Steering box swap

[Volksnut]

I have my new (for me) '63 D100, it needs a few things but overall it's in pretty good shape. One of the things that needs to be addressed is the steering box cause this thing has 3 lanes of play, the previous owner tried adjusting it but said it's bad and gave me a rebuilt unit in the deal....so with that being said how big of a job is it, any pointers or advise. Thanks

[johnah]

I just replied to your spring post and I was going to mention power steering. To change the the box isn't hard you'll need a puller for the drag link Mine had bad steering to start with so first I tried all the replacement parts. I mean all of them from king pins, rebuilt steering box, drag link,tie rods even wheel bearings, it just needed power steering. That's when I found out about CPP they have a kit that I installed , you can find lots of posts about this on here. I installed it one afternoon, the big hurdle you need to sources is a power steering pump if you go with the CCP power steering box.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su8J-ddN-_4&t=2s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pdQ79OxUFc&t=162s
Like you I wanted to drop the truck and make it a driver and I drive it , been back and forth to Colorado , Maryland, Texas and Calif several times in it from FL.
To be honest if I hadn't invested in the modifications already I would be looking real hard at the Gerts set up. It solves all the problems, ride height , steering and stopping.
Until then Swept On, John
PS , we haven't talked much about brakes. Been down that road too, Scarebird disc brakes https://www.scarebird.com/ first, then The ram Man brake conversion. ://therammaninc.com/

[Series1Utiline]

I have my new (for me) '63 D100, it needs a few things but overall it's in pretty good shape. One of the things that needs to be addressed is the steering box cause this thing has 3 lanes of play, the previous owner tried adjusting it but said it's bad and gave me a rebuilt unit in the deal....so with that being said how big of a job is it, any pointers or advise. Thanks

In addition to the steering box, there are a lot of pieces in the overall steering assembly that can contribute to the wander symptom you've mentioned. A few are:

- Leaf spring eye bushings
- Drag Link
- Tie Rod Ends
- Steering "Rag" joint
- Tires
- Wheel Bearings / Adjustment
- King Pins / Bushings
- Shocks

[johnah]

I have my new (for me) '63 D100, it needs a few things but overall it's in pretty good shape. One of the things that needs to be addressed is the steering box cause this thing has 3 lanes of play, the previous owner tried adjusting it but said it's bad and gave me a rebuilt unit in the deal....so with that being said how big of a job is it, any pointers or advise. Thanks

In addition to the steering box, there are a lot of pieces in the overall steering assembly that can contribute to the wander symptom you've mentioned. A few are:

- Leaf spring eye bushings
- Drag Link
- Tie Rod Ends
- Steering "Rag" joint
- Tires
- Wheel Bearings / Adjustment
- King Pins / Bushings
- Shocks

Yes, I should have added bushings, as I recall I noticed the most improvements when I did the king pins and spring bushings.

[Volksnut]

Well it's definitely the steering box, all the play is in the box. I have a rebuilt one I got with the truck.....but now I'm looking into the CPP power steering kit and it's on sale too. So speaking of pumps....did the 318 Poly ever come with a power steering pump mount? Or do I have to make brackets, and lower pulleys...pretty standard affair, what can I use pulleys from? Did the poly have multiple pulleys. I went through all this with my Rambler with Mopar 318 engine swap...there were so many pulleys I ended up purchasing the right offsets from CVR. You can see the p/s pump on this one, not factory mounted, had to raise the pump and build a bracket as the American box is mounted up front on frame.

[dodgeboykim]

Poly engines did indeed come with power steering. For the conversion to PS in my truck the doner pump assembly was from a car 318 Poly engine.
Trucks with Poly al;so had the PS Pump if PS Assist was optioned.

[Volksnut]

That's when I found out about CPP they have a kit that I installed , you can find lots of posts about this on here. I installed it one afternoon, the big hurdle you need to sources is a power steering pump if you go with the CCP power steering box.
PS , we haven't talked much about brakes. Been down that road too, Scarebird disc brakes https://www.scarebird.com/

John, On the CCP kit, the pitman arm looks shorter? Or is it just an illusion? Does it take the same drag link (manual) I need one either way. The front end is tore apart right now as I'm waiting for parts, and yes I'm in the process of doing the Scarebird disc brakes.

[johnah]

The Pitmam arm is basically the same and you use your drag link. The kit comes with a rag joint I think it's a Ford?? I split it and the top have of the dodge rag joint matches up with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pdQ79OxUFc&t=173s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLjVogCAh-Y&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su8J-ddN-_4&t=11s

Until then Swept on, John
PS I have my complete original front suspension from the 3'" drop axle swap. If you can use it Ill make you a good $ for it and I'll be headed to south FL the last of Oct. It has the scarebird brakes and sway bar.

[Volksnut]

PS I have my complete original front suspension from the 3'" drop axle swap. If you can use it Ill make you a good $ for it and I'll be headed to south FL the last of Oct. It has the scarebird brakes and sway bar.

3" axle swap? What did you replace it with, how was it lowered, axle or springs?

[johnah]

Nostalgia Sid's
5910 East Prairie Grove Lane
Guthrie, OK. 73044
Phone/Text 405-416-3080
sid@droppedaxles.com
viewtopic.php?p=308092&sid=b6d2ed249fe0 ... 25#p308092
Another member had Sid stretch his 1964 axle 3" after he set it up he didn't like it. So he put it on the forum for sale and I bought it. I may have mentioned on an earlier post about this ,had I not already gone done the road you are headed I would have looked more seriously about the Gerst, https://gerstsuspensions.com/ that's what he ended up doing. Now I have a full 1970 front suspension (stock height ), newer king pins, bushings, tie rods, drag link and scarebird brakes, as a spare .
I also went to Eaton Detroit Springs for new 1970 spring packs with a 1" drop that gets me to a 29" wheel-well height (center of axle). Looks good and the ride is close to stock. I Also have 2 sets of springs the 1964 with a leaf deleted and my original 1970 ones

[Volksnut]

Nostalgia Sid's
5910 East Prairie Grove Lane
Guthrie, OK. 73044
Phone/Text 405-416-3080
sid@droppedaxles.com
viewtopic.php?p=308092&sid=b6d2ed249fe0 ... 25#p308092
Another member had Sid stretch his 1964 axle 3" after he set it up he didn't like it. So he put it on the forum for sale and I bought it. I may have mentioned on an earlier post about this ,had I not already gone done the road you are headed I would have looked more seriously about the Gerst, https://gerstsuspensions.com/ that's what he ended up doing. Now I have a full 1970 front suspension (stock height ), newer king pins, bushings, tie rods, drag link and scarebird brakes, as a spare .
I also went to Eaton Detroit Springs for new 1970 spring packs with a 1" drop that gets me to a 29" wheel-well height (center of axle). Looks good and the ride is close to stock. I Also have 2 sets of springs the 1964 with a leaf deleted and my original 1970 ones

I wish I would known sooner, I just placed my order with Eaton on -3" springs. I would have jumped all over that beam,though theres a 4 to 6 week waiting time on springs