Power Steering Upgrade and questions

[Nima]

Hi There:
Here is the story:
Few years ago I picked up a complete set of power steering gear, pump, bracket and lines from a junk yard to upgrade my 67 C20 2wd. For some reasons I never got around to do it until now. Now, I have forgotten what model year the donor truck was! (I must be getting old!). These are my questions:
- There are casting number on the steering box (7802644) and then there are # on the steering box cover (7812145 and 01871). Based on the casting number it seems this is a box from 80-85 truck, is this correct? What the other numbers mean? How can I decode them?
- The steering pump has v grove pulley. Does this fit with the 80-85 trucks?
- Is the pump bracket something that I can use? Some pictures of your power steering pump and bracket would be very helpful.
- Do I need to replace the rag joint or can I reuse what it is on the steering box?
- How about the pitman arm?

I looked at FAQ but I really couldn't find the answer to all these questions. If I have overlooked them, I would appreciate if you point me to the right direction.
Thanks

[BCOWANWHEELS]

old trucks are swp newer are lwp
old trucks are inverted flair , new engines are O-ring fittings
your going to hybrid power steering school....................
plus everything you have is cores only

[68c10airstream]

I'm running an 85 c-10 gearbox in my 68 ls swap and it's my favorite box because it's 3 1/2 turns lock to lock, and the best part is variable ratio.

You just need to match up your lines. The 85 box is oring style and there are adapters to use inverted flair with these adapters into an oring box.

Another way is to use the 85 lines and just change to an oring (85) style screw in fitting into the back of the 67 pump.

Your rag joint may need to be changed to match the 85 box to your intermediate shaft or get an 85 intermediate shaft and rag joint. Don't give up, once you drive it, you will love it. The gm engineers really did a great job on the variable ratio box, the best of both worlds. Slower response in the center straight ahead position so it's not twitchy, and after turning past 1/4 left/right it responds quicker. This gives you casual highway driving with sporty response when needed. A quicker box with less turns is perfect for autocross, but when a few friends drive my truck a typical response is " god that drives nice"," I don't believe how good it handles, just right"

I went to auto schooling in the late 70's and rebuilt these box's and still love them!

[68c10airstream]

I should ask, is your 67 manual steering?? If so you may have to deal with the frame to bolt on the gearbox as i thought 68 was the first year for power steering. The pitman arm is different for a power steering box.

I don't want to confuse you but you can go to a junk yard and unbolt a complete crossmember with disc brake suspension, take the fitting out of the back of the pump and take the lines with you, unbolt the intermediate shaft from the column and basically roll out every thing you need to go to disc brakes, bigger ball joints, bigger tierod ends and thicker centerlink and grab the antisway bar and brackets while you are at it. If you stick with 8 lug wheels i believe you 67 wheels will bolt up to the newer stuff, not sure though.

All of the junk yard items will come from an 87 and older c20 pickup, and a 91 and older suburban.

[Nima]

Okay, thank you for all the information.
Yes, my 67 has manual box.
The donor box and the pump are all from the donor truck, therefore I am a little confused as to why I need O ring adaptor (hybrid) since the same model year box and pump are connecting together?!
The donor gear box has the original rag joint on it then I assume I just need to find the intermediate shaft?
Some of my questions still stand though, How can I ID this box based on the casting number and/or the numbers on the cover? Is it really from early 80 trucks? Is there a site that I can visit? Only information that I have found is just for casting number.
Second, what was the last year(s) that GM used V grove pulleys? Some picture of brackets to mount the pulley would be very helpful.
My 67 C20 has 8 lug disc on all 4 corners with upgraded sway bars. I kind of lug the 8 lug look therefore I would stick with what I have but if you are saying that later models front end/steering components are stronger and are bolts ons, I may just change those parts as I go.

[68c10airstream]

Take the gear box and turn it through the extreme left turn to the extreme right turn and count the total turns. If it's 3 1/2 turns i would install it. My stock 68 power steering gearbox had 5+ turns lock to lock. I believe our trucks were about the only gm application to be mounted outside the frame, all else was inside frame mounted.

Box and pump and lines all from the donor truck you are good to go.

Someone else can chime in and send pics regarding v groove pulley questions.

If this was my project the frame concerns would be the item to check out first and see if the p/s box will bolt on ok or need an adaptor or frame mods. Someone on ebay sells this frame chunk you may possibly need. These trucks would crack in this area or bolts loosen up and cause issues. Not trying to scare anyone, just a suggestion to start there and build up from there.

[Nima]

Thank you for the explanation.
CPP and Brothers truck sell adaptor plate for 67 trucks to mount the gear box without dimpling the frame but also I read on some threads here, captainfab is one of them I believe, that an adaptor doesn't really need to be used. I can just use 1/4" spacer (washer) instead. I guess 1/4" wouldn't cause any alignment issue is steering shaft and column.
I hope somebody chime in about the v groove pulley and I hope I see some pictures of the set up and power steering pump brackets.

[Jeff's bowtie's]

The rag joints are the same your column will bolt to it and those are the correct power steering pump brackets for the short water pump as far as the double groove pulley the belt should line up on one or the other groove

[54belair]

That particular gear is mid to late 60's-----I believe it is 3 1/2 turns. Same as mine-----look to see what type fittings it has----if its for flaired fitting its a 60's style.
FYI--- Ill give you a quick story about gears!! most rebuilders use the same gear for years from about 64 all the way up to the early 80's. They tell you they are direct fit----but that's not always true there is a slight diff. in mounting with the later gear and also the later gear does have O ring fittings.
I have ordered and sent back three gears because they keep sending later model castings (which I don't want), the parts store and the rebuilder cover their rears by saying "it'll fit----------just do this or do that or replace your lines and it'll fit fine. The part number you have was used up till about the end of 72.

[PanelDeland]

When I did my PS upgrade, I used a box from a 85-86 or so truck. I got the rag joint with it and bought a rag joint repair kit for the bolts and rubber. Then I used my original half from the 68 and the original half from the later box and rebuilt the middle. Upgrading to PS was a great choice but I wouldn't have done it without using the later box and getting VR and fewer turns LTL. The factory 68-72 is just too soft feeling for me. I used the later model hoses because I got them with the gearbox and made sure to get the fittings so they matched. They're a bit long but I plan on having some made to fit, I've just been working on other things and it works fine. I swapped the fitting from the later PS pump on to my earlier one and was set. I have a 250 and wanted to stay with the original pump because of the brackets.

[davischevy]

FWIW, the date on the cap is 0 18 71 ( Jan 18, 1971)