Anyone use powersteering.com

[440ehigh]

I'm wondering if anyone on here has used powersteering.com out of Nixa, Missouri for a gear box rebuild. I've seen people talk about them on Chevy forums but don't see anything on here. I'm looking to have a original gear box rebuilt. Looking for a place that will reattach the original assembly date tag and re use the original hardware for attaching valves. I've talked to them and they said they would reattach tag if I made a note of it when send it in. They told me they don't do MOPAR gear boxes often but they do them. Just seeing if anyone on here has used them if so how was it

[Blowout]

@440ehigh I used them to rebuild my GM gearbox in my 70 Pontiac Firebird.  They rebuilt it and switched out gearing to a fast ratio.  Quick turn around and the unit came back looking brand new. Did everything I asked and no issues.  Been using the unit for a year now and works perfect. Nothing with a Mopar unit yet though.

[440ehigh]

Ok yea I've only read good things about them on GM forums. Good to hear more

[70vert]

no, but I have used Firm Feel who are MOPAR specialists. I can definitely recommend them, they can do same as what you mentioned and more.

[Dakota]

  Firm Feel did mine.  Works great.  Unless they've changed things since mine was done about 4 years ago, they give you a choice of 3 different approaches to the rebuild depending on what kind of "feel" you want.   No disrespect to the place that does GM boxes, but I prefer to go where people speak Mopar regularly.

[440ehigh]

I looked at firm feel but I was under the impression you send in a core and you get one back or pay the core charge and you receive a gear box of the level feel you want. I didn't know I could get my exact core back but  I never reached out and talked to them either.

[PLUM72]

Steer and Gear in Ohio?  They do Mopar.  Not sure what their lead times are.

[EDL94]

I just got a box from steer n gear they are about 4 weeks out.

[Bossgold]

@440ehigh I have used Marty over at Power steering .com. I like Marty, you can talk to him and he is pretty honest....I Have had no issues with his work. If your looking to just re-seal the box and have it rebuilt I think he would do a good job. He has done all of my Mopar Federal power steering pumps.

So its funny you brought this up. I just had a really bad experience with Firm Feel. I am still pissed off. Matt Ross, Dick Ross' son used to run the show at Firm Feel. He was really good to work with....but now there is a new guy running the shop. First, they raised there prices, second - the 'give them a call for suggestions' seems to be non existant....they are too  busy. So for $ 670 they did a stage 3 to my original AAR TA steering box.

When I asked Frank if he was going to ship it back in the original case....he said no we threw it out, we don't keep shipping boxes. I made this wooden/cardboard box because of the continued problems I have had with UPS. So when he called to ask for payment I made him promise to make sure it was packed really well....I was concerned. I got this condescending attitute....I'll pack it in 3 boxes if you like. 'we do this all the time'.....

Well, guess what....The UPS shipment arrives and the input shaft spline is protruding from the box. Oil is leaking out of the plastic bag on to the outside of the shipping box....etc.  Now, could it be nothing sure but I'll say this....when your close to $ 700 rebuild comes back like this ...well I was pissed.

SO here is when it went sideways - I called looking for some advice, input on if he thought the TA box is damaged. Frank's comment was it should be fine....besides its probably the oil on the outside of the steering box? Probably, ??? So I grill him some more and said that it definitely had to have taken a hit on that side to force the input shaft spline to be sticking out. Frank gets mad and says "well, put it back together(the Car) and if it leaks send it back." At this point all hell broke Loose. This was the last major part to my restoration. I guess what I was expecting was send it back and we will check it....BTW I sent pictures of the shipping box both inside and outside. Is my TA steering box OK????....I hope.....but I will say this - I won't put up with that crappy attitude again. If I ever do business with Firm Feel They will be forced to use my original shipping box....or I'll just find someone local. I plan on calling Dick Ross the owner....cause I am still really pissed. THis was never a problem on the other 3 steering boxes when Matt ran the show. And the shipping boxes they now use are super thin and are not heavy duty corragated type boxes for the weight. THey even used a foam pack but that does nothing for the sides only the top and bottom. I really liked Firm feel....but now F'off. And yes I think I am more upset at loosing great service and a knowledgeable company to a crappy attitude of pay me my money and leave.....my opinion

[70vert]

@Bossgold  That's too bad, and not my experience. I've dealt with them off and on for over 10 years and they have always been friendly and helpful, and prompt. But I've not encountered any shipping or quality problems. Who knows, maybe a bad day but definitely not good for business.

