The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Prius steering conversion on a 3100

Before I start, yes I've searched the forums and I've read every thread about power steering conversions I can find. Even used + signs on my search.

What I'm looking for is someone who has actually done this on a 3100, who would be willing to talk/send photos of the work they did. I have a 04-09 Prius setup in hand, have pulled my column and box, and am trying to plan out where I'm going to cut the column and how I"m going to graft the Prius unit into it. Any help with that specific process would be most appreciated.

Not really willing to talk about whether or not to do this, iDidit's kit, Saturn vs. Prius, etc. I have the parts, want to do this conversion, and would be most grateful to talk with someone who's done it. And I have a shoulder injury that makes it painful to turn the wheel when the truck is standing still. That is why I want to do it.

Got some pics of your current setup in your engine bay.

Is the plan you’re thinking attaching the Prius electric gearbox to the current t steering column shaft leaving the stock steering box in place?

I can see how that unit may work pretty good thru the firewall.
With the main geared part in the engine bay. May be long enough as is.

Hopefully some has done it here.

I have done the conversion, but not on an AD truck. It was on a 60s firebird.

I don't have pictures of that project because it was a friend's rig, but I can offer feedback/suggestions if you want to discuss it with me.

Guy on YouTube has two videos of putting it in a 48 Chevy as well

Was suggested to move this over to HiPo. Should get more input here.

Please keep us posted if you try this. I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of this swap…..even though I have no intention to do it on my truck.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I found those videos on YouTube - this is the last one but you can link to the others. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I_bwCgnf7A

He is using a different power steering unit, and somehow the column cutout in his firewall doesn't align right but I got a few ideas that I may be able to use on my project.

I will do my best to document my work and share it here.

This video gives a huge amount of information on the Prius gear box
Especially the comment about the gap needed for bolt to not bind the gears

Youtube Link

Shakey61 did a tech session on this subject at the Stovebolt Roundup here at the shop last September. Neither of us have done the swap yet but He's got the parts and we've been talking about doing it to see what we think. He might be able to to provide some input as he's researched it quite a bit. In the spring I'm planning on doing it to a later model truck I have. What year 3100 are you working on?
~Mongo

My dad did this setup on his 40 chevy sedan. He really likes it.

I have a 1950 3100. Gonna spend some time in the shop this weekend doing "engineering work". I've already pulled the column and the steering box and am also rebuilding the gear while it's out.

When I restored the truck I added a bunch of corn head grease to the box, but it kind of congealed with the old grease in there and man, what a mess! Anyway I got everything squeaky clean and got a rebuild kit.

I read here that cornhead grease has to be diluted with 90 weight mineral oil in order to function properly in the steering gear. Straight cornhead grease is too viscous. It should be able to flow and find its level without being too thin to seep out of seals.

The real issue with the grease and corn head flavor and a lot of others is that many don't mix and match.
When switching to a different style, flavor, lithium vs polyurea grease situation you should always fully clean out the old before adding the new.
Unless you are 100% sure they are compatible.
Otherwise you will get this
"
When I restored the truck I added a bunch of corn head grease to the box, but it kind of congealed with the old grease in there and man, what a mess! "

This is the right way " Anyway I got everything squeaky clean and got a rebuild kit"

Sounds like midlifer is off to the races in a good way with his project.

Thanks hcb. I spent some time yesterday looking at mounting options - what's complicating things for me is that I have Vintage Air which adds hoses to the underdash space and I also did an electric wiper motor. I am talking to a guy on the 67-72 board who did it, and he said he mounted the box under the dash with the motor at 3:00. I am thinking I could fabricate a bracket that would attach to the dash support that goes between the dash and firewall. Need to do a bit more "engineering".

The box and the motor can be separated if you extend the wires. You might find it easier to put the motor outside the firewall and the control box inside.

I might, but either way, fabricating a mount for the unit is going to be a challenge. I do not believe that just attaching it to the mast jacket will give it enough support.

I saw a YouTube video of this swap and the steering mast is cut somewhere in the middle and they used custom made collars which were attached to the electric box, and were the correct inside diameter of the outside diameter of the mast sections. The only thing I did not like was that they used set screws to hold the steering mast to the custom made collars. Seemed flimsy to me in a rattle trap truck.
Ideally, you want the entire assembly to be as rigid as the original steering mast. Doing so will allow you to use the original toeboard mount and the dash column clamp to secure everything.

I am looking into doing this conversion on my truck and found this on a different forum. It has many pictures and some information that I think can help others contemplating this type of modification.

https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/toyota-electric-power-steering-eps-conversion/

Looking at some of the u pull it type yards, the steering column is approximately $60.