Power Steering Conversion. Need Help.

[SuperBee383]

I have a 1970 D100. I swapped the 318 out for a 383 out of a 67 fury 3. Thinking that I could easily convert it over to power steering with just pumps and pulleys. Come to find out it's a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.

I found a 1968 D100 in the junkyard, which was a factory 383 truck, and had the factory power assist gearbox on top of the motor. I was wondering if it would be easier to take the front end, and steering components off this truck and swap them under mine, or if any of you have fabbed up your own power steering on a similar truck using parts from other trucks.

I had a friend tell me that you could use pitmans and drag links of the 70's 4wd fords, and he lost me before he finished talking.

If anybody can help me out, and possibly save me some money I would appreciate it. To take the 68 truck and use the front end and steering assembly, I'm looking at about $1200 just for the parts and to get them rebuilt. I've also heard, that the factory power steering assist isn't the same as full on power steering.

I searched the forum, and didn't find anything useful. Like a build thread with pictures and step by step instructions.

Again, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
-Richard






My friend said this.

1400 in PARTS!!!! holy f#$% man! you should be able to do this for under 150$ and a bit of time, if you can find a 4wd steering box and pitman arm off of a dodge you're set, use a car pump, brackets, lines, drill the holes in the frame to bolt the box on, use good quality hardware gr8 at least, you might have to fab a steering shaft to connect, same with drag link, lots of tierod ends use the same size thread for the adjusting sleeve but have different size tapers, heres my ford with a dodge box, 4" drop pitman arm for a 79 bronco, tierod end for a chevy 3/4 ton, crossed over using a tierod from a 72 f-250 shortened and retapped to 7/8

[SuperBee383]

Any comments would be appreciated.

[soopernaut]

There is lots of information on power steering swaps on this site. I probably can't find it all.

Toyota viewtopic.php?f=20&t=15341&hilit=toyota

Prototech viewtopic.php?f=20&t=15208&hilit=prototech

Ford viewtopic.php?f=20&t=11032&hilit=ford

The original steering setups can be found but parts can be hard to find for rebuilding or repairs. The one from the 68 should be able to be swapped into your truck without using that front end. There are axle shims on the power steering trucks that aren't on the manual steering trucks.

There are many innovative people here who have come up with solutions to add things to these trucks that were never available from the factory.

My truck will have a 77 frame under it so I don't have try to make something that will work and the engineering was done already.

[SuperBee383]

I found someone who sells the prototech conversion kit still. Thanks man, I didn't wan't to go through the trouble of fabbing something.

[digdoug]

I found someone who sells the prototech conversion kit still. Thanks man, I didn't wan't to go through the trouble of fabbing something.

You did? Who?

[nfury8]

An individual that had a spare?

Or someone with additional units available?

If someone has more available, that would be very welcome info!

[SuperBee383]

Sorry, they make their own conversion kit.

Valley Vintage Auto Parts
P.O. Box 486
Brunswick, OH 44212
(440)-355-4085
Fax: (440)-355-5990
http://www.vvap.com/

Not prototech.

[SuperBee383]

(e-mail actionautos@communityweb.net if you are interested in these kits).

[nfury8]

Does that still use the big Ford box mounted upside down?

[nfury8]

That email address comes back as non-existent.

[nfury8]

VVAP says they don't offer kits.
I am confused now.

Can you clarify or elaborate SuperBee?????

[Chargerchick]

My husband's grandfather (The previous owner) told him (if I'm not mistaking) that power steering pumps are next to impossible to find for the D100. My husbands truck is therefor standard steering. Which, once you get used to it, is not hard to drive. Though then again, it still has the stock 318 in it, so I don't know if that effects the ease of driving it.

[nfury8]

There really aren't any factory power steering systems available for these trucks. The pump is no problem, you can use something off just about any LA small block, assuming you change the other pulleys to line up. The box is the issue. They all used the same manaul steering box. The factory did offer a hydraulic assist setup that used a cylinder mounted to the tie rod to help with steering effort. Better than nothing, if you need it, but awful by todays standards.

I am in the process of swapping over my crew cab to a true power steering setup, my 71 Adventurer SE has the factory hydraulic. I agree the manual steering on these trucks is one of the better ones, but still a work out in a parking lot for a daily driver or my petite wife.

[Chargerchick]

Oh I understand that. I currently drive my husband's 1970 Dodge just about everyday. I wrecked my Plymouth in January, and for a short time, drove a 91 S10. But it went down twice so we are relying on our 38 year old mopar to haul us around. And as big as this truck is, I'm 5'3", lol. When I first started driving that truck, I was terrible. It has play in the wheel so not only are you not assisted with power steering, but you have to 'Perfect the art of driving the ol' Dodge' as my Husband puts it. And out in these country roads, the Dodge is wide enough to have a tire on the white line and a tire on the yellow line. So I had to learn pretty quick. I still don't really like driving it in the crowded cities.

[MountainMoparRobin]

That 4x4 Dodge box is a good way to look at, they are very close to bolting in. nfury8 have you looked at the rack&pinions on the newer Dodge trucks? seems they can be mounted on the straight axle

[nfury8]

I briefly looked at a couple and then decided I need to keep it simple right now.
In the future I plan to try and do a rack and pinion on my Fury, probably will
revisit the truck after that.