SLO720 Posted December 16, 2019 Report Share Posted December 16, 2019 Hello I was wondering what it would take to convert a power steering truck to a manual gearbox. I need a new gearbox on one of my trucks and my only spares are manual boxes. I actually prefer the manual box and would rather run it if possible. I do have tilt steering and the box I have will be coming out of a 83 4x4 base truck. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted December 16, 2019 Report Share Posted December 16, 2019 The only issue I can think of that might not be an issue at all is that the power steering gear/box is slightly taller than the manual steering gear/box, I believe the collapsible section of the steering shaft will need to be extended which it might not want to do but I believe that there is enough there for it not to be an issue, other wise you will need a manual column. I have never did this, I have always converted to power steering from manual steering, and I have always had to collapse that section a little but in the end I always had to use a power steering column because the rag joint would hit the upper control arm, all 2wd manual steering columns had the rag joint at the steering gear, and all 2wd power steering columns had the rag joint near the firewall, but I don't see that being an issue unless the collapsible section isn't long enough to be extended. 1 Quote Link to comment
SLO720 Posted December 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 I think on the 4x4 it should be feasible. Went and looked at the rods and I think its plausible just need to take the one off and put on the other. I originally robbed the blue trucks gearbox for my dd. Nice having parts trucks even if you have a motor to get it running lol. 1 Quote Link to comment
wayno Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 If it is a 4wd then it should be fine, the rag joint on the power steering gear on a 2wd hits the upper control arm, the is why all the 2wd 720's with power steering have the rag joint near the firewall and the knuckle on the power steering gear. I know all this because I used a 4wd column on a 2wd with power steering and I had to grind on the upper control arm to make it clear the rag joint. 1 Quote Link to comment
SLO720 Posted December 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 I could definitely see that on a 2wd trucks frame lol. I've got to get this project rolling and get it set up for a motor. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 You have to be kidding wanting manual over power steering.... even more so if off road driving. Anything that reduces driver fatigue and can help you avoid trouble by quick lane changing should be kept. There is no advantage to manual steering other than it was a cheaper when ordering the truck. I built a power steering system for my 620 and it was incredible how fast you could throw the truck around. 2 Quote Link to comment
SLO720 Posted December 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 Honestly, I kept getting bad used power steering pumps from the jy and drove my brown truck for 2 years without power steering until the seals blew out the gearbox. Ended up buying a seal kit and resealing a pump before swapping the blue trucks box on it. Power steering doesn't matter to me and I have driven my diesels like that as well. I had thought about mounting a electro hydraulic pump off a Volvo. They're easy to wire but placement may be the difficult part. The important part to me is the tilt column. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 Ah.... so Armstrong steering then? 😄 1 Quote Link to comment
SLO720 Posted December 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 Yes sir lol and that's when I was driving 900 miles in that truck back and forth to school 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 I had a 521 for 8 years and a lot of driving and off road. Sure tones you arms. 3 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 I blew a power steering hose on the Rubicon once. Worst trip ever. There are guys who like manual steering, but that's not me. In a car, sure, but not on a truck. 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) I am converting my hydraulic power steering in my 720 2wd to electric assist. When I get this finished I will do a right up in my 86 DD thread. Edited January 5, 2020 by Charlie69 1 Quote Link to comment
SLO720 Posted January 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 Interesting! I had thought about doing the same thing just using electro-hydraulic pump. I still have the pump and it was quite easy to convert to working on its own. It was out of a Volvo I just dont remember which. It wouldve worked great minus figuring out where to mount it lol. The most commonly obtained pump like that is typically out of an mr2. Are you using gm lo we r assist? Pump I purchased looked like this 1 Quote Link to comment
Charlie69 Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 This is what I am talking about. I want to get rid of the hydraulic mees all together, ia m tired of leaks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4TYQ_KJSpc Quote Link to comment
grannyknot Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 5 hours ago, Charlie69 said: This is what I am talking about. I want to get rid of the hydraulic mees all together, ia m tired of leaks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4TYQ_KJSpc I did something very similar in my 240z a number of yrs ago, nothing but good things to say about it, parking lots and tight traffic are a breeze and I turn the dial down for the highway. There are a number of write ups on the conversion. 1 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 Can you steer though it? I mean is it passive if the power fails? Or will it be impossible to steer without power? On 1/7/2020 at 3:12 AM, grannyknot said: I did something very similar in my 240z a number of yrs ago, nothing but good things to say about it, parking lots and tight traffic are a breeze and I turn the dial down for the highway. There are a number of write ups on the conversion. 1 Quote Link to comment
grannyknot Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 4 hours ago, Stoffregen Motorsports said: Can you steer though it? I mean is it passive if the power fails? Or will it be impossible to steer without power? It is passive, I'm pretty sure all electrical assist steering is otherwise that could get dangerous quickly. I picked my unit from an Equinox at the wreckers, I think I have about $140 in the whole unit and that includes the control box from Bruno, he sells them on ebay for $40 1 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted January 9, 2020 Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Makes sense. 1 Quote Link to comment
Madkaw Posted January 18, 2020 Report Share Posted January 18, 2020 On 1/8/2020 at 6:01 PM, grannyknot said: It is passive, I'm pretty sure all electrical assist steering is otherwise that could get dangerous quickly. I picked my unit from an Equinox at the wreckers, I think I have about $140 in the whole unit and that includes the control box from Bruno, he sells them on ebay for $40 This is what I want to do to both my truck and my Z. Love to get rid of all the PS crap under the hood. No leaks , more room in the engine compartment . . 1 Quote Link to comment
grannyknot Posted January 18, 2020 Report Share Posted January 18, 2020 22 hours ago, Madkaw said: This is what I want to do to both my truck and my Z. Love to get rid of all the PS crap under the hood. No leaks , more room in the engine compartment . . I forgot to mention, the whole electric assist system added 14lbs to the car, put that up against a hydraulic system. Quote Link to comment
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