FJ40 Power steering (1 Viewer)

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I would go with a rebuilt minitruck box and mounting plate from Georg (Valley Hybrids/Cruiser Brothers). For the pump you can go Saginaw or toyota...what size tres are you running? If larger than 33" and you plan to wheel it then you will want te extra power of the saginaw.
 
I went with Saginaw on my 40. It was one of the better things I did to the truck!

I liked that Saginaw gets rid of the extra joints/slop in the steering, but it was a little over powerful.

I think the Downey gearbox mount is cast. Search around on mud - it isn't recommended. I used the plate from Georg @ Valley Hybrids.

That kit is missing a steering shaft - these are over $200 if I recall.

I used John Smith's write-up on mud. Turned out great! My truck was a 74, so it was simple to relocate the PS pump to the top passenger side with 2f brackets. I made my own pump mount with my original smog pump bracket.

All said and done, I had significantly over a grand into it, and a lot of time!

Here is all I have on it...
Andy Zook's '74 Build Thread
 
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Looked at the ad again. It has a shaft, but it does not look collapsible.

The pitman arm looks like too much drop to me.

Also, the TREs look used in the pictures! What's up with that?

Waiting for Brian to chime in. If I recall he used to have Saginaw and swapped to minitruck PS. Would be interested in his thoughts on both.

I have a solid axle minitruck box if you decide to go that route.
 
I have a rebuilt mini truck box and a bracket from Georg sitting on my bench waiting to get installed. I have an OEM P/S pump for my 3B, and also have a new saginaw pump with custom 14mm belt billet pulley (also from Georg). I most likely will go with the saginaw pump for the added power, just need to fab up a bracket to hold he pump.
 
I've had several FJ40's equipped with Saginaw power steering. If installed correctly and neatly it's a very good setup. I've seen on some of the installs, though, that the steering column shaft is close to and/or rubs on the 2F exhaust manifold. I assume properly locating the Sag box up front will give you the clearance needed in this area.

The solid axle mini truck steering box is the easiest conversion, but try to find one of those boxes these days!!!! They were used up through the 1985 model year. Using the adapter bracket available from Ironpig, JT Outfitters, Georg, and probably others, the install is almost a bolt on operation. Remove the old steering box, drill the rivets out that hold the existing bracket to the frame, and bolt on the new adapter mount. Then bolt the mini truck box to the bracket and slip the original splined end of your steering column onto the mini truck input. Same spline configuration. No cutting of the steering shaft is required. Then swap the pitman arm over from the original to the mini truck box- fits like it was designed.

Then there is the FJ60 steering box. I've done a few conversions using this box and if you're gonna run tires bigger than 33'as I'd recommend this one. Ironpig offers a kit for this conversion and others may, too. When I was still working at the steel mill I laser cut out a few mounting plates that got welded to the frame and to which the 60 steering box was attached with bolts threaded into tapped holes in the plate. Just gave away the last one I had to Todd Oldenburg. This is a strong powerful steering box. Mark Whatley had an awesome how-to article in Toyota Trails years ago.

For pumps the easiest thing if you have an engine older than a 79 is to use a Saginaw pump. They're cheap, powerful, and several cruiser places offer a variety of mounting brackets for them. Georg at Valley Hybrids has a real slick setup but the ones that mount under the front two driver side head bolts work well too. Correct pulleys for the 17MM wide Toyota belts are available and so are taper lok adapters to secure them on the pump shaft. Adapter fittings are available to thread into any Toyota steering box or Saginaw pump to get to a standard An size hose end.

And no matter what you decide to do it's not difficult to make up a new steering shaft. There is a lot of stuff available out there I've used a lot of Flaming River components over the years.

Buying a complete kit from a reputable place is the easiest way to go. Looking forward to seeing what you decide to do. Good luck!!!!!
 
http://ironpigoffroad.com/Steering/Power-Steering/IPOR-PWRSKIT

Currently installing this FJ60 power steering conversion kit in Rob's FJ40. It's a very nice kit.

I used the IPOR plate, FJ62 steering box and a flaming river telescoping steering shaft and a sky mfg pitman arm.
I like that the box is protected and I didn't have to cut a hole in the front crosspiece, not to mention it gets crowded upfront with a Saginaw and an 8264 winch betw3n the frame rails.
 
I would say go with a 60 box. For the same reasons as above. You do have to sleeve the frame bolts.
If you don't plan on wheeling with big tires a mini box works good also. But keeps all the wearable linkage.

Or look at it as skipping the gym.
 
Well, It's never as easy as I think. lol. This truck will have it's current 33x10.5 tires. I will wheel it, but my main wheeler is my 1991 fj80. Some good info here and I'll look it over.
 
Is the fj60 box forward swing. I'm wondering why no one has talked about the mini truck ifs steering box. The mini truck solid axle box has been talked about. I think the ifs box is a direct upgrade for the sa trucks. Why wouldn' it be a good option for the 40?
 
Is the fj60 box forward swing. I'm wondering why no one has talked about the mini truck ifs steering box. The mini truck solid axle box has been talked about. I think the ifs box is a direct upgrade for the sa trucks. Why wouldn' it be a good option for the 40?
Yes, 60/80 boxes are forward swing.
You have to move the rad support toward the passenger side, but it's not a big deal. Cut the old studs off, redrill 2 new holes, drop in 2 new bolts and weld the heads to the rad support, then elongate the shroud mounting holes to clear the fan and your good.
 
Yes, 60/80 boxes are forward swing.
You have to move the rad support toward the passenger side, but it's not a big deal. Cut the old studs off, redrill 2 new holes, drop in 2 new bolts and weld the heads to the rad support, then elongate the shroud mounting holes to clear the fan and your good.

I used a spacer plate so I didn’t have to move the radiator. Build link in my sig line.
 
Is the fj60 box forward swing. I'm wondering why no one has talked about the mini truck ifs steering box. The mini truck solid axle box has been talked about. I think the ifs box is a direct upgrade for the sa trucks. Why wouldn' it be a good option for the 40?
^^^ Yes, this is what I understand to be the most straight forward swap for cross over steering is the IFS mini box. Available and as strong as the 60/80series boxes.

Gary, I've never heard anything good about the solid axle mini box (push pull steering).
But since that is what I have currently on the Trekker, I am curious what can be done with it?
 
^^^ Yes, this is what I understand to be the most straight forward swap for cross over steering is the IFS mini box. Available and as strong as the 60/80series boxes.

Gary, I've never heard anything good about the solid axle mini box (push pull steering).
But since that is what I have currently on the Trekker, I am curious what can be done with it?

I wheeled the push/pull steering on a few minitrucks. It isn't horrible, but it has some drawbacks.

You can get a drop drag link, but the angle from end to end is still not the factory horizontal.

exp-toy400.jpg


There is a link from the top of the axle to the frame that keeps the axle from diving while braking. I made a threaded/adjustable one. Without it, the truck will pull to the right during heavy breaking / axle wrap.

My setup had the front axle moved forward 1-1/2" with 5" lift Alcans and about 20" travel per corner. I later swapped to crossover and found it was way worth it!
 
^^^ Yes, this is what I understand to be the most straight forward swap for cross over steering is the IFS mini box. Available and as strong as the 60/80series boxes.

Gary, I've never heard anything good about the solid axle mini box (push pull steering).
But since that is what I have currently on the Trekker, I am curious what can be done with it?

IFS boxes have rear facing pitman arm (reverse turn), no?
That won't work on a 40, as far as I know.
Push-pull minitruck is the simplest conversion, by far. The only mods required on a '74 are the steering pedestal and a mount for the pump.
 

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