Power steering conversion - advice needed (1 Viewer)

[Mustangstolli]

I am about to do a power steering conversion on my Australian bj40.
I am running a 13b diesel which has the "built in" power steering pump, gear driven from timing gears.
My question is mainly about the steering box. I have a 60 series box and pitman arm I bought for the conversion, however I also have an 80 series box and pitman arm as a spare from my daily driver,
Which box would you recommend using and why?
Which box would be better matched to the power steering pump?
I will be running 35" muddies - do you recommend an oil cooler? I'm assuming if I put one in, it should go in the high pressure line?

 

[mr jits]

Oil cooler should go into the low pressure line.
I know the saginaw conversions are not the most elegant looking, but they're robust and can more than handle 35's. I also think the saginaw box would work well with your gear driven pump.

 

[Mustangstolli]

Being in Australia, the Saginaw conversion is not very common and parts are hard to find (I haven't actually found any info on it in Australia, only in the states). So I'm forced to choose between 60 and 80 series steering boxes.

Thanks for letting me know the correct placement of oil cooler! Any advice on size?

 

[mr jits]

Biggest one that'll fit without affecting your cooling. Mine's 9x16"

 

[Mustangstolli]

I'm assuming an auto tranny type cooler can be used ?

 

[Mustangstolli]

Anyone comment on 60 vs 80 box?
I don't know the specs of either one, be good to hear facts/comments on:
1) strength
2) reliability
3) internal componentry and effect on 1 & 2
4) turn to turn ratio
5) factory pressure/volume flow requirements

Thanks

 

[bisog]

Anyone comment on 60 vs 80 box?
I don't know the specs of either one, be good to hear facts/comments on:
1) strength
2) reliability
3) internal componentry and effect on 1 & 2
4) turn to turn ratio
5) factory pressure/volume flow requirements


Go with the 60 series I've done a few and they work well with 35". 60 series box sits next to shock tower where the 80 series has to sit out the front to work as the pityou'll need to sort out your column as we'll 55 series column (hard to find) 60 series uni's... I read a build in the hardcore section (40 series on 80 series chassis kept it simple) the other day he was using 80 series and 75 series stuff for his column looked pretty neat. Turn ratio pretty good as well

 

[Mustangstolli]

Bisog, some of your message is missing - why does the 80 box need to sit further forward?

I'll keep my column but cut the rag joint off and put in an after market uni. Then use 60 column as an intermediary - shorten to suit the right length, which will mate to the box. The aftermarket uni I'm going to use is a dd. basically you grind flats on the end of a round shaft and the uni sits on them. You also grind a recess across the shaft and a bolt holds uni in place.
This passes the "no welding of steering components " engineering requirements in oz.
Also using 60 arms in the knuckles and a. 70 series drag link.

 

[watrob]

Have a look at my main build thread. Below 60 steering arms, 80 series intermediate shaft, 75 series uni steering joints

Cut rag end off 40 steering column shaft, add bearing, or you can use a leaf spring shackle bushing instead.

 

[watrob]

next steps

 

[Mustangstolli]

Gotcha. Pretty much exactly what I'm planning, but instead of the 75 uni and 80 rag joint, I'm using an aftermarket uni. Instead of having to put splines on the. 40 column, I'll mill a couple of flats.
Instead of the 80 collapsible shaft, I'm using the. 75 series intermediate shaft with the uni that bolts straight to the. 60 series box.
Skinning a cat a different way
I'm leaning towards the. 60 series box... Unless someone can tell me why an 80 box is better, apart from availability in the future?

 

[watrob]

I forgot this photo

Get the 60 box and the early model as it has an even bolt pattern.

 

[Mustangstolli]

When positioning the box, do you try to get the pitman arm positioned so that when it's central, the steering rod is perpendicular to the chassis, or as close as possible? Also in line/ parallel to drag link ?
Does the box sit almost hard up against the shock tower?

 

[Mustangstolli]

Hard to tell where the original shock tower was on your coil front end. Looks like it would have been hard up, if not interfering with...
What's the best arm alignment that I should try to achieve?

 

[watrob]

I assume your installing this in a 40 series? I added 80 series suspension to my 40 so you won't have any dramas. You won't need to install the 60 box as far forward as I did, keep it a little back so your 40 series front apron/bib fits ok, 30mm or so.

The original shock tower is where the coil spring hat is.

 

[Mustangstolli]

Yep, it's for a 40. I'll be putting in for shock towers which are wider than the factory towers. I've put 75 series leaf springs on the front so my diff has moved forward. 50mm, so if anything I need shock tower to move forward, whilst the steering box needs to come back as much as possible.
I was just having a look at the variety of shafts I've collected for this mod.
How long is the 80 collapsible shaft? Mine might not be long enough - just by eyeballing it...

 

[Mustangstolli]

By the way - great detail work on your 40!!! Perfection is an understatement!
Was that a Ferrari I saw in the background of one of your photos?
The 40 keeps good company

 

[watrob]

Its m

By the way - great detail work on your 40!!! Perfection is an understatement!
Was that a Ferrari I saw in the background of one of your photos?
The 40 keeps good company

Yes it's my wife's California, she gets the real toys, I get the Tonka trucks to play with.

 

[sadam_husain]

When positioning the box, do you try to get the pitman arm positioned so that when it's central, the steering rod is perpendicular to the chassis, or as close as possible? Also in line/ parallel to drag link ?
Does the box sit almost hard up against the shock tower?

you've probably already worked this one out but you need to make sure you've got enough clearance between the drag link and tierod so they don't touch and fowl on each other when you cycle through the steering and suspension travel

depending on your suspension set up you sometimes have to go to a flatter pitman arm if you're using a 60 series box the pitman arm hangs down pretty low 70 series pitman arms sit up a bit higher

 

[Mustangstolli]

I have a variety of different links and arms and tie rod ends etc.

At the moment, rough measurements of the different arms suggest I will be using the following:
60 series relay rod
70 series drag link
60 series (knuckle) arms
60/70 series tie rod ends
70 series relay rod ends
80 series steering box/pitman arm

Looks like I'll have enough adjustment to make all of these work without cutting/welding/re-tapping threads.

I have a 60 series and 70 series pitman arm that I can use (I'm assuming splines stayed the same) if I need to.

One question I have is:

In the photo above, the 80 series intermediate shaft has a rag joint/uni joint combination.
From looking on eBay, the rag joint is compatible between 40 series and 80 series... Can anyone confirm this?
If they are the same, it looks like the rag joint on the 80 column is on a spline - could you take it off and put the uni joint on the spline and then mate the rag joint to the 40 series (non-removable) rag joint?
This would mean you don't have to cut the rag joint off and re spline the 40 column...
Knowing my luck the will both end up male ends (or female ends) otherwise I'm sure someone would have done this already....