FAQ 77 power steering wanted.

[Dudleyfj40]

New Piggy owner here! Thanks for all of the info so far. I have a question that I'm not finding.

Any chance I can mount a 79 FJ55 PS gear box in the same location as my 77? Or is a whole different mounting spot and bolt holes? I am going to do PS on my 77 and I am trying to decide between 60 series and 55 series gear box.
TIA

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Needs a new mount, and of course, adjustments to the drag link and steering shaft. Outside of that, the fj55 PS may be the easiest to complete.

There used to be a link to a website that had the details on how to make a mount for an early mini truck PS box, which used the same frame mounting holes as the fj55 manual steering box mount- rocklobster??? That was 20 years ago.

I’m working on an fj80 PS install now. It’s the same as the 60. You need to remove all the old stuff, drill the frame, add some sleeves, I’m adding a fish plate, then you need to cobble together the drag link from the pitman arm to the right hand tie rod, figure out your steering shaft, and how you’ll mount a damper. You’ll also need new shock towers. (Ford f250 are cheap and have been the go to for many LC PS conversions)

If you don’t upgrade your knuckles to take the later mini truck or fj60 steering arms, you’ll need to adapt the drag link. FJ60 pitman arm end is 21mm left hand, and fj55 TRE relay rod end is 17mm left hand. You can use the fj55 center arm relay rod end to connect to the fj55 TRE, and that one is 17mm right hand. I found that you can’t buy a weld in 17 or 21mm TRE bung. My drag link is made of a trail gear weld in 23mm right hand thread TRE bung, and I made a weld in 17mm left hand bung for the stock fj55 TRE relay rod end. Both wiill weld into a piece of 1.375” x .188” wall DOM reamed to 1”ID.

Either way you go, you’ll still need to figure out a pump. I have an fj60 2f in my pig, and went with the Orangefj45 2f Saginaw pump kit ( won’t work on pre 1979 head), and Jim C air pump eliminator idler. I think Man a Fre still has early 2f PS pump mounting kits that use the front 2 cylinder head bolts. There are probably pictures of that type of pump mount floating around that you can copy, if you’re a build it yourself type.

 

[Dudleyfj40]

Thank You for the info! Pretty sure the 55 steering box I can get has the original mount with it.

 

[Half Wacked aka Split Pea]

If you get a original 55 power steering box very hard to find, the original mount is the shock mount on 55, Mini truck box’s look the same and have the same bolt pattern as the 55 shock mount but they have the wrong angle and won’t fit with that angle unless you modify this is a mini truck power steering box. That Iam putting on my 55

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

H

If you get a original 55 power steering box very hard to find, the original mount is the shock mount on 55, Mini truck box’s look the same and have the same bolt pattern as the 55 shock mount but they have the wrong angle and won’t fit with that angle unless you modify this is a mini truck power steering box. That Iam putting on my 55

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Did you make your own rock lobster mount? That’s awesome!!! I used to have Lances plate cut pattern downloaded, but that was, like 6 computers and a divorce ago. I spent about 2 hours yesterday looking for info on it. I guess they are unobtainium new now, and the original t tech link on mud is dead. I might have to re- engineer it to share a new .dxf cut sheet.

 

[Half Wacked aka Split Pea]

Yes that’s my mount I wanted to keep the stock shock tower, That’s Half Wacked Fab, I have seen other brackets, mounts, for mini truck boxes for FJ40s, But the shock tower on 55s is right wear the mini box needs to be. So I did this

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

That shock tower is cast, right? I think I saw in your build that you guys did the pre-post heat method for welding to cast? It looks great! That is a great way to do PS with minimal invasion!

 

[Half Wacked aka Split Pea]

Yes cast, If I thought I was going to go on a lot of trails I’d go with FJ60 box, my rig only for the asphalt jungle

 

[scrapdaddy]

Good info guys.

 

[Dudleyfj40]

This is what I got with the PS box. Is this the correct bracket? It fits.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

That should all bolt right up to your frame. Looks like a pickup truck box??? Not an fj55 box. I could be wrong. Looks like all you need to do is figure out the steering shaft, and pump mounting. Your rig is a stock 77? Hit up @orangefj45 for a bill dorey style Saginaw pump mount.

 

[Dudleyfj40]

I bought the 2F also with the pump still attached to it.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Georg also sells an adapter kit to use a Saginaw pump in the oem mounting bracket. In case you run into trouble with the oem pump. Looks like you’re ready to go!

 

[Dudleyfj40]

Thanks! I thought it came off a 79, but I was mistaken. It came off a 55 series so I assumed it was a factory box. I need to do more checking if it had ran with it or if it was just mocked up. I was a project that wasn't finished when it changed hands to who I bought the parts off of. Package deal with PS, AC, and 2F so I will have a good task at hand. Thanks for all the info.

 

[PabloCruise]

It looks like you have enough work to keep you busy!

 

[Dudleyfj40]

I picked up the 2F today. Serial number on it is 2F 343864 which would make it a 79. It is off a Plow Truck a dealership had here in Iowa. Supposed to be out of an AC PS FJ55 with less than 800 miles on the motor. Pretty Stoked to say the least.

 

[PabloCruise]

800 mile and the block is tapped for PS - score!