Firm Feel Stage 3 Review

[Calif240]

Hey all, I just finished installing a Firm Feel Stage 3 box in my '69 and wanted to provide some information for anyone out there that is considering this upgrade. Thanks to all the members on here who helped me...

First of all, the installation is fairly straight forward. This is my first restoration and my first steering box. It took a total of 7 hours for me to fully pull the unit out, and replace with the new unit. It did not require any special tools other than a tool to separate the pitman arm. There are really only 5 main steps:
1) Remove all bolts in dash and firewall that hold the steering column.
2) Tap Roll-pin out of steering linkage (just a few inches above the gearbox along the steering shaft). Lift steering linkage off of gearbox.
3) Remove the power steering lines (make sure you use line wrenches to ensure you don't break the fittings, you'll still need these to re-assemble).
4) Either remove the pitman arm from the gearbox, or the pitman arm from the steering tie-rod linkage (Don't use a hammer on the threaded ends, or you'll compress the threads and ruin the ends)
5) Remove bolts holding the steering gearbox and drop the gearbox out the bottom of the car. You may or may not have to undo the exhaust pipe coming out from the manifold. It was easier for me to remove the pitman arm from the tie-rod linkage and then remove it from the gearbox when it was out of the car.

Installation is reverse of removal. I was able to get a new roll-pin from Home Depot as mine broke apart when pulling it out. I also found that using a large C-Clamp was great for getting the tie-rod linkage connected back together after the new box was in.

My Firm Feel Stage 3 is tighter than my '07 Chevy Silverado 4x4, but not too hard to turn when parking, etc. For a power steering car, it is tight - but, this is what I wanted, so I am very happy thus far. The car holds the road much nicer and has no slop in the steering anymore. I have old, stock suspension and I can tell a great difference already. I'm excited to get new suspension components. Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase and think Firm Feel was great to work with and great in explaining things to me.

I hope this helps someone else out there considering this improvement.

[Birkholm]

Hey

Last week I install QAI shocks and it works very very well ! About 600 dollars, but it is very great stuff ! I would recommend everybody to buy this if you want a car with performance. Before my 68 Charger was very soft, but now it is awesome in corners. The shocks have 18 clicks, and easy to change between the clicks.

Today I install my FFI Stage III. Before I had powersteering, but now it feels like it is gone. The steering is much better now, but I also think it is a little bit to hard. Maybe I just have to get used to drive with it.

The QA1 shocks and the FFI box have made my car much better to drive, and now it is much fun to drive 60, before it was terrible.

[Birkholm]

But... I think I can lowere the pressure and the box, so it isn´t so hard. I will try that tomorrow