book "ALFA ROMEO GIULIA 1600,1750 1962-72 AUTOBOOK" (pub by Autopress LTD) has a chapter on Steering Gear rebuild and covers both the ZF and Burman boxes. The write up (approx 10 paragraphs) although not extensive, does describe the key tolerances and checks required during re-assembly.....photos are non-existent (of course) but a small exploded diagram is provided.

 

Hi,
Ken, yes, my splined version bust apart in Aachen in about 2001 or 2002, similar experience to 69Alfa, trying to get out of a parking spot where some nitwit parked in front of me - where it was a no parking zone. So much for strategic parking on my part.
A replacement case also had cracks and I had to arrange for another rebuilt box from a guy in California.
I've had it on my to-do list for several years now to do as Jim Steck has done. Maybe this year...
/Neil

 

I don't have any info. on late model spider ZF boxes but would be interested to know if they indeed fit early 105 cars.

Why do drivers prefer Burman boxes? Is it just subjective or are the mechanicals superior to the ZF?

I'm willing to sacrifice some steering "feel" for a box that won't crack down the line.

Thanks,

Mike

 

Why do drivers prefer Burman boxes? Is it just subjective or are the mechanicals superior to the ZF?

The construction of the Burmans is certainly different from the early ZF's yes. By "early ZF's" I mean those used in 101 and early 105 cars - basicly, Alfas from the 1960's. The Burmans used recirculating ball bearings between the worm and sector gears - these bearings really reduce friction, so you get more road feel telegraphed back through the box, column, wheel, and into your hands.

For more information and photos of the guts inside a recirculating ball Burman, see the thread at: http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/suspension-brakes-wheels-tires/152689-burman-box-rebuild.html

Here's a photo from that thread showing the recirculating balls:

 

I have been driving my Spider with a ZF box for more than 10 years. I have also owned two GTV's with Burmans and a 1750 Spider parts car that had a broken Burman and an 82 Spider with a ZF. I think that the ZF's develop play in the straight ahead position as they age and wear and they may be a bit stiffer. But tires and alignment affect steering effort more than the difference in steering box type. My Spider is a 1979 and has done 156,000 miles on the original ZF. Unlike one of the Burmans it does not leak and I am happy with it.

 

A couple of the earlier posts mentioned different styles of Burman boxes; a long shaft type and a short/splined type. I didn't know there were different types, so what are the differences and how do you tell them apart?

Best regards,

 

A couple of the earlier posts mentioned different styles of Burman boxes; a long shaft type and a short/splined type. I didn't know there were different types, so what are the differences and how do you tell them apart?

Look at the two photos posted in this thread by 69Alfa at 01-21-2011, 04:25 PM. The short/splined type connect to the steering column with a small U joint.

 

so what are the differences and how do you tell them apart?

The short/splined type can be disconnected from the steering shaft ... in the other type the shaft is one long part from the steering wheel through the steering gear-box.

 

Got it, thanks Alfajay and GTD. I was thinking that it was the main shaft in the box itself.

Best regards,

 

cracked box solutions

all true. There are two areas the boxes can crack. Firstly, as illustrated above, where the stress of steering inputs from the wheel into the box can cause cracks at the top of the body. The second area, and this can be seen with any box, including the ZF, is where the box attaches to the inner fender of the vehicle. Cracks here occur for the same reasons described elsewhere: the strength of the fender was engineered for 155 width tires, not 205 tires. The solution for the weak fender problem is simple: reinforce it. A simple solution for montreals can be found at 105 Revive. For the weak box, you can either find a new one, find a great mechanic/engineer like Jim Steck, or pony up the money for a completely re-engineered unit CNC machined in aircraft aluminum from alfaholics. Alfaholics Billet Aluminium Steering Box Casing - LHD Burman Type - Classic Alfa Romeo spare parts you can get one for about $1000, which seems expensive, but is probably cheaper than you could buy one for a new toyota.

 

all true. There are two areas the boxes can crack. Firstly, as illustrated above, where the stress of steering inputs from the wheel into the box can cause cracks at the top of the body. The second area, and this can be seen with any box, including the ZF, is where the box attaches to the inner fender of the vehicle. Cracks here occur for the same reasons described elsewhere: the strength of the fender was engineered for 155 width tires, not 205 tires. The solution for the weak fender problem is simple: reinforce it. A simple solution for montreals can be found at 105 Revive. For the weak box, you can either find a new one, find a great mechanic/engineer like Jim Steck, or pony up the money for a completely re-engineered unit CNC machined in aircraft aluminum from alfaholics. Alfaholics Billet Aluminium Steering Box Casing - LHD Burman Type - Classic Alfa Romeo spare parts you can get one for about $1000, which seems expensive, but is probably cheaper than you could buy one for a new toyota.

Does anyone know how much Jim Steck charges for reinforcing the Burman box?

Thanks,

Scott

 

I have a cracked box in a 74 Spider, and a worn box in our 73 Berlina.

I have found a few ZF boxes locally from 80s spiders, can anybody confirm if they will fit a 73 Berlina or 74 Spider without significant modifications?

Thanks,
Ian

 

In the UK being RHD we only got Burman boxes & there are 2 lengths - the long ones were fitted up to about 72 & correspond with shallow dish steering wheels, then they went to short column boxes & fitted deep dish steering wheels (so the overall length from wheel rim to box shaft remained roughly the same)

 

Cut through the crack and weld properly at joints. You should do that DIY properly and make sure all the bolts are properly tightened up.

 

Box would need to be warmed before the welding or it would turn out pretty much bad. After welding i hope it turns out pretty much good.

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