[elite38868]

Hi all,

This is going to be a few questions, I suppose.

Last week, my Burman steering box gave up and cracked rendering the car non-steerable. Not only did the box crack, but the steering wheel came towards me an inch or two.

Now here is the question. It sounds like getting a replacement Burman steering box is going to cost between $150 and $200. That is pretty steep for me especially after the holidays that I'm still recovering from.

I am told that I can replace it with a ZF steering box from a newer spider which would be less expensive. Is this a simple swap or is there modification needed to do this? Is the build quality of the ZF steering boxes stronger?

I am not even sure of how to remove the steering box, so could someone who has done it before point me in the right direction? The car in question is a 1971 Alfa Spider 1750. It looks like a real pain to do, but it needs to be done.

Thank you for your input to help get my spider back on the road =)

 

[Anfanuts]

Haven't done this job so can't help there but a question to you Sean. There is another thread recently on steering box lubrication issues and another older one yet on tire size affecting steering boxes (and suspension) durability. Do you have a clue as to why yours might have failed? Those of us with older Series 1 cars would appreciate a diagnostic here. Were Series 1 cars more susceptible to this? Thanks in advance. Bruce

 

[elite38868]

A few things could have contributed to the failing of my steering box:
Low/dirty steering box fluid: The fluid that was oozing out looked very dirty and nasty.
Me hitting a curb; I was going around a corner and for some reason, one of my rear tires was under-inflated, and the rear end let out and I couldn't compensate, so I hit the curb, but it was at a low speed.
My tires are 195/60/14 Kumhos and grip well.

As far as series one cars being more susceptible, I don't have the answer to that. It could be that it was just old...

 

[greg]

I was reading on alfamonreal.info that somebody redone burman case from cast iron maybe it worth to research more. Montreals had the same burman box and they were cracking more than on other 105 cars. If somebody know the people who did this I will be ordering one. Montreals also had a recall to add brackets for strentening the box I had these installed on my car. Sorry for my english

 

[bianchi2]

a zf box will fit..put one in my freinds 74 spider.. the trick of instaling it and removing,without rremoving the brake master cly, and the booster, is draw it out( but leave a wee bit of room) all the way to the rad. mount, flip it over so the down part is now the up part( the lower steering box) and lift it out..

 

[elite38868]

Thanks, Bianchi, where do I disconnect/unbolt it?

 

[bianchi2]

there are 2 nuts/bolts under the dash..remove steering wheel.unplug all elec. remove the 3 nuts/bolt on the frame behind the front drivers wheel,let it tilt down, there is a steel plate with a rubber boot on the firewall( inside the car) remove the 2 screws here..take off swtich gear( ***. you have removed the steering wheel at this point) put key in ignition ( all switchgear and ignition unpluged) twist the ignition key to start<remember that this is unpulged so car won't start.tap off alum surround. after the alum. surround is off remove the steel plate and the rubber seal behind the pedels, this will slip off. now from the motor bay lift the box and pull it to the rad. support, at this point the nose of the box will be poinnted down. turn it over so that the nose is pointed up. lift and remove..to put it( the new box) in reverse these insturctions....oh yes did you first remove the pitamn are?..............................................

 

[bianchi2]

and now for the rest of the story???did not post all imfo on first try?

 

[bianchi2]

twist ignition key to the start pos. tap of the alum cover/mount.. now remove the steel plate and the rubber seal... go to the motor bay and pull out the steering box all the way / but not to close to the rad. support.. turn the box over, so that the nose of the box( where the pitman arm was)so it is pointed up. and remove.. to instale new steeering dox.. just reverse this..

 

[gadwhite]

Replacement/rebuilt Steering boxes

I saw this thread and thought I would ask. Does anyone know of a source for new, or rebuilt, burman steering boxes? I see a mention of $150 to $200 , where did this quote/estimate come from? All the usual sources don't seem to have them.

 

[elite38868]

The $150 - $200 estimate was for a used box from APE.

 

[andytitterton]

Keep looking on Ebay in the UK. (eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace) since lhd steering boxes do sometimes come up. Unwanted lhd boxes don't usually fetch much compared with rhd, and one was seen for about £30 a month or two ago ($60). Even with carriage costs added, you may find it worthwhile. I was tempted to buy it as a spare for mine, but you can't buy every spare going unless you have deep pockets.

 

[mhunger]

Hi all, I have a slightly more esoteric steering box question I hope I can get some help with. I have a 66 sprint GT with an old ZF box (not the one from the late model spider. I have replaced this with a Burman box, but the column is 5/8ths inch shorter than the original. Is this a problem? Can I use the old wheel? is there any way to shim the wheel back out to the original position? Do burman boxes/columns come in different lengths. My 69 spider has a burman box, but it has a more dished wheel, which puts the rim further from the dash. Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

[yvesmontreal]

I was reading on alfamonreal.info that somebody redone burman case from cast iron maybe it worth to research more. Montreals had the same burman box and they were cracking more than on other 105 cars. If somebody know the people who did this I will be ordering one. Montreals also had a recall to add brackets for strentening the box I had these installed on my car. Sorry for my english

Montreal Burman box is not the same. It looks identical at first glance but is not attached to the frame in the same way. If my memory is right, it has bolts threaded in the casing instead of going all the way through.

A French parts dealer has repoduced the 105 casings in aircraft alloy, but an empty casing is several hundred dollars. There was a thread about this a few weeks ago.

 

[yvesmontreal]

a zf box will fit..put one in my freinds 74 spider.. the trick of instaling it and removing,without rremoving the brake master cly, and the booster, is draw it out( but leave a wee bit of room) all the way to the rad. mount, flip it over so the down part is now the up part( the lower steering box) and lift it out..

Since this box is destroyed and won't be coming back in the car, and a later ZF box with a jointed column will be installed, there is an easier way.

Remove the 3 bolts holding box to inner fender; remove steering wheel then remove the 2 bolts holding column underneath dash. Move box/column ***'y forward; remove the 4 bolts holding the column flange to the box. Unscrew the steering shaft from the box; ball bearings will eventually fall allowing the shaft/column to be pulled from inside the car. With the pitman arm detached, the box can now be lifted out without removing any other components.

Installation is reverse of removal, just that you'll be linking the u-joint to the box intead of messing with its internal components. Make sure it's full of fresh oil before installation.

 

[yvesmontreal]

Hi all, I have a slightly more esoteric steering box question I hope I can get some help with. I have a 66 sprint GT with an old ZF box (not the one from the late model spider). I have replaced this with a Burman box, but the column is 5/8ths inch shorter than the original. Is this a problem? Can I use the old wheel? is there any way to shim the wheel back out to the original position? Do burman boxes/columns come in different lengths. My 69 spider has a burman box, but it has a more dished wheel, which puts the rim further from the dash. Any assistance would be appreciated.

My Alfa parts specialist has confirmed that there are at least two different column lengths on Burman boxes: pre-1970 with flattish steering wheels, and later types with deep dished wheels. I am not familiar with early 105's such as yours, I can only guess you ended up buying a post 1970 box.

 

[mhunger]

thanks

that is good info. I may end up using the box and changing the wheel.

 

[MyAlfa]

Does anyone have an opinion as to which steering box is best? Mine has some play in it and I am considering changing it out now that I have read this thread.

Mike

 

[elite38868]

The consensus seems to be that the Burman box is the "better feeling" steering box, but to each their own.

 

[bianchi2]

on the lube.. i run stp oil treatment.. works well for me will not run out of a box..and sence it is next to the exhaust manifold, as it heats up, the lube becomes better..in my car for 1 year now,, not a drop of oil from the steering box.. the rest of the car thuo.....