Power Steering Upgrade-Part 3-It's working too good. Need help.

[ubtripn]

Hi everyone,

So I completed my PS upgrade, jacked my truck up, went lock to lock 30 times engine off then on, checked fluid and topped off. No leaks at all. Here is the deal, it is a 1976 steering gear which is when they switched to quick ratio or 2.5 turns lock to lock. I don't know if that is the cause but it is working too good. What I mean is that you barely have to turn the wheel and it goes that direction fast. I think they are suppossed to provide assistance less the faster you go but mine does not. You can be doing 30 to 40 turn the wheel 4 inches to the left or right and it goes that way and then some fast. It would be fine if you didn't have to react quickly to an emergency in the road but the way it is now if you moved the wheel 4 inches to miss a pedestrian you are going to end up in the ditch. It just doesn't feel right. It could just be that I now only have to go 2.5 lock to lock and now have power steering but I don't think that is it.

Could it be my pulley size?

How many inches should it be?

Physics wise wouldn't a smaller ps pulley help? Somebody had said my ps pulley was too big and I could see this causing the problem?

Please help =( I have worked so long on this and there are no leaks or anything, this I did not expect. I put a pic during assembly below to show the pulley, I think somebody had said it's too big.

[jlane_87]

When I first got my truck the steering seemed really loose, overly sensitive, and once I turned a little bit, it would keep following that way on it's own. What fixed mine was a new rag joint and an alignment- I think I had too much toe out. Have you had the alignment checked?

[ubtripn]

I haven't good point, I will do that. I am also thinking of a stabilizer kit too but I am still wondering about proper pulley size.

[boundstaffpress]

if it is working too well, then a larger pulley would make it work less well. It would take more belt to make a full revolution of the pump. I don't think it is your pulley. More likely it is your alignment.
Were the pump and gearbox out of a working truck? Were they a match pair? Same vehicle? Start by establishing a few more knowns, and then you can work on your variables.

[5150.4.67]

Some boxes were variable ratio, depending on where you were centered. Less reaction when the pitman was in the middle of its travel, and more responsive at the end of its travel. I am not sure they used them on trucks. Are you sure it was a factory unit?

[70STOVEBOLT]

I experienced the same kind of thing when I converted mine, but it just took a little time to get used to, now it seems normal.

[ubtripn]

The gear came out of a 76 GMC that had supposedly recently been re-manufactured and the pump is a remanned unit from O'reilies. I agree on the pulley size not really being a factor. I was looking at it wrong, a stearing gear runs on pressure from the pulley and when the pressure gets too high it releases it back to the reservoir.

I am going to start with alignment since I just replaced the ball joints and tie rod ends then did my own. I can only adjust one angle, they can do them all I heard.

[pumpkin]

If it takes off kinda by itself, its a spool valve problem in the box. If it does this both ways its probably a broken torsion spring, if it does it one way then the spring is bent.

[ubtripn]

It really doesn't take off on its own but it is ultra-sensitive. Also, I filled the pump with new fluid but could not get the old fluid out of the steering gear before install so should I syphon the pump out now that it has all mixed together add put new in again?

[MudBug]

Is there any difference in the alignment spec between manual and power steering?

[Classic Heartbeat]

Looking at your avatar, it looks like you have a 67 Chevy. If that is true, then did you dimple the frame? If not that is your problem. Spacing the steering gear away from thr frame in order to be able to bolt it in place causes the gear to run off center. As a result of that your steering will feel ultra sencitive. WES

[Classic Heartbeat]

Also variable ratio gears are start out slow and the more you turn the quicker they get. WES

[406 Q-ship]

Alignment is the area I would look. If you redid the front suspension then the caster is probably negative (could be toe out too). Negative caster (or toe out) will make the truck wander down the highway with little to no on center feel along with being very easy to turn the steering. Maunal steering vehicle also are set with negative caster to make it easier to turn the wheel at low speed, it is the reason these trucks came with such large steering wheels. The pulley size isn't the issue, there is really only one PS pulley diameter for cars and light truck chevy engines.

[ubtripn]

Its a 68 so I didn't have to dimple.

Thanks for the info on the variable ratio.

I just drove it again, I think it is alignment. Still not sure if I should flush it or not since the gear is from a junkyard.

[ubtripn]

I see, and thanks for the pulley info. Sounds like an alignment is the place to start. At least there is little play left, 3/4 inch.

[ubtripn]

Little to no on-center feel and easier to turn definitely fits. It does track fairly straight though. Can you have negative caster and still track straight? I just did the manual tape measure alignment adjusting the sleeves on the outer tie rod ends.

[aztim1968]

I was just wondering if you had fixed the problem? I have a complete conversion sitting in front of me and I am wondering if your problem will happen to me.

[GASoline71]

Are there differences in steering wheel size from factory P/S equipped trucks and factory non-P/S equipped trucks? I know when I drive my Dad's '70 C10... it doesn't have power steering from the factory, and his factory steering wheel is huge. Makes a tight fit on the lap with a non tilt column.

My '72 GMC 1500 SC has factory power steering and the factory steering wheel is smaller in size. So I wonder if a larger steering wheel from the factory would add to the feeling of "quickness" that you are experiencing since you added power steering.

Gary

[Classic Heartbeat]

If your frame has no dimple in it for clearance for the powerstearing gear, how did you bolt it to the frame? Spacers? If so your gear is running off center. Been there done that and have fixed several other truck with the exact same issue. WES

[brad_man_72]

he said it was already dimpled wes. It's a 68.
if their is a prolem it's probably caster or toe related. My 76 box doesn't feel too quick, but then again I like quick steering.

[71meangreenc10]

Originally Posted by 406 Q-ship

Alignment is the area I would look. If you redid the front suspension then the caster is probably negative (could be toe out too). Negative caster (or toe out) will make the truck wander down the highway with little to no on center feel along with being very easy to turn the steering. Maunal steering vehicle also are set with negative caster to make it easier to turn the wheel at low speed, it is the reason these trucks came with such large steering wheels. The pulley size isn't the issue, there is really only one PS pulley diameter for cars and light truck chevy engines.

Exactly, and most shops dont want to re-adjust the caster (and usually cant find the specs)

Smitty

[Classic Heartbeat]

he said it was already dimpled wes. It's a 68.

I went and reread his responce. I read it wrong, I thought he said it didn't have the dimple. I should learn to slow my reading down... WES