Prototech PS Kit

[birddog_mopar]

Does anyone have one of these left lying around? I was considering trying to remake these kits, but would require one to see how it was made exactly. If anyone has one laying around they could sell or loan please let me know.

[birddog_mopar]

Nothing, no one has anything?

[fosh69]

not here, sorry.

[viking66]

Can somebody please send this guy an old PS kit so he can reverse engineer one for all of us out here who are dying to have one.

Hope you get one.... and if you do sign me up for one to put on my vessel.

Leif

[OregonDodgeboy]

I've thought about this too. So,... what if we recreate this kit the way they did,.. R&D. IIRC, the steering box is from a Ford van. I'm sure someone here remembers exactly. So, go get one from a yard and go from there. It can't be that hard, can it? Nfury8 may be a source of info here, as he has been hitting the yards for a power steering solution for his crew. He may have come across the same kind of box that they used.

[MountainMoparRobin]

not going to put a Ford box on mine, its too big, but to each their own, just wanted to let everyone know that you don't have to put chitty or ford parts on your Dodge, Old_Blue is puttin a 2002 Dodge truck rack on his Sweptline, and after doing some first hand research I see that a Dakota steering box just might find its way on my 68 then the 70, with all the Mopars here in Colorado its hard to walk away from all the Mopar aplications to try and figure out a way to make foriegn part (ford chevy) fit. but I know that alot of people have fords and chevy's sittin in their yard so its easiear to figure that swap out

[Butch Romig]

i have the first prototech powersteering kit that was the first one sold on my 71 D100,it uses the box from a ford PICKUP,most of the ones from the early 80's will be the same,even some rangers use the same box,.there is machine work done on the main housing and a large heavy adapter plate that lets it bolt into the same frame holes as the original dodge box does,,it looks to me like the hard part is the pittman arm,the one that came with the kit is huge and nicely done,my buddy made his own ps useing a ford box and ground down the pittman shaft and used the original dodge pittman arm with a bolt as a keyway to index the arm,and by the way robin,no matter what car/truck it came from,they mostly all use the same manufacturer to make the parts for them,so useing JUST dodge parts isnt a big deal,except to you!
butch

[digdoug]

I think this thread may be helpful for Prototech box info.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=15208

Doug

[nfury8]

Building a Prototech setup yourself is going to outside the reach of most guys.
There was custom milling and modifications made that would require a machine shop.

That being said, there are lots of low buck options, that the average guy can
do with a welder and grinder.

Check my research in this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17036

Not sure why Ford was used by Prototech, maybe access to a cheap source?
But there are identical boxes used on Dodge and Chevys also. OK, I imagine
the input and output splines probably vary, but that isn't a big deal. They were
patterned after the same Saginaw design and made by the same companies.
Just a matter of a logo molded in, easily dealt with using a grinder!

The problem with these boxes is the size. This required the steering column
to need modified on the Prototechs also. He handled it well, by cutting and
properly welding in a slip shaft. However, welding on a steering shaft is no
light matter.

The best solution I see for the do it your self type is the mimic the 72 and
up steering, which puts the box on the outside of the frame rail, in front of
the axle. The front shocks will either need relocated behind the axle, or a
more elaborate u-joint setup would be needed to work around it.

The steering knuckle setup from the swepts to the lifestyles is very similar
and easily adapted.

The other option is the Toyota, this was pretty easy really, and would have
been even easier for me it I hadn't used the rear dump Magnum exhaust.
The primary advantage of the Toyota is size, there are also after market
pitmans that eliminate the potential hazard of welding 2 arms together.
The downside is, they aren't all that easy to round up. Installed, they look
like a stock manual box with hoses attached.

The later IFS Toyota boxes would also be good for mounting forward like the
later Dodge steering, but lighter and the gearing is mounted above the frame.
This should move the steering shaft input to the side of the shock and not
require the shock to be altered. Cross over steering would then by a snap.
Aftermarket dropped pitmans are also available for this box. Although, it
should be noted, I haven't mocked one of these up yet.

When the crew is done, I will by working on my 71 Adventurer some more.
Most likely the stock power assist setup will come off and I will use either the
72 Dodge or IFS Toyota box to do a cross over steering on it. Have to see
what fits best when the time comes.