02-05-2009, 10:49 PM | #1 |
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power assist steering
has any one ever heard of power assist steering? i found a frame yesterday at a local yard, it has what the owner calls power assist steering. it looked like a big cluster f*** to me. the frame was a 67 and it had a hydraulic cylinder to move the steering back and forth. was this a weird factory option, a dealer item or an aftermarket add on? i never saw anything like it and i am curious to know what it is. sorry no pics i didnt think to take my camera i was only there to pick up my trans. mike
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02-05-2009, 10:50 PM | #2 |
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Re: power assist steering
That's 67 only power steering. It looks weird when you are used to the newer power steering setups.
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02-05-2009, 11:01 PM | #3 |
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Re: power assist steering
My 68 1/2 ton has it, my dad was the 2nd owner and bought it with 60k on the clock(now has 72k). the old guy bought it and ordered it with power strg. I removed it and installed a standard system.
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02-05-2009, 11:03 PM | #4 |
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Re: power assist steering
I should have more correctly stated, on the 67-72 era the ram-assist will be the factory power steering on all 67's and some early 68's. Later 68's will have the newer style power steering.
BTW - the 67 style is fairly rare, if you can get that setup at a decent price jump on it.
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02-05-2009, 11:13 PM | #5 | |
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Re: power assist steering
Quote:
71swb4X4 is right. The same system was used on the 60-66 body style trucks as well, but I unsure of what year it was actually introduced.
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'67 C-30 Dually Pickup 6.2 Turbo Diesel, NP435 ‘72 C-10 SWB , 350 4bbl, TH350 '69 C-10 SWB , 250 L6, 3 OTT '69 GMC C3500, dump truck, 351 V6, NP435 '84 M1009 CUCV Military Blazer 67 C-30 Turbodiesel build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=254096 My trucks http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...ediafilter=all Member of the 1-Ton Club! Last edited by 67_C-30; 02-05-2009 at 11:14 PM. |
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02-05-2009, 11:22 PM | #6 |
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Re: power assist steering
And on Corvettes from the 60's to the 80's.
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02-05-2009, 11:26 PM | #7 |
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Re: power assist steering
Wow! I didn't know that! What year did it debut? I'm assuming it was probably available for the Vettes before the trucks, right?
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'67 C-30 Dually Pickup 6.2 Turbo Diesel, NP435 ‘72 C-10 SWB , 350 4bbl, TH350 '69 C-10 SWB , 250 L6, 3 OTT '69 GMC C3500, dump truck, 351 V6, NP435 '84 M1009 CUCV Military Blazer 67 C-30 Turbodiesel build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=254096 My trucks http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...ediafilter=all Member of the 1-Ton Club! |
02-05-2009, 11:32 PM | #8 |
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Re: power assist steering
Something to this effect. This is for a chevy II. 67 trucks had it and I had a complete unit at one time and sold it years ago.
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1971 LWB Custom, 6.0LS & 4L80E, Speedhut.com GPS speedometer & gauges with A/C. 20" Boss 338's Grey wheels 4 wheel disc brakes. My Driver Seeing the USA in a 71 Upstate SC GM Truck Club 2013,14 and 2016 Hot Rod Pour Tour http://upstategmtrucks.com/ Get out and drive the truck this summer and have some fun! It sucks not being able to hear! LWB trucks rule, if you don't think so measure your SWB! After talking to tech support at Air Lift I have found out that the kit I need is 60811. Per the measurements I gave them. Ride height of truck inside spring and inside diameter of springs. Last edited by Andy4639; 02-05-2009 at 11:33 PM. |
02-05-2009, 11:33 PM | #9 |
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Re: power assist steering
I believe it was a 1963 - 1982 deal in Corvettes. I wouldn't bet money on those years, but I "think" that's correct.
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02-06-2009, 12:45 AM | #10 |
its all about the +6 inches
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Re: power assist steering
i think the monzas had it too.
It's actiually a junk system. |
02-06-2009, 01:17 AM | #11 |
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Re: power assist steering
Hmm...I threw my system out....shoulda hung on to it, it was one of those moving to a new house deals...
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02-06-2009, 02:38 AM | #12 |
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Re: power assist steering
Power assist came on alot of different makes from the late 50's to late 60's.. Ford used them in their big cars till the mid sixtes.. Mustangs had it till 73.. Granada's had till the late 70's.. Corvettes till the late 70's early 80's, Studebaker had it from 59 till their demise in 66.. Avanti II's used it till 83..
It does work.. although it is not "power steering" as you may know it, usually alway leaks.. On the 60's chevy trucks it is weird to drive if you not used to it as they used a normal "Manual box" with the assist.. and it is way too many turns lock to lock. although easy to turn you still wonder if your going to make it around a tight corner before you run out of arm to turn the wheel!! Here's the setup like the one you found in the parts yard.. |
02-06-2009, 08:08 AM | #13 |
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Re: power assist steering
In less I had a spid that said it had it and was going for the correct restroration I'd leave it alone and do the later version of power steering.
