Need help on going from manual steering to power steering in my 71 c10

[James71c10]

Hey everyone i have a 1971 c10 that is all manual everything. And i want to be able to drive it and enjoy it more. So im wanting to swap to power steering. Really all im wanting to ask is what all do i need? I heard steering gear box, pump, hoses, and brackets? Is that all i need or is there more. And just stock set ups. Im not doing anything after market. Thank you guys!

[jons70]

Best to find yourself a donor truck with everything you need. Make sure you get The Pitman arm because it's not the same from a manual box to a power box. Pulleys on your motor might also be a problem, again where the donor truck comes in. A lot of guys on the site have many used parts for these trucks, checkout the parts board. It's easy if you have all the parts you need, pump brackets and pulleys are the hardest thing to find and they're around. Everything else is available from most auto parts suppliers.
Good luck

Jon

[James71c10]

Thanks Jon! Ill keep an eye out for all that stuff. Oh and i do have a crank pulley that came off an 83 that had power steering. Would that pulley work okay?

[wreckedchevy]

that's how I did mine stole the pump with bracket and gearbox and arm from a 70 c20 and stuck it on my 69 it was a piece of cake to install and best upgrade ever now that I live in the "big" city

[wreckedchevy]

is your truck v8 or 6

[James71c10]

Originally Posted by wreckedchevy

that's how I did mine stole the pump with bracket and gearbox and arm from a 70 c20 and stuck it on my 69 it was a piece of cake to install and best upgrade ever now that I live in the "big" city

Thanks all do that. Actually just a little bit ago i had i buddy offer a complete set up off his 71 also. So im set, do you know if a crank pulley from an 83 would work on mine?

[James71c10]

Originally Posted by wreckedchevy

is your truck v8 or 6

It has the 350 in it.

[wreckedchevy]

this is mine hope it helps

[jons70]

You just have to make sure the pulley groves line up with your water pump pulley and alternator pulley. The power steering pump is driven by the crank pulley only on the inner grove, so as long as the crank pulley's outer grove on the one you have from the 83 lines up with the others you should be fine. Donor truck is a sure thing because the pump brackets you get, might not allow the pump to line up with the lower pulley correctly using that 83 crank pulley. Best not to mix match parts from many different trucks.

[James71c10]

Originally Posted by wreckedchevy

this is mine hope it helps

Attachment 1139950

That actually helps alot becasue that pulley looks alot like the one i have. Oh is your water pump the short or long style?

[James71c10]

Originally Posted by jons70

You just have to make sure the pulley groves line up with your water pump pulley and alternator pulley. The power steering pump is driven by the crank pulley only on the inner grove, so as long as the crank pulley's outer grove on the one you have from the 83 lines up with the others you should be fine. Donor truck is a sure thing because the pump brackets you get, might not allow the pump to line up with the lower pulley correctly using that 83 crank pulley. Best not to mix match parts from many different trucks.

Thanks man i appreciate it! Ill keep all that in mind.

[jons70]

Wreckedchevy has the long style water pump by the look of the picture. I'd get everything you can off your buddy with the 71 and see if it all goes together

[PanelDeland]

Mount the pump and pulleys and check for alignment and clearance.Get it all right but don't install the belt permanently.Once you have that all sorted out and matched up,you can add the gearbox and hoses.This way you can drive the truck until you get everything to work.

[wreckedchevy]

yep it' s a long water pump

[James71c10]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

Mount the pump and pulleys and check for alignment and clearance.Get it all right but don't install the belt permanently.Once you have that all sorted out and matched up,you can add the gearbox and hoses.This way you can drive the truck until you get everything to work.

Okay thank you! I appreciate it!

[James71c10]

Originally Posted by wreckedchevy

yep it' s a long water pump

Okay cool thanks man. I have all the same exact pulleys you do so i might as well swap out my short style water pump for the long style. If it doesnt work with the short style that is.