85 hi-steer questions/convo Need Manual IFS box (1 Viewer)

[SlayTank]

Hey guys I'm new to this forum stuff.

I would like to put a Hi-steer system on my 85 pickup with 2" lift.

Here are my Questions

1. Will a Hi-steer system work with a truck that only has 2" of lift (On the Marlin site it says it will only work with 4" of lift")

2. Will it work with a manual IFS steering box? and where would i find one (Maybe one of you have a old one laying around)

Thanks!

 

[jynx]

As far as the amount of lift, most places recommend some minimum amount, that has to do with the clearance between the springs and the frame rail, so with the SA frame you may be in a better situation to use it with a smaller lift, either that or you will just have to adjust your bumpstops to limit up-travel to prevent contact.

Not sure what the "manual" box has to do with anything, you just need an IFS box to mount on the frame to get the correct side-to-side throw to work with the high steer. The stock SA box has the wrong throw and orientation. Pretty much any IFS box will work for you. Keep an eye on the classifieds or the local pick-n-pull yards.

Good luck

 

[ajordan1975]

Manual as in no power steering?

 

[SlayTank]

Thanks jynx, and Yes I would like to keep the truck Non-powersteering for the following reasons

A:Lower Cost/Less work
B:One less system to fail/maintain
C:I use the truck fairly mildly i.e. not rock crawling and such
D:My tires are not very large

However, I have not ever heard of anyone doing this. And, haven't found a non-power steering box locally(Tucson AZ) I emailed a place in Cali, and CO but I'm not sure what the shipping would be. I'm sure there has to be places just loaded with these non-power units because most want the power units

 

[KLF]

I think you will have trouble getting any Hi-steer system to work with only 2" of lift. The problem will be the draglink hitting the frame on the passenger side. I have this problem, I have OME front springs with a SAS which will be taller than 2" springs on a SA frame. I just have a tall bumpstop on that side, but I don't like this solution. I need new springs, I may look for something slightly higher for my next set.

The FSM shows a picture and a rebuild procedure for a non-power (manual) steering box, so they must exist. Never seen one. Personally, the PS system on these trucks is pretty darned reliable, there's other things I would get rid of first.

 

[SlayTank]

Ya i have the OME springs as well but after i put them on it started pulling to the right so I think I need a adj. drag link. I know the hi-steer is a better system so i thought instead of buying the adj. drag link i'd just upgrade to the hi steer.

Do you have a picture of your problem with the link hitting the frame on the pass. side? So i can better understand how the system works.

I'd be really pumped if you could show me a picture but if not thats ok to.

Thanks for the info KLF

 

[ajordan1975]

I'm mot sure but...... I'm sure Power Steering was standard by the time IFS came around.

 

[SlayTank]

Na, they exist.

 

[SlayTank]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyo...truck-without-power-steering.html#post8788950

 

[KLF]

My truck is still mostly apart, but the front suspension is mostly together, I'll just have to stick the draglink back on to take a pic. I'll try to remember tonight.

My front axle is also installed forward by about 1-1/4" (other hole in the axle perch) so that may be making it worse.

 

[RaMKnoTq]

i recently made this Hi steer conversion. i only have u bolt flip mod on it so it little more than 3" lift the only thing to worry about is the oil pan i had a foward sump pan but found one at a local yard, but i guess as long as you have a 4X4 pan you be fine,

http://s5.photobucket.com/user/RaMKnoT/media/IMG_20130728_181654.jpg.html

having a manual box work for high steer will be difficult due to the orientation of manual boxes. i got the whole hydraulic from a guy on eBay, i too was looking for a cheaper way but i got lucky and found a listing for less than 300 DLLs and got the links from TG. after all that time waiting for this mod it turn out to be very easy.


http://s5.photobucket.com/user/RaMKnoT/media/IMG_20130728_181650.jpg.html

 

[GRM]

I have 1.5" lift springs, so its doable. To make it fit, I had to rotate the steering box, and run a flat pitman arm.

