FJ40 Power Steering Conversion - 80 Series Power Steering Box Kit?
- Thread starter Will Van
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GM Tie rod end taper insert.
Machined out the steering arm to a straight bore and pressed in the TRE insert.
I believe it was from ballistic fabrication. I'll end up tig welding it in place when all is said and done!
Is there a difference between a 60 vs 80 series steering box’s? And where do you buy the 80 series pitman arm? I want to do this to my 1982 40 as the power steering is like driving a worn out land yacht, and yes all parts are new, it just sucks. TIA
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We make everything you need and can even do the conversion if you want @ CruiserMatt’s.. it’s the best thing you can do to one of these in my opinion.
I'm theory it should definitely exaggerate bump steer by putting the drag link at compound angles. That being said it is not a given... The proof is in the driving.
I'm at a point where either option packages well.
Did you notice the bump steer with the horizontal angle that your sag steering created?
Obviously if it was that big of a problem, people would be talking about it more like @cruisermatt mentioned.
Worst case condition I showed is nowhere near what will actually happen, I agree! I just wanted to package and check clearance at worst possible condition.
I'm leaning towards the frame notch and plate may not be worth the squeeze, but not certain.
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The reality is you can’t really put the box anywhere else on a regular 40.
It’s completely fine. It transforms how they drive. I’ve done at least 10 of them now I think
It’s completely fine. It transforms how they drive. I’ve done at least 10 of them now I think
I'm thinking more and more I agree after cycling everything, it would be a different story on links. Stoked to get so close here.
I appreciate everyone's input!
@cruisermatt @pb4ugo
@SebBuilt, when I had the sag steering i never really noticed an appreciable bump steer at the time. The 40 never jumped sideways or anything like that at speed. You wont notice that it's good or bad because it works. Since adapting the scout/fj60 setup and made the drag and tie rod more in line with each other, it seems the overall handling is better. I'll never go back to sag steering. It's too intrusive and when I looked at the "horizontal " draglink angle, I knew it wasn't right and looked hacked.
POPO AGIE
SILVER Star
This is how mine turned out.
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- Some great stuff here. I appreciate y'all chiming in. This is certainly tricky with
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Looking closer, it seems like you have a considerable amount more clearance from your tie rod to the frame than I do here.
I looked and compared the dimensions of the aqualu frame on their site and the clearance is pretty tight due to the lack of a bump in the frame, their site shows them in an overlapped drawing view but it's really close with a pro Comp 31252 spring pack.
Doing more fitment checks.
Steering clearances
Full lock
The spring compression at the perch would be 3.5" under these conditions.
Wheel travel is 5" up to this extreme condition. Probably more than any realistic situation.
9" under the tire at the full compression shown and 4" with the tire sitting down on the leaf with the jack pushing up on the opposing end of the axle and hanger completely opened up.
POPO AGIE
SILVER Star
I have a 4" lift and 17" rims with the right offset, and flat high steering arms with over sized trunnions and bearings, and was going for as much clearance to the tire rods as I could get. Because I am doing a Cummins R2.8 repower I also had to move the steering box away from the frame 1/2" so the bolt on the FJ80 steering column u-joint would clear the water pump inlet.
I jacked up the DS to check frame flex to make sure that the bolt in the U-joint would not hit and had to stop before the TREs would hit. I have longer bump stops to keep the TRE from hitting the nut on the sector shaft.
The things you find when you go through the steps of the build.
Jacking up the axle without it bolted to the springs on both sides is pointless. The best the spring will compress is if the spring becomes flat, and that's not likely going to happen. Some arch should remain so the spring doesn't invert. The bump stop should to stop it, if its positioned correctly. If not, the spring will stop compressing at some point and start to lift the tire on the other side off the ground. I can see the straight frame rail could be problematic. The white one has a modified 4" lift, that's fairly flexible and is likely on the bump stop . The red one has a newish 4" Skyjacker suspension and is probably not on the bump stop, the spring has overcome the weight of the vehicle. The red 40 is at the point of lifting the passenger tire if it was driven further up the tree. The white one will drive up the tree another 2 feet or so without lifting a tire.
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100% ! This was a quick check to put it in the absolute worst case possible scenario (tie rod to frame contact) which will never happen when fixed to the leaf pack. No disagreement there.
The other thing it doesn't account for is the forward swing of the leaf pack. I'll be checking it to realistic conditions before nailing anything down. I definitely think steering box located above the tie rod is going to maintain the best steering outcomes by far.
POPO AGIE
SILVER Star
The other reason I have more clearance at the TREs is because I have IFS wheel hubs that moved the rimes 1.5" out so that the track matches the FJ60 rear axle. I repurposed the original wheel hubs on the rear axle when converted to a FF axle.
Right on! I was moreso referring to the tie rod link clearance to the frame where there could possible be a clash condition.
I appreciate some pictures to refer to. Very helpful!
Great read and I’m always amazed at the skill and knowledge on this forum. However after reading this thread, taking into account my mechanical abilities and reassessing my very limited knowledge. My question is for Cruisermatt…….what kind of money does it take to have Cruisermatts add power steering to a 1970 FJ40?
POPO AGIE
SILVER Star
I did add photos. Scroll up. I have other photos on my phone.
I did take the DS tire and rim off to do and lift with floor jack and the only potential was the tie rod and the sector shaft nut and that photo is attached above.
It is not road ready yet so other than using the floor jack I don't know yet. The other clash was the steering column u-joint and my water pump which has very tight clearances.
I completed a Scout II P/S conversion not that long ago. It's a slightly different flavor of the same conversion. I'd highly recommend it over stock, and I far prefer it over traditional Saginaw steering conversions. That said, the only power steered 40 I've ever driven much is mine with the Scout II box... but it's perfect and feels like stock, well boosted steering.
Looking at the above picture, the water pump inlet appears to be way too close to the steering column U-joint. 1/2 an inch would be too close based on my experience with flexible 40 frames. I'd tilt the input shaft further down, which would raise the front of the TRE slightly. This would increase the clearance between the input shaft and the water pump inlet. The box also seems further forward than it needs to be... but hard to say for certain as with a shackle reversal the axle moves rearward under compression and it looks fully compressed.
POPO AGIE
SILVER Star
In my experience MY frame had very little flex and springs were so stiff there was no articulation and would be on 3 wheels in stead of 4 a lot. Don't know how the new springs will articulate yet.
I did remove the DS front tire and rim and jacked up the to see if the clearance would close up between the U-joint bolt head and the water pump did not change. I was more concerned with the TRE of the tie rod hitting the sector shaft nut. I have longer bump stops for the front to keep that from happening.
I did remove the DS front tire and rim and jacked up the to see if the clearance would close up between the U-joint bolt head and the water pump did not change. I was more concerned with the TRE of the tie rod hitting the sector shaft nut. I have longer bump stops for the front to keep that from happening.