Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 1957 Chevy pickup steering box relocation

Ya them "W" engine are neat looking with the tri power, or dual quad set up.

I think will go with:
- Conversion kit: https://www.classicparts.com/1947-59-Power-Steering-Conversion-Kit/productinfo/76-977/#
- Gearbox: https://www.brotherstrucks.com/68-7...UICK-RATIO-REBUILT-OE/productinfo/5963Q/

Once installed I'll figure out the u-joints and steering shaft. If you have a minute, what do you think?
don

Sounds like that is a good plan, The quick ratio is a bit of a sales pitch.
68-76 Boxes are listed at between 3.3 to 4 turns. Some are 3-3.25. They used the 4 as a reference to stock. No big deal.
1977 and up are listed at 3.4 turns

Notice Brothers says "Rebuilt OE". Theirs is just a standard rebuilt box. This [brotherstrucks.com]is the price I see now? No mention of "quick" ratio.

bartamos: I used your graphic at the 348 - 409 forum, 348/409 engine section. Hope you don't mind, I thought is was a very good example. Over there, there are some people with 348/409 pickups, and power steering/clearances is a big issue. I think you may have helped more people than you think.
don

If you mean my picture, make sure they know it's a "shop made" bracket by me and there are kits like you are getting that are cleaner. Also forgot to mention that on the inside of the frame, I added a stiffener. A piece of channel to stiffen the frame. Some frames are known to crack over time due to the torque of the box and steering parts. They actually sell a stiffener for that purpose.

Classic Parts in MO used to offer Stovebolt members a discount. It can't hurt to ask.

John

Bartomos, How thick was the steel plate that you used in the photo?

Who is Bartomos?
It was years ago and that truck is long gone. I kind of used some scrap I had. If you zoom the pic you will see about a 1/8 thick angle on top of the frame. It has cutouts to clear the existing frame/crossmember rivets and may have a few bolts thru the top frame flange. Then I welded an outside of frame piece, to that angle at the top. That piece looks like 1/4. It had angles on each end, so I left them for strength. You can see I cut that 1/4 piece to clear the round part of box housing, which sticks out farther than the mounting pads of the box. I think the two piece welded bracket bolts to the frame using the box mount bolts straight thru and probably holds the inner stiffener/backer also. I may have done all that to eliminate welding on the frame. It's probably overkill, compared to the kit. I didn't have a kit to look at, at the time. I knew that there was a tendency for a cracked frame and that welding on a frame should be avoided if possible.

Thanks for all the input regarding my power steering upgrade. As a reminder: the truck is a 1957 Chevy 3600 NAPCO (1/2 ton NAPCO suspension). The engine is a Chevy 348, and this was the major problem; no space for the power steering box at the exhaust manifold. Special thanks to Bartamos for his guidance.

The power steering is installed and works fine (it is wonderful to have easy steering and a reduced turning circle). I went with Bartamos's approach; a 1968 Saginaw steering box located outside the frame rail. Some tidbits, in no particular order for this install:
1. I used an IDIDIT steering column
2. Saginaw power steering pump (chrome so the vehicle can go faster)
3. A collapsible steering shaft; makes it much easier to install and re-install when making adjustments (you don't have to loosen the column each time)
4. The shocks need to be reversed: so the lower shock mounts from the right and left side need to be switched. I also had to modify the mounts a bit to obtain
clearances. Also the top mount on the springs need to be reversed so the shackles for the lower shock mounts can be installed.
5. The exhaust (stock manifold) at port 7 required minimal grinding for u-joint clearance. It is difficult to see in the attached picture, but there is plenty of room.
6. The install kit I used provided standoffs to mount the steering box to the frame. Instead, I did just a little grinding on the steering box to even both ends and used
half-inch plate stock on each end (about 4"x5" each). It is much more solid.
6.The e-brake pivot mechanism interfered with the shaft, so it need to be modified and re-welded (but not to the frame)

I thought this would never end because my first approach was a CPP sector box located inboard with modified headers. That did not work, I couldn't find anyway around it that appealed to me until Bartamos responded. I thank Bartamos for his input and pictures.
don

Congrat's on your success, and thanks for sharing the pics.

John