Power steering conversion using Scout II box links (2 Viewers)

[bikersmurf]

Considering my options... And came across Scout II Saginaw box. It seems to be a fairly common conversion, but threads are hard to find. Here are a few I've dug up, if you know of others, or would like to show pictures (or experience) please do.


https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/109814-69-fj40-building-buget-i-wish-3.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-seri...t-power-steering-60-series-pump-york-oba.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/452873-glucosamine-treatment-old-warrior-7.html

 

[bikersmurf]

Scout Saginaw Power Steering Conversion
https://forum.ih8mud.com/ca-bc-vanc...95-f250-shock-towers-scout-powersteering.html

 

[bikersmurf]

IH8MUD.com - Technical
http://www.menet.umn.edu/~vandeven/ps.htm


I know that there are many links in the FAQ, but I've read of other articles that are referenced that I've not been able to find. Also, I haven't seen any follow up.

I'm planning on running 33s so the Scout box will be overkill... But isn't that the 40 way.

 

[pb4ugo]

If you pm me your email address I can forward the rest of the pics that I sent to Cdaniel(glucosamine). There's just a couple extra views. Keep in mind when your looking at my pics, you may want to refer to my comments on his thread on the positioning of the box, which I would change when I do it again. I will be doing the same mod to my other 40, w/some changes, in the near future. I am also going to try it w/o using the the F250 shock tower.

 

[bikersmurf]

It would seem that by 2021, I'd forgotten I started this thread. Here's where my conversion starts in my build thread..

Builds - My 40 Build... 20 years and Counting... Purists beware, this may hurt... :D

BTW, this is the alternative to welding the U-joint onto the shaft. Welding isn’t legal in these parts, whereas, set screws into countersunk holes, lock nutted, and lock tight is. It’s not hard to grind the flats, and I definitely don’t trust my welding ability to the level I’d risk liability...

forum.ih8mud.com

Rather than copy it across, follow the link.

 

[bikersmurf]

I am going to post some of the most recent stuff here…

One of the hardest parts of this conversion was mounting the Saginaw box in the correct position. In this case, the tensioning bolt for the P/S pump overlaps the A/C compressor that I have for onboard air.
This setup allows me to set the P/S pump tension and then adjust the compressor tension and lock them both down.

Building a pump that works took parts from three different P/S pumps. Initially I threw it together with a pump I had laying around. It worked but was crazy loud. In 2021, a rebuilt pump was $48 CDN. It didn’t seem worth it to throw in another used pump at that price.

Long story short, it was failing after three years and about a thousand miles. So I bought another. In 2025, prices have more than doubled. A rebuilt pump was $110 and a new one was $123.

The new pump claims to have fixed many of the problems these pumps have… time will tell. It came with this test report:

Pressure relief works out to a hair under 1500 psi. 1500 seems about dead on where I’m wanting.

I know it means little to no road feel… but that’s what I need. The quick version is that my nervous system is a mess. To protect it, my muscles go into spasm when they fatigue to limit excessive motion. The problem is then compounded because the muscles in spasm put pressure on the nerves. The result is a no win cascading effect. So… easier to steer means less fatigue and less spasms = happier overall.

Back to the steering…
In 2021 I crossed paths with @ToyotaMatt here on Mud. We ended up discussing the steering conversion and he said he would custom fabricate a curved line to fix a leak I had. Because I was using a can for the P/S pump from an old Chevelle, the low pressure return line is pointing the wrong direction. The cans (housings) from the two other pumps wouldn’t clear the engine block.

So, I sent Matt a sketch and shortly afterwards a box showed up with this custom part, OME style hose clamps, and some other swag. I had cut up some steel high pressure line to make it work in the short term. Well replacing the pump and flushing the system made it a good time to put in the custom line Matt fabricated.

It’s a perfect fit.

 

[bikersmurf]

The new pump is in and it allows me to turn the wheel with one finger... it doesn't feel loose and sloppy like an old Dodge campervan... it just feels as it should. To put it in perspective, after driving it in the snow for a couple weeks I drove our '08 Toyota Prius and it felt like it's power steering wasn't working, but I soon realized it was... it just required more force to turn the steering wheel.

When I looked up Edelman Elite I discovered the pump carries a 100 year / 1,000,000 mile warranty. So that'll mean one of two things:
1) their products are great, and I'll never have any more problems withmy steering pump.
2) their products don't stand up and they'll not be in business long enough to honour the warranty.

The line is a perfect fit. I don't think I could have made a better fit if I had all the tools and equipment to build it myself. Thanks @ToyotaMatt. Excellent work, you clearly are a skilled craftsman and I'm happy to see some of your workmanship in person.