Also: I had a manual steering box (though I scrapped it years ago), so they do exist. I mistook it for a power box as they look very similar.

 

[SlayTank]

Thanks KLF,

RamMKnoTq@ you said "having a manual box work for high steer will be difficult due to the orientation of manual boxes"
Are the manual boxes different in the operation and mounting from the power units? GRM says they look real similar. I would imagine that they wont be to much different but i may be wrong

and RamMKnoTq, will you have to put in a lower bump stop to limit the travel of the spring so the drag link wont contact the frame?

 

[GRM]

There ya go:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CARDONE-27-...&fits=Make:Toyota&hash=item51ad0db310&vxp=mtr

Another couple good links to read:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/575732-sas-just-little-lift.html

https://forum.ih8mud.com/79-95-toyota-truck-tech/550590-anybody-used-iron-man-leaf-springs.html

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/752913-ome.html

 

[Fast Eddy]

What happens to the end of the pitman arm/drag link when the left side is all tucked and you're turning hard left? It seems like you'd want to use a pitman arm with less drop.

 

[SlayTank]

Thanks GRM

I really don't want to change where the bump stops are. I feel like a huge reason I did a spring lift was to increase travel.

I wanted to increase durability and reliability by hi-steer with out cutting back on other things (like spring travel). But it doesn't really look like that is possible.

And fast eddie i've heard that when you set up the hi-steer you try and make the drag link and tierod parallel or you run into bump steer but it looks like if you do this your pitman will hit your spring turned left at full jounce.

If its not one thing its another… I'm starting to think ill just stick with the push pull system…

I wonder how the steering is set on the solid axles 86 and after, that were still being imported to other counties (I think South Africa got them till 95) and Australia too I'm pretty sure

 

[GRM]

Thanks GRM

I really don't want to change where the bump stops are. I feel like a huge reason I did a spring lift was to increase travel.

You won't need to. You have an '85 frame, so the low-point is the oil pan. On an '86+ you need to lower the bumpstop. The 79-85 (and 2wd) frames have at least 3" more room.

Compare this picture of my old '85 to the one below of my '86

And fast eddie i've heard that when you set up the hi-steer you try and make the drag link and tierod parallel or you run into bump steer but it looks like if you do this your pitman will hit your spring turned left at full jounce.

You need to rotate the steering box flat, and use a flat pitman arm:

Bad picture, but you get the idea:

btw: the spring kisses the sector shaft, and tie rod end on compression. Plus the drag link end (at the pitman arm end rubs the frame on when I turn. But I didn't lower the bumpstops, nor did I need to.

http://www.trail-gear.com/flat-pitman-arm

I wonder how the steering is set on the solid axles 86 and after, that were still being imported to other counties (I think South Africa got them till 95) and Australia too I'm pretty sure

Its push-pull. With any more than 6" of travel, you should really get high-steer.

 

[KLF]

Sorry, forgot to take pics last night.

I don't have any trouble with the draglink hitting the spring or frame on the driver's side, but if I stuff that wheel and the steering is straight ahead, the end of the pitman arm does rub the tie rod, just enough to take the paint off. When I do get new springs for the front next Spring, I may look at moving my axle back just a tiny bit, like 1/4" or so to eliminate this conflict. I'll probably have to weld some plates to the perches with relocated spring pin holes.

Not sure what springs I will go with, I have to be careful to keep it legal so I really can't get much higher. Probably just get another set of OMEs. I'm less concerned with having tons of travel, this is not a radical rock crawler.

 

[SlayTank]

GRM- "You need to rotate the steering box flat, and use a flat pitman arm:"

Im not real familiar with steering shaft modifications but would you need to add a steering U-joint due to the change of angle of the steering box?

 

[Fast Eddy]

You need to rotate the steering box flat, and use a flat pitman arm:

http://www.trail-gear.com/flat-pitman-arm

It looks to me like the flat pitman arm attached to the current box orientation would do the trick.