Ever wanted power steering for your 1960-66 C10 but just weren’t sure what all was involved? Here you go!
I just finished this LINK HERE for DIY . I really hope you like it. I was motivated to document how it can be done with fairly simple tools. It’s a one day job if you have all the parts. The methods I use have two benefits. 1. I didn’t actually have to remove my steering column. Just had to remove the steering wheel and steering shaft. 2. By “clocking the pitman arm” I was able to retain full turns of the steering wheel in both directions without adjusting the tie rods. That saved me the cost and trouble of an alignment. (Hot Rod Lincoln - Jerry is the one who suggested this trick.)
Here are a few teaser pics. The DIY has 175 photos. Haha! Can you believe it?
Just did the same power steering upgrade on my friend’s 1965 C10. We decided to carve new splines in the 4 flat raised areas that are on the INSIDE of the pitman arm so he could “clock” the pitman to any position he wanted to get the steering linkage centered. Worked great!
Do you have a picture of the pitman arm before filing? I'm trying to figure out what's what for my own edification.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy) 1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1956 Cadillac Sixty Special Fleetwood (The Godfather) | 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado (The Purple Knif) | 1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe | 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Do you have a picture of the pitman arm before filing? I'm trying to figure out what's what for my own edification.
Not the best picture but you get the idea. The pitman arm has 4 raised “flats” that line up with the steering box output shaft 4 “low” flats. That means the pitman can only fit the output shaft in that one predetermined position. If you grind down the raised pitman arm flats, then you can put the pitman in any position you desire. Jerry HOTROD LINCOLN suggested doing this and it saved me the cost and trouble of having the front end aligned because the tie rods never changed.
I see. You made room for the splines on the shaft to fit in the arm whichever way you wanted.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy) 1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1956 Cadillac Sixty Special Fleetwood (The Godfather) | 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado (The Purple Knif) | 1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe | 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
That's an old dirt track racer's trick, where we would force-match steering components that weren't intended to work together. One car we ran had the front crossmenber (and frame rails) narrowed 3 inches to allow the front wheels to fit into narrower places going into the turns, and altered geometry on all the steering components. The driver's instructions painted in big red letters on the dash said "Go Fast- - - -Turn Left!" LOL! 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!
Ive been contemplating power steering on my 62 C10. Sure will make it more pleasuable to drive ðŸ‘
Last edited by fattboyzz; 11/25/20234:11 PM.
1962 C10 with a 235 6cyl -- all of the drive train seems to be original. Some of this story is in the Side Lot Some people like a new truck. I liked the old ones.
