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| | | | Joined: Jun 2016 Posts: 47 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2016 Posts: 47 | Can I get the best suggestion on a power sterring kit. I have a 51 3100 and it is all stock suspension and would like to leave it that way. I have changed the brakes to power disc but I need to put power sterring so the wife can drive. I also have an aftermarket flaming river colum in the truck. Thanks guys for the help. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,747 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,747 | Look into electric assist power steering. It's simpler, and probably less expensive than trying to adapt any sort of hydraulic boost steering system. Definitely stay away from any sort of power rack & pinion with the straight axle. Those things are a fatal accident looking for a place to happen.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 36 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 36 | I have a 47 3600 with a 1/2 ton straight axle. I went with a Saginaw power steering conversion kit from CPP and am just now starting to do test drives on the truck. I have bad bump steer and it wanders on the road. It seems to be working fine, I just need to iron out some bugs. I guess it's fine tuning? I'm going to try leveling the drag link to parallel with the ground? Overall so far this kit has been underwhelming. There's gotta be something better. I was trying to save money but I'm not happy with the results to this point. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | Read the comment here about caster and wandering.
Ed
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires.
'47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle.
'54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed.
'55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 | I have a 47 3600 with a 1/2 ton straight axle. I went with a Saginaw power steering conversion kit from CPP and am just now starting to do test drives on the truck. I have bad bump steer and it wanders on the road. It seems to be working fine, I just need to iron out some bugs. I guess it's fine tuning? I'm going to try leveling the drag link to parallel with the ground? Overall so far this kit has been underwhelming. There's gotta be something better. I was trying to save money but I'm not happy with the results to this point. I put the exact same kit on my '49 3100. Yes, you must have that drag link level and pointing as straight ahead as you can. Check the condition of all of your front end parts including: Spring bushings. Tie rod ends. King pins. Wheel bearings. Steering column u-joints. Toe in. Some have suggested that these trucks with the power steering installed, respond well to an additional degree or two of caster. What tires are you running? Size? Age? Condition? Radials? Bias ply? I am running 30 1/2" tall radials and found that they needed more toe in than the 1/8" which the Shop manual calls for with 28" tires. This makes sense since toe in is not actually a function of "inches", but rather a function of angle measured in degrees. Its just easier for a "regular" guy to deal with inches. Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 1,036 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2016 Posts: 1,036 | I just bought an electric assist for my 53. I did a lot of research on them and seems to be the way to go. Easy to install. I have not installed it yet. I'm keeping my leaf springs also. Properly set up with the right springs and shocks they are a good suspension. Plus it's a 53 so they are supposed to be there.
Old enough to know better, too young to resist.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,747 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,747 | That CPP kit looks like a fatal accident looking for a place to happen. There's got to be a better way to mount the steering gear than the Mickey Mouse bracket arrangement it uses!
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 | All I can say about the "Mickey Mouse" way the CPP bracket arrangement may seem to look, is that with good welding skills for the top bracket on the top of the frame, and a rust free frame, it holds the steering box as securely as the later models with similar placement of the same steering box from the factory.
I am impressed with how well this setup functions on my '49.
Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 75 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 75 | Early Toyota 2 wheel drive box with a GM pump has been used successfully. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2016 Posts: 47 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2016 Posts: 47 | Guys thanks a bunch for the help. I think I am going to go with the CPP kit. Went to a show last week and I met a guy with a 53 and had the CPP kit and he loved it and it looked good.I drove it and it drove nice. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 | Do you have the "shorty" pitman arm designed for this setup? Have you mocked up the placement of your steering box in the new holes in the frame to see how everything lines up? (Don't worry about the weld-on bracket yet.) Mock up will tell you if you need to drill different holes in the frame and modify the weld-on bracket to get the drag link level.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | The vendor is the place where all the complaints go. The vendor has more experience than anyone on the planet with all manner of years and problems. They will have solutions. Would they stay in business and keep selling those kits if they told everyone to kiss off? These vendors have "test beds"/vehicles that they would have tested these kits on years ago.
There are so many PO mods, incorrect suspension/steering components and incorrect DIY installs that it may seem like it does not function. CPP has an extensive how-to library online. The company's kits are used by many shops and their parts appear in mags and on TV. Call them and talk to a tech. Keep trying until you get the right friendly tech. You are doing the right thing by asking here. You see that there are satisfied users. Either they are just lucky or your situation is non standard.
As with any parts purchased from the well known vendors, the user community (us) has given feedback enough that these kits are correct for a bone stock chassis and suspension. The kinks have long ago been worked out or are reported in the instructions.
Keep the faith and check each and every procedure/part/tech advice/Stovebolter advice.
As far as safety, there would be a huge liability of the parts were not robust enough for the function. These companies live off of DIY people like us and have designed the kits accordingly (mostly bolt on). When there is welding required, no need to have a disclaimer because if the weld fails it's not their fault.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 Renaissance Man | | Renaissance Man Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 10,271 | I looked at your pics and I would weld and bolt everything up and drive it. If you have bump steer (which I doubt that you will) you can always look for a longer pitman arm if you need to.
The crucial aspect of this setup in having the drag link parallel to the ground, and you appear to have that.
Last edited by 52Carl; 06/27/2017 6:20 PM.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
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