new box power steering

Suspension, Brakes, Tires, Wheels steeringetc..
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jimmy
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Re: new box power steering

Post by jimmy »

You correct in the weight on the wheels doesn't change. but, the force and how it's applied is extreamly different.
With PS you can apply many times the force at the snap of a wrist, at low speeds, or in a parking lot parking, or if you bump a curp or whatever, or even when your stopped and foot is on the brake. With power steering if you bump a curb or pot hole the steering wheel will not or should not snap one direction or the other much, The box and frame are ridgid and obsorbe most of the blow. not the case with non power. Other things to thnk about, Tire size and vehicle weight all adds to the pressure.
On my truck I used a 78-79 Ford 3/4 ton 4x4 box. The box mounts ahead of the axle inside the frame. I boxed the frame and used pipe behind the plate at the bolt holes to keep from flexing and smashing or distorting the plate. Like this - viewtopic.php?f=17&t=20020#p140495
With the box you are looking at, I would plate the top outside, bottom outside, and outside face of the frame. Having a plate on the inside would be great too but may not work with the room you need. This is just my thought. I have a thing with over kill = safety, good for you and everyone around you.
Maybe others will speak up about it.

At an absolute minum, I would plate the outside face.
Also remember to ONLY USE GRADE 8 BOLTS NUTS and WASHERS on steering boxes. Use lock washers and or thread lock. After you install check the bolts several times for the first 100 miles or so, things have a way of settling.

Thanks for the coments about my truck.
Last edited by jimmy on Mon Sep 09, 2013 9:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

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kurt
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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

Thanks, I didn't think of the bumps. When I get it I will see how I can add a reinforcment. I broke the frame on my jeep a while ago just due to really stiff springs.

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DavidWymore
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Re: new box power steering

Post by DavidWymore »

It's good to have the shoulder of the bolt in the shear load area too, instead of the threaded part. Usually means you have to use a bolt that is too long and needs to be trimmed.

Subscribing to see how it goes. :Thumbsup

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Re: new box power steering

Post by thedodgeguy »

Kurt,

This seems like a great conversion. I sent my stock strait axle to Sids in Oklahoma and he stretched it to achieve the lowered look I was after. I then sent my power assist cylinder that is mounted on the drag off and had it cut apart and updated with new seals. If I was to follow your foot steps and do this gear box change will it eliminate all of the original power assist steering parts?

Thanks

The Dodge Guy

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kurt
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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

Dodge guy, Yes all the stock power assist goes away. Basically I am replacing my manual box with a power box. Earlier in this thread is a link to someone that put a toyota box in from www.midfifty.com . This box I am looking at is the updated version of that kit.

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Re: new box power steering

Post by thedodgeguy »

Well that seems like a good deal.... I spent $350 to get that cyl redone. The system is crap anyway so this sure seems like a better way to go. Have you got started on this yet? If you have any picture can you please send them to me on an e-mail? My e-mail address is jason.deffenbaugh@kcpl.com

Thanks

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kurt
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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

Nothing yet. I ordered direct from calssic performance and it may take another week for them to ship. They were out of stock of the chevy pitman arm I want to try and said it could take up to two weeks to get them in. I will post a thread with pics once I get the parts.

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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

The box came yesterday. Here is what is in the kit.
Steering box
pitman arm I chose the chevy since I thought it would fit the dodge drag link with a little reaming. It fits as is but goes in a little deep. I will post a pic later a washer should fix it.
hoses and hose adapters that will fit my pump
rag joint hooked to a tube
bolts and spacers
KIT.jpg
The steering shafts align pretty good
Inline.jpg
Side view. I have decided to make a new mounting plate to use the existing frame holes. I am making it out of 3/8" and will just use a transfer punch to get the holes right.
Side.jpg

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Re: new box power steering

Post by runcharger »

This is great. This will be the most watched thread on Sweptline!

Sheldon

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kurt
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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

Pitman length. Its shorter so I will have to see if I get lock to lock or need to make a custom one.
Pitman length.jpg
Here is the stud issue. The taper is correct just too big. I may stack a grade 8 thick washer on top.
Stud stickout.jpg
BTW there is no reason you couldn't just drill three holes in the frame and bolt this thing in. I am doing the larger plate for strength and avoiding new holes.

