Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop power steering for 1959 viking 60

Is there any such thing ,

I have seen the ram type power steering on old big trucks but don't know if it was factory. It is still used on some construction and farm equipment. Chevy used it till 1964, Corvette till early 80's, Ford till 1971, and various 4wd till just a few years ago. It works well but is more complex than one with a power steering box. Here is one we put on an old International (1940) ten years ago that is still working fine hauling wheat and corn from the field.

A tapered hole plate is spliced into the tie rod for ram which is hanging below tie rod in this picture.
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/BPQ8JrYn/straight-axle-p-s-002.jpg[/img] [postimg.cc]

This is the "control valve" which makes it all work, pressure and return from p/s pump and right or left on ram:
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/7Gy41SSv/straight-axle-p-s-003.jpg[/img] [postimg.cc]

Set up ready to go:
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/K4PzW8Yr/straight-axle-p-s-005.jpg[/img] [postimg.cc]

Check out the steering system on a retired school bus. I seem to remember that most of the ones the school system where I taught for 30-something years ran had power steering, mostly so they could hire some pretty petite ladies to drive the buses. Most school systems are required to replace buses at around 10-15 years old, so there are usually plenty of them in salvage yards to scavenge.
Jerry

Power Assist
They do it for rock crawlers and apparently they can adapt it to most anything.
Just happened to find this while searching.

Also consider that the stock Viking should steer very easily as long as the truck is moving.
Parallel parking, no.

Find a unit off a similar size truck. Pick ups up to 2 ton or so can use Delphi(Saginaw) units like in most common trucks. Larger power steering units have an additional boost cylinder which should work on larger trucks. I have put Delphi(Saginaw) units using known and unknown units. International Scout unit into ‘47 GMC one ton; GM P-3500 HD unit into ‘37 GMC T-18 HD; unknown GM unit into ‘55.2 GMC two ton. ‘68-‘72 Ford unit into ‘55.2 GMC two ton. In all these trucks, except with the Ford unit, steering unit was placed outside frame, being particularly careful to provide sleeves inside the frame where mounting bolts passed through to prevent crushing the frame.

There is a large variety of donor units of various configurations to sample. Get your scale out and visit your favorite yards, pick up all the various tie and other rods while there. Left hand dies are available to make correct linkages.

Ed

Power steering was an option on the medium duty's, mine has manual steering and is easily managed with a load.

Like Buckshot mentioned, power steering was an option, even on the heavy duty Spartans. A brochure I have shows an illustration of it, I'll get a pic of it later.

Here's a '59 Spartan that has power steering, that canister in the middle of the picture is the reservoir/pump for it, with the hoses going down to the front end.

You might want to look into electric. The EPAS kits are so simple with adjustable gain. Just cut a chunk out of the column, run a power wire and done.

I wonder how heavy of truck electric units are designed for?

Ed

Here is their phone number. (941) 893-5427 EPAS performance. I put a unit on a friends 3600 and it was really nice and smooth. I have one for my 3100 but haven't installed it yet. You could install it with a hacksaw, file and drill. No P/S box, pump, pulley, brackets, belt or hoses. It took about 4 hours with no experience.
https://epasperformance.com/