The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Power Steering Conversion????

Can ANYBODY TELL Me which "Steering Box" you all Used to convert the Steering box over to 'POWER STEERING'????? Love My '50 3/4 ton Long bed, dropping a '327' in with a 'T5', and I REALLY WANT POWER STEERING.... GONNA Swap the Steering Box,OR...I'LL Drop a "Rack and Pinion Set" into her if I find a nice deal...
IF You've GONE with the Rack Setup,PLEASE Tell Me which Rack Assembly You used,and Yr.best method for 'MOUNTING'.
I figure it'll take new tie rod ends,so if You have the Part #'s for the proper 'ROD ENDS' PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH ME.....
TRYING to button up all the odds and ends,so I can Get HER on the road by Memorial Day.
I named Her "ROSEMARY" cause when I dragged her Home,everybody said she was ' Fat and Ugly', BUT, I COULD SEE HOW PRETTY "SHE" COULD BE......
got the name from the "SHALLOW HAL" Movie... He could 'see' the PRETTY thru ALL THE UGLY.....
O.K. THANKS FOR ANY HELP, IDEA'S AND ADVICE... I'm all ears,so TALK TO ME,PLEASE ????????
'JIMMY BONZ..

I won't tell you which way to go, but I'll tell you to NOT use any of the kits that mount an 800 series GM power steering box on the outside of the frame and forward of the front axle. Bump steers BAD because of the short drag link. This from 1st person experience.

Don't scab one on there. Use a kit. Example
But of course this is 150% more money than before Jan 20, 2021.

Rack and pinion will not work on a straight axle.
I have the "dreaded setup" Bill referenced above. I installed it myself and I have zero bump steer, or any other issues with it.
One thing you will need is twice as much camber angle on the front axle. Without that modification, the steering will not return to forward position on its own as you come out of a sharp turn (like they normally do on the original manual steering, and any other vehicle I have ever driven).

When sitting still, mine would raise the left front fender an inch or more when I cranked the steering wheel hard to the left. Hitting a diagonal sharp bump like a poor expansion joint on a bridge at 60 MPH would cause my truck to jump to the left about 2 feet if you were holding onto the steering wheel tightly.

I'm not advocating it, but there is a rack & pinion kit for our trucks. Click here. The only one I ever drove had just been installed, It used a Ford R&P and a GM power steering pump. The GM pump put out way too much pressure, resulting in very twitchy steering. The owner was waiting for a pressure reduction valve to arrive,

I've installed these so called dreaded units on 4 AD trucks so far( 2- 1/2 tons and 2- 3/4 tons). The only bump steer problem was on a 1/2 ton with a 3" dropped axle which I was able to correct with a different pitman arm. In my opinion this is a very good setup. Like Carl says you need more caster.

Look into the the CPP 400 steering box, it mounts in the factory location and will allow you to use the factory column.

I like the 85-89 Toyota 4wd p/s box as it ALMOST bolts into the same place as the factory manual box. Same drag link angle, pitman arm length and height as the factory set up. As stated, increase caster.

Install a Prius or Saturn electric power assist between the dash and the firewall, and don't mess with the factory steering geometry.
Jerry

jimmy Bonz Might try some of that corn head grease in your steering box,really helped some of mine. Put a tube in your grease gun pump it right in there !!

Jimmy Bonz Heard others talk about caster setting,remember that with added positive caster when you turn your lifting the weight of the truck ,that is why it will return to straight ahead. Hope that helps.

Thank YOU.!!!!!!!! As much as I wanna go in the 'Right Direction,I ALSO Wanna know which way 'NOT TO GO'
THANK YOU for Saving Me from Future Headaches.!!!!!!