power steering upgrade (3 Viewers)

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Oct 2, 2019
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What's the best upgrade you can do for power steering on a 62? I'm running 17" rims with 33" rubber.

Cheers!
 
I guess I’d have to weigh the options and base my price point on what I feel is going to give me the best feel/ride.
 
Many people run a Saginaw pump. Some with big tires go to a tapped steering gear unit with hydraulic assist ram. 80 series box is an option. The caster angle will also play into the steering feel. This can be adjusted with shims. There are also high angle steering kits available.

Overall, even if all the factory steering components are in perfect shape, it will still feel like a solid axle leaf spring truck with mid century steering linkages and geometry that was likely designed for no more than the stock tire configuration.

Many posts on this forum will all the pros and cons of all the modifications that are known.
 
Why do you need a power upgrade with 33” tires? If your current system is insufficient you need to figure out what’s not working.
Nothing wrong with it, was just wondering what others were doing with theirs for better performance then stock is all.
 
Nothing wrong with it, was just wondering what others were doing with theirs for better performance then stock is all.

Ram assist
 
I opted for the Saginaw conversion thru Georg at Valley Hybrids. My 60 came with all sorts of problems including no power steering. It was the best cost effective option and I'm told has more power than the stock unit, but I am sure someone will disagree here. I run 33's now and it turns VERY easy.
 
Many people run a Saginaw pump. Some with big tires go to a tapped steering gear unit with hydraulic assist ram. 80 series box is an option. The caster angle will also play into the steering feel. This can be adjusted with shims. There are also high angle steering kits available.

Overall, even if all the factory steering components are in perfect shape, it will still feel like a solid axle leaf spring truck with mid century steering linkages and geometry that was likely designed for no more than the stock tire configuration.

Many posts on this forum will all the pros and cons of all the modifications that are known.
The Sag pump is a great upgrade on a 60, though no real "ready made" kits to put one in a 62. As I understand it the 62 pump is already on par with a Saginaw performance-wise and as far as ability to be modified. As far as the 62 is concerned the benefit that a Saginaw pump would offer is only the availability of units (being able to get a replacement in a store instead of having to order and wait for delivery).

Were money no concern, I would keep the 62 pump as long as it's not whining or leaking, install an 80 gearbox with the 105 pitman arm upgrade [EDIT: sector shaft, not pitman arm. That's what I get for trying to punch up a reply from my phone during break] (not needed for 33" tires or even 35" most likely, but hey, why the hell not), and a 4x4Labs linkage setup built to whatever amount of lift you have, using GM 1ton TREs.
 
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The 80 box upgrade is to a 105 sector shaft. The pitman has to be upgraded at that point because the shaft is a different size; you’ll also have to change out the tie rod end.

I’m running a stock (rebuilt) 62 pump with an 80 box on 33” tires. I can turn with one finger. The only reason I have an 80 box is because they can still be purchased new, and with 300k my 62 box had a LOT of slop. I also routed the return through the old transmission cooler (I have an H55F) to keep it from overheating.

I really don’t see much need for more unless going crazy with the tire size.
 
The 80 box upgrade is to a 105 sector shaft. The pitman has to be upgraded at that point because the shaft is a different size; you’ll also have to change out the tie rod end.

I’m running a stock (rebuilt) 62 pump with an 80 box on 33” tires. I can turn with one finger. The only reason I have an 80 box is because they can still be purchased new, and with 300k my 62 box had a LOT of slop. I also routed the return through the old transmission cooler (I have an H55F) to keep it from overheating.

I really don’t see much need for more unless going crazy with the tire size.
Woops, good catch. Didn't even realize I called out the wrong part.

Are you utilizing the tranny cooler built into the radiator, or do you have an external cooler that you used before the H55F swap?
 
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Saginaw pump on a 3fe for reference in case you were wondering if it could be done.

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The stock radiator cooler. It’s perfect for a power steering cooler since the box and pump are on opposite sides of the engine, as are the cooler input/output. I also added a magnetic filter into the return line.
I like the way you're thinking. I should see if I still have fittings and hoses leftover to do that on mine. Would be nice to have that extra margin of safety for the pump and gearbox.

@tornadoalleycruiser Where did you get that bracket, or was it a homemade one-off? Looks like it's much more simple than one would assume, as long as the smog pump is removed. Is performance pretty equal to that of the OEM 62 pump?
 
It was a molested volvo 240 bracket I believe. Steers better than my fj62 did stock. I honestly just wanted the pump on the drivers side and am putting oba where the stock steering pump went. Gm ac compressor where the stock ac compressor went. Took about 10 min to fab. Finding belts was harder. Best sizing is not self explanatory. My truck is a hodge podge of stuff I had left from other builds

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It was a molested volvo 240 bracket I believe. Steers better than my fj62 did stock. I honestly just wanted the pump on the drivers side and am putting oba where the stock steering pump went. Gm ac compressor where the stock ac compressor went. Took about 10 min to fab. Finding belts was harder. Best sizing is not self explanatory. My truck is a hodge podge of stuff I had left from other builds

View attachment 3059415
Very interesting work. If the Saginaw actually IS an improvement over the stock 62 pump, especially when combined with other upgrades (more solid linkage and 80 gearbox), that could be a solid way to a more "modern truck" degree of responsiveness in the steering.
 

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