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1971 LWB Custom, 6.0LS & 4L80E, Speedhut.com GPS speedometer & gauges with A/C. 20" Boss 338's Grey wheels 4 wheel disc brakes. My Driver Seeing the USA in a 71 Upstate SC GM Truck Club 2013,14 and 2016 Hot Rod Pour Tour http://upstategmtrucks.com/ Get out and drive the truck this summer and have some fun! It sucks not being able to hear! LWB trucks rule, if you don't think so measure your SWB! After talking to tech support at Air Lift I have found out that the kit I need is 60811. Per the measurements I gave them. Ride height of truck inside spring and inside diameter of springs. |
02-06-2009, 04:31 PM | #14 |
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Re: power assist steering
I have a 68 with that steering. What donor truck or parts do I NEED TO UPGRADE? That steering is all over the place! If it's rare i'll trade someone for the parts I need.
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02-06-2009, 08:23 PM | #15 |
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Re: power assist steering
I'll tell you what a nut I am: I actually added this type of power steering to my '67! I wanted the correct power steering (those V-6's are HEAVY on the front wheels) and didn't want to modify my chassis. I got lucky on Ebay and here on this board and found all the parts (the control valves and cylinders are available both new and rebuilt). The bracket to mount the pump on a V-6 is tough to find.
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1967 GMC CM-2500 Camper Cruiser, 351E V-6, NP 435 4 speed, Dana 60, and factory A/C. 2012 GMC K-3500 WT regular cab, 6.0L Vortec, 6L90. |
02-07-2009, 12:54 AM | #16 |
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Re: power assist steering
A friend of mine has a '59 Elky, and his wife has a '63 Impala; they were both originally equipped with the "ram assist" power steering, and then "upgraded" to the newer power steering.
The Impala is a bit "twitchy" with the later power steering, so the wife doesn't like driving it. I got to drive the car to 2 local, amateur car shows, and the steering is a mite quicker than you'd expect on a car of that size. I think a rack & pinion upgrade is in the works for the Impala. I hope that helps somebody, or anybody. L.J.
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'69 Chevy 1/2 T LWB Stepper: Daily Beater '72 GMC 3/4 T Fleet: Another Daily Beater '72 Plymouth Gran Coupe: ? "Ah women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent." Friedrich Nietzsche "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day." Harry S. Truman GUN CONTROL: Never having to say, "I missed you." Always fire two warning shots into your attacker's chest area before putting a bullet between his eyes. Paraphrased from Louis Awerbuck |
02-07-2009, 01:07 AM | #17 | |
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Re: power assist steering
Quote:
You would need a power steering box and hoses for an upgrade.. the easiest would be find a 69 - 72 truck and get it all.. or you can use the power steering box itself off of any 69 - 80 GM 2WD truck. I also have a complete power assist assembly that I do not need off of a 68 chev V8. complete with pump and hoses |
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02-07-2009, 02:02 AM | #18 | |
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Re: power assist steering
Quote:
Dude, if I ever get to the PNW, I'd just love to drop in and wander through your "collection!"
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'69 Chevy 1/2 T LWB Stepper: Daily Beater '72 GMC 3/4 T Fleet: Another Daily Beater '72 Plymouth Gran Coupe: ? "Ah women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent." Friedrich Nietzsche "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day." Harry S. Truman GUN CONTROL: Never having to say, "I missed you." Always fire two warning shots into your attacker's chest area before putting a bullet between his eyes. Paraphrased from Louis Awerbuck |
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03-02-2009, 08:10 PM | #19 |
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Re: power assist steering
where can I find parts to rebuild my ram assist power steering?
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03-02-2009, 08:19 PM | #20 | |
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Re: power assist steering
Quote:
I used to have to work on those ram setups every once in a while and they are a pain to get regulated right after you reseal one. And as someone mentined they are a leak looking for a place to happen. If they don't leak now they will pretty soon if you drive the rig any at all. Last edited by mr48chev; 03-02-2009 at 08:22 PM. |
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03-02-2009, 10:11 PM | #21 | |
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Re: power assist steering
Quote:
I'm way more than a bit inclined to agree with you. Sometime in the distant past, somebody installed PS in my '69. It's a bit quicker than you would expect from a truck of that vintage, but not bad, especially once ya get used to it. But that Impala is even a bit faster. If driven on a daily basis, it would be just fine. Humans can adapt to things on a real quick basis. But it only gets driven to local car shows & what not; so nobody is used to it. My friend is virtually blind, so he can't drive. His wife doesn't like driving the car a whole lot, so when it does get driven, driving duties are generally relegated to whomever is available at that particular time.
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'69 Chevy 1/2 T LWB Stepper: Daily Beater '72 GMC 3/4 T Fleet: Another Daily Beater '72 Plymouth Gran Coupe: ? "Ah women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent." Friedrich Nietzsche "Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day." Harry S. Truman GUN CONTROL: Never having to say, "I missed you." Always fire two warning shots into your attacker's chest area before putting a bullet between his eyes. Paraphrased from Louis Awerbuck |
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