I realize that it is too late for this particular truck, but I will ask for the benefit of those who read this post at some point who may be considering doing the same thing ... So please indulge me ... (yes, one of my hot button topics ...
Why was it felt necessary to add power steering?
On both of the 2-tons I have owned (one a low-mileage original firetruck and the other a ground up/frame off resto I did), neither had power steering. What they did have were properly adjust front ends, good ball joints on the tie rods, unworn/new king pins, rebuilt or properly adjust steering boxes. Both of them steered easily with one finger (while moving ...
... and when stationary, you shouldn't be grinding the tires anyway) -- *very* close to what power steering would do.
Some people have very legitimate reasons for wanting to add power steering. But I think a lot of people may just jump to that decision without ever having driven one of these trucks with a properly maintained and adjusted front end. My '65 GMC fire truck was incredibly easy to steer, even when at max gross weight -- Why? With only 8,000 miles on it, it had a like new front end. No wear to the ball joints, king pins or steering box. Tires were properly inflated and the front end was still aligned to where the factory had set it. As proved by my '49, no reason any of these old trucks can't steer just as well if the front end is restored to factory specs.
You want the front end back in spec anyway, right? And doing so will put you easily within 90 percent of what power steering (subjective estimate
) will do for you at *zero* percent of the cost and effort of adding power steering. So if you are going to do that *anyway*, why not at least pause there to see if it gets you where you want to be before going to a lot of possibly needless expense and effort?
Again, the OP could have very good reasons for wanting P/S. I just raise the question to help those who may *not*.
Carry on.