[Bossgold]

@70vert  as I mentioned this is my 4th steering unit they have done for me. When Matt was running the show FF did not have a problem.....this was really simple - Frank the new shop mgr could have said " hey, if you want, ship it back and we will check it out since the shipping box was damaged" Thats all - really simple. I would have worked it out with them. Instead I got the "its probably ok?" and "put the car back together and if it leaks send it back". I 've always done my own work on my cars and am knowledgeable enough to know when something isnt good. I'm not a deep pocket primadonna but this whole experience started from the moment I shipped this TA box. I kept my mouth shut.....but after paying  a lot of  $$$$ I'm just extremely disappointed....  they didn't pack this thing right it and now I'll have to wait and see if the inner shaft has a leak issue, the pressure in the box is now uneven right to left or something else. If they would have just shipped it back in the same custom shipping box I sent it in then this would have been on me and UPS - simple.

[440ehigh]

@Bossgold Thanks for your feedback on firm feel. After I posted this and people suggested firm feel and how MOPAR is all they do I thought i would reach out to them because I would prefer a company that specialize in MOPAR. Getting a hold of them was not easy. I was pretty much told send us your box and we will get it done and if you want us to save assembly date tag just make a note for it and it didn't sound like it was going to happen. Sounds like the same attitude you got about the packing for your box when they shipped it. Plus they are 4 months out on getting to the box to do the work.

By end of July I plan on getting my gear box shipped to either power steering or firm feel. I haven't decide on which company yet. For my use and the way I drive the car i would go with the basic slightly firmer than OE police box feel, if i went with firm feel. Then power steering doesn't offer any options to give it a little bit more feel, and MOPAR no longer carries the reaction springs from the police box units to have powersteering rebuild the unit with them.
I do like the idea of making a wood box to ship it in might do that myself.

[Bossgold]

@440ehigh here is an idea......So the Firm Feel shop manager made it clear ' They got shipping back to you  handled"......Right? So if I do another rebuild here is my plan. Shipping there wasn't the issue per se but lets be real....UPS is going to throw this gear box around. I don't care what anyone says.....UPS works get paid to load a truck as fast as possible. So if a box is heavy or in the way they just launch it into the truck.

So with that thinking, I'm gonna send the gear box up, packed very well and hold off payment when FF calls.  Then I am going to ask how they plan to ship my newly rebuilt steering box back to me. THEN, I'm going to tell Frank the shop manager that I am shipping him an empty steering box case that he will use in place of his crappy packaging. If he doesn't like it then I will ask to talk to the owner. Either way, they aren't getting paid till they follow my instructions. I can have my shipping case to him in a few days and it won't delay their progress. I'll make it so easy that all he has to do is place the gear box in  my case and tape it up. PERIOD. I'll even give him a pre-printed shipping lable so its really simple.

My question is WHY? why does it always have to be this way? Right now business is hot for Firm Feel but we will see and I know Marty at Powersteering.com just got a recommendation from Lee Power steering in Santa Clarita CA. They send Marty all of there Manual steering Boxes since Lee Power steering really only does Ford and GM Saginaw PS Boxes. So thats my plan or I'll just buy a Borgeson since my buddies shop install these all the time.

[Bossgold]

Spoke to Marty at Powersteering.com he rebuilds the Mopar Power Steering Boxs. He doesn't do Firmness adjustments but does do a full restoration of the original.

[440ehigh]

Yea it would be nice if they did firmness changes but for my needs and the way I drive the car it isn't a must for me.


If I go with firm feel I would only do the base firmness that they say is slightly firmer then the police gear box. Which I don't even know how much different that would be over a stock gear box.