saginaw conversion frustration!

RunTrout · May 25, 2011

My new and hopeful plan...

Expecting a used steering box from fedex today (thank you slacker24-7),
The plan is to swap it out and hope it can handle the pressure (30K miles younger). Then next week after I get paid, I have foot surgery... So I'm thinking of buying the rebuild kit and rebuilding the old box while I'm house bound; to have a spare next time will be nice (like in 30K).
Fired up the truck yesterday, took a few cranks to get it going. PS drainage commenced, but I'm glad the truck still warms up nice after sitting for about a month with only a few start ups (found exhaust leak near the manifold connection though). In the process I also replaced a shot BVSV and vacuum line.
This is kind of like fishing, after failing for a while one starts to ask "what have I screwed up?" But I love fishing, so I guess this is just part of the fun. In the mean time I've been driving my girlfriends 62. The saggy springs and automatic make the thing feel so lazy to drive...I joke about lowering it sometimes just to enhance the effect (sorry, I'm from San Jose, CA) I have de-purpled the bumper with black primer and took a power washer to the glitter. :princess:

is thinking of selling and getting an 'efficient' vehicle. Also I could not really stand to drive the thing for too long with the 'elton john trim job'. :doh:

more updates to come, hopefully later today with pics from pulling the steering box.

lehiguy · May 25, 2011

The front seal on the Toyota box is not hard to replace and Toyota still sells it. You will need to remove the shaft form the box, loosen or remove the lock ring on the bearing cup, then you can rotate the cup counter-clockwise untill it comes off. (IIRC, there is an O-ring on that piece.) Replace the seal and button it back up. The bearing cup sets the bearing tension, so be mindfull when you put it back on not to leave it too tight or too loose.

RunTrout · May 26, 2011

so thats what power steering feels like...

Managed to swap out the old steering box for a used unit this evening. The system works (thanks for the quick send slacker24-7)! Only leak was from the cap when I overfilled it. Still need to dial in alignment. I could not believe how much more powerful the saginaw pump is compared to the old aisin pump. Steering box swap was pretty easy, especially compared with fitting the saginaw pump in place and all of the modifications it took to make it fit.

First photo: the old steering box with blown seal, arrows point at the hole and what is left of the seal. Most likely rebuild this when I have time and $$.

Second photo: clearances are very tight, need to allow for some expansion when things are hot. Need to move the pulley out about 1mm to clear the other belt better (probably with a large machine bushing). Need to move the sag pulley down about 1mm away from the radiator hose by modifying the volvo bracket a bit more (super close!) Bottom right arrow shows the top of the volvo bracket that I modified to tie the PS pump into the smog pump adjuster (kind of jerry rigged for now, but pretty solid when tugged on firmly)

Third photo: upper left arrow, still want a wider pulley, which may solve the proximity to the radiator hose problem as well. Lower arrow, volvo bracket tied into smog adjuster. One of the original toyota PS mount holes was used for the other front sag bolt with a spacer also made from leftover volvo bracket material. Upper right arrow: 3/8" ID ATF cooler hose (thanks for the advice FJ40Jim), Don't use fuel line like i did the first time.

Really happy to finally get all of the major parts working, now just a few clearance issues should make it last for a while.