Manual to power steering .....

[hamjet]

Well, I don't really know how to start this thread other than tell you what I've done, and where I'm at. I've been telling myself for 2 years I was going to bite the bullet and go power steering, and finally did, this past week. All rebuilt parts from Rock Auto, which I always had good luck with. It took a few hours to do the swap, pretty straight forward. Then bleeding the system to get the air out. all done, now for the test drive, Oh boy happy happy. well, not quite. While it was a world of difference over the armstrong steering, I noticed a problem. while it steered easy, on a right hand turn it was effortless, almost too easy. I could do it with my pinkey, but to turn left, it took more effort. twice as hard. had to use my hand. drove for a little while trying to diagnose the problem in my head, I'm thinking allignment, something binding in the steering system, who knows.... So I just came in from checking it out. I went right for the throat. I jacked it up removed the pitman arm off the gear, started the truck and turned the wheel right, and then left. real easy to the right, definate drag turning to the left...Its in the gearbox. BUMMER! now what, I guess I have to contact Rock auto monday... Whats in the gear that would cause this, has anyone else had the same problem with a gearbox? Thanks for listening to my whine, Joe..

[kwmech]

Spend a little extra money and get a rebuilt PSC box

[ltdmstr]

Summit has rebuilt Delco units for pretty reasonable price and free shipping.

[hamjet]

Update on my power steering problem. I contacted Rock Auto for another steering gear, I installed it, and all's well. it worked fine. Then shipped the defective one back for a full refund, plus they paid return fees. They never gave me a problem. I still like ordering from them, and this is the first and hopefully the last problem I'll have. happy!

[LagunaGlide]

Out of curiousity, you just went online and ordered the parts from rock auto for a truck of the same year with power steering? I would like to put it on my '70, but just not sure what all I would really need.

[hamjet]

Yes, I did my homework by reading what others have done to switch to power steering. My only issue was I said it was for a 350 c.i. engine, where as mine is a 348, 1960 vintage. so I had to buy a p.s. pump bracket for the 348. everything else was for our trucks.

[72blu]

Glad you got your problem sorted. I am thinking of doing the power steering upgrade as well on my truck. ive done some research of my own and from what ive read all i need is a power steering box and the matching pitman arm. I'm hoping its all fresh in your head and you could confirm what im thinking. thanks.

[hamjet]

Originally Posted by 72blu

Glad you got your problem sorted. I am thinking of doing the power steering upgrade as well on my truck. ive done some research of my own and from what ive read all i need is a power steering box and the matching pitman arm. I'm hoping its all fresh in your head and you could confirm what im thinking. thanks.

I ordered the gear,( which came with a new rag joint on it), pump, pressure hose, return hose, MOOG pitman arm, a nut to fasten the pitman arm to the gear, all for our year trucks. the pump mounting bracket for my engine specific, and I thought I needed a stepback pump pulley but didn't so a standard pulley that accepts keyway, (the modern pulleys are pressed on). and a 9/16ths nut to fasten the pulley to the pump.(not included with pump) I didn't have core returns because of going from manual to power steering so I had to eat that cost. hope this helped....EDIT: I might add, I went with the 4 turn versus the 3.5 turn, I felt the improvement over the many turns of manual steering to the power steering was a vast improvement. plus I don't personally feel the 1/2 less turn will bother me that much..

[tim_mc]

Glad to hear it worked out. I used power steering pump, ACDelco 19319936 from Summit, and a Lares 3-1/4 turn gearbox from RockAuto. Steers like a dream!

I had some trial and error with the pump bracket and pulleys on my short water pump setup. I used this bracket I got on eBay to mount the power steering pump to the block, along with a 2-groove pulley, using the outer groove to the 3-groove crank pulley. The belts line up great.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Driver-Side...item23bc488234

[LagunaGlide]

Originally Posted by tim_mc

Glad to hear it worked out. I used power steering pump, ACDelco 19319936 from Summit, and a Lares 3-1/4 turn gearbox from RockAuto. Steers like a dream!

I had some trial and error with the pump bracket and pulleys on my short water pump setup. I used this bracket I got on eBay to mount the power steering pump to the block, along with a 2-groove pulley, using the outer groove to the 3-groove crank pulley. The belts line up great.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Driver-Side...item23bc488234

Did the Lares 3-1/4 turn come with the rag joint? I am planning to do mine real soon.