Where did you get, or how did you make that boot on the firewall?

Cant wait the for the review on it!

I’m curious as to why the need for a bearing in the lower steering column.
I think the original set up only had a flimsy plastic bushing and some type of foam seal in that position and the steering box input bearing supported the lower end of the steering shaft through the rag joint. It seems to me that the Borgeson steering box would be similar in that respect.

I see the need for that support bearing in a R&P set up because of the use of double universal jointed shafts.

BobE wrote:

Rudi wrote:

I’m curious as to why the need for a bearing in the lower steering column.
I think the original set up only had a flimsy plastic bushing and some type of foam seal in that position and the steering box input bearing supported the lower end of the steering shaft through the rag joint. It seems to me that the Borgeson steering box would be similar in that respect.

I see the need for that support bearing in a R&P set up because of the use of double universal jointed shafts.

Seems a bearing would better stabilize the rag joint than a ‘flimsy’ plastic bushing, and provide longer life of the joint … well, that’s my guess.

 

 I think the plastic bushing kind of floats between the steering shaft and outer column tube, not an actual bearing.
The way I look at it,  with the column bearing in place any misalignment between the steering shaft axis and Borgeson input axis and concentricity between the two would put more strain on the rag joint than it would without it.

IMO there's a couple things about the Borgeson system that are just Mickey Mouse.  The way they handle the bottom of the column is one of them.  The MS bearing setup is MUCH better than the way they did it.  The rag joint takes out any misalignment.  The shaft needs support at the bottom of the column.  I would posit that a worn Borgeson bushing would be much more likely to cause issues than a MS bearing. 

The floor bracket to support the column in my '67 was a joke too.  I fabbed my own that didn't require a hose clamp.

The pump brackets are hard to adjust and tighten and rely on two long bolts that seem to flex too much (one of mine broke actually and I had to replace it).  Eventually I'm converting to Fox front dress and it will solve this issue. 
 

The later '67-onwards setup is relying on the bearings in the steering box to support the bottom of the shaft since its connected to the box by the rag joint.  Yet that plastic bushing wearing out shows its really not enough support.  U-joints are a better setup for sure.  I've converted by '89 GT to u-joints.  Baring that though I just feel better with a bearing in the bottom of the column instead of a bushing.  Come to think of it I really just prefer bearings in most cases to bushings.  I've just seen too many bushings fail.  Bearing failures have been much fewer and farther between. 

My assumption as to why the OEMs didn't use u-joints was NVH concerns.  Seems MS just confirmed that.