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Re: new box power steering

Post by dodgeboykim »

Try using a Chev/GMC 4x4 drag link from a 70's/80's . Adjustable length. I used 1 in my power steering conversion for my W100.

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kurt
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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

I installed it today. I will put up the details in a few days. Here are some teasers. I did this with only hand tools so be kind. I added a fourth bolt over the swepti 3 for more strength

PLate on Box.jpg[/attachment [attachment=2]new vs old.jpg
Attachments
New Plate.jpg
PLate on Box.jpg
new vs old.jpg

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Re: new box power steering

Post by digdoug »

Nice job! :clap Are you going to tab some washers on there to match the raised part around the bolt holes in the stock casting. :thinking

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Re: new box power steering

Post by BBAIL »

Kick @#%!!! Thanks for taking the plunge for all of us!

Have you mocked this up in the frame yet? Will the shaft protrude too far or not enough out of the frame? If too far out of frame then your mounting plate may need to be thicker?

What is the length from the bracket on the box to the beginning of the threads on the sector shaft? Curious what the difference is between the stock box and the new one.

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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

Here is the actual build. All I had to use was an angle grinder a hand drill and a POS drill press. Before I get started I want to point out something is wrong with my Cab alignmnet. I replaced my floors but left one of the original cab mount holes for reference but somehow my cab is not proberly centered. I may have to redrill the holes 1 1/4 inches over. The new steering box should align with the column exactly in a normal truck.
Stock box misalign
Stock box misalign
First I made a cardboard template outside the frame then trimmed it to fit inside to get the plate major dimenesions. I cut the sector shaft hole in the plate using a plain old milwakee hole saw. I was shocked how easy the was to get through a 3/8" plate.

I clamped the plate to the frame with a c clamp and used the hole saw to align it. Then I trasfer punched the frame holes to the plate.

Plate clamped to frame outside
Plate clamped to frame outside
Plate clamped to frame inside
Plate clamped to frame inside

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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

After I drilled the holes I bolted it to the frame and aligned the new steering box with the plate it came with attached to it and used a sharpie to draw around the plate. This was just to get the angle to the column correct so I could get the box countersunk mounting holes positioned into my new plate. The box is to far to the right because the orginal mounting plate is on it.

New box top view
New box top view
New box side view
New box side view
I then aligned the original plate with my sharpie lines and transfer punched the holes, drilled on the drill press and counter sunk them. I used a 3/4" countersink I found at home depot. Its centered well. It looks off in the picture I guess its parallax.
Transfer punch mounting holes
Transfer punch mounting holes

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kurt
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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

Plate with mounting holes completed. They aligned with the box perfectly. I actually don't own any transfer puches I used a drill bit.
Seven holes countersunk
Seven holes countersunk
Painted. I was so excited it fit I forgot to add spacers to the mounting holes to fill the dimples in the frame as someone pointed out. I will do that later.
Painted
Painted

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Re: new box power steering

Post by kurt »

Here it is installed. It appears it could actually fit the stock rag joint but the spline is different. I needs to look at it more after I solve my cab alignmnet issue. The hoses installed with no mods using the supplied brass adapters.
Installed top view with hoses
Installed top view with hoses
The sector shaft has plenty of stickout. No clearance issues and It appears I get lock to lock steering with this pitman arm. I need a new drag link to really test it. I can't get the nuts on mine the threads are messed up. BTW I forgot to mention. The sector fits through the stock frame hole.
Sector stickout
Sector stickout
Here are the four bolts. I added one because I could. The kit comes with three grade 8 fine thread bolts with lock nuts.
four bolts
four bolts
All in all this box fits well and was really easy to mount up. I spent maybe four hours to get this far with no real tools. I need to still plate and box my frame as suggested and add the spacers to the mounting plate. I probably won't add much about the column mods that has been covered several times on this site. I does appear I can put the new rag joint onto my column and use it unmodified. I will post that message if it works.
Last edited by kurt on Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: new box power steering

Post by thedodgeguy »

Awesome!! Nice work.

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Re: new box power steering

Post by digdoug »

I don't think I would waste my time with plating and/or boxing your frame. The 68 and older frames are plenty strong ,with the tranny X member right behind the box. Besides,with the sector shaft going through the frame,what's the worry? :2cents

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