Power Assist Steering

[ScrooLoose]

Hello all.
I have a 62 D100 SWB /6 3tree. As I get up in age, there are improvements I have planned for the truck: automatic transmission and power steering.
I have acquired a 67 D100 frame with a 1977, 318 and 727 auto that were roughly installed. The 67 was a well running and driving truck before the body was removed. I did swap out for the better rear axle from the 67 to my 62.
This last weekend, I picked up the front half of a 66 D200 frame with complete front axle. Going to use it as a sacrificial model to clean up the 318/auto install and fabricate power steering to before going into my 62.
Well low and behold, the 66 D200 has factory power assist steering hardware on it (PItman arm, valve and cylinder, no pump no hoses). I know almost nothing of the system and have a few questions.
1; I am running 255/70 tires, are there any clearance problems between the link valve and tires in turns?
2; Are the parts readily available, and were?
3; And is there any good literature on the system available?
Also, if I decide not to use the "factory power assist" and fabricate a power gear box for my 62, is the hardware worth anything if not the whole axle?
Thanx to all of your knowledge and input.
SL.

[martincom]

In response to your questions:

1. I can't answer

2; Are the parts readily available, and were?
There are a few outfits that will rebuild the valve and the cylinder. If you search the forum, I'm sure you'll find threads in that regard. Often google search performs better than the forum search tool. The lines can be fabricated. The pumps are fairly generic and rebuildable. I believe at least the later pumps were Saginaw (a GM division).

3; And is there any good literature on the system available?
The factory service manual is always a good source and they are readily available as quality re-prints.

Also, if I decide not to use the "factory power assist" and fabricate a power gear box for my 62, is the hardware worth anything if not the whole axle?
They seem to sell. I have seen a few complete systems come up on FB sweptline groups and they sell. Rather than re-inventing the wheel, I'd go with an existing conversion kit. CPP was marketing a kit on ebay, but I don't see it there or on their own web page. However, there is another ebay offer from a different seller that appears to be the same kit. There are a number of threads on the forum regarding the CPP kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/121883156518?h ... SwB4NWujye

The plus with this kit, verses power assist, is that you are receiving an integral power steering gear which is going to yield much faster steering than the power assist, which retains the lower ratio manual steering gear.