1967 Power Steering upgrade in to non Power Steering Truck

[jayssunm]

So I am gathering information and parts to potentially upgrade my 1967 SWB to power steering. I have the mechanically ability, but not sure I can do the "notch" in the frame that is necessary to put a PS pump on a non PS truck.

Has anyone done this? How hard? Time? Tools necessary?

Or is there a non PS steering box that I can use to upgrade the sloppy steering and horrible control without jumping through all these hoops?

[68gmsee]

When I first read the title I thought you meant upgrading to "non power steering."

Yes, there's several people that have done the "notch." A good mallet and oxy/acetylene torch is something people have used. Others have simply cut and rewelded.

I'm not exactly sure of the procedures they used but I think before you go through all of that, you need to make absolutely sure all of your front end is checked and/or redone. If you have any worn parts power steering is going to accentuate that sloppy feel.

[67Slider]

Heat and a BFH! I did the swap on my 67 and it was pretty easy overall. Some people have used washers to space the box out enough. The reviews go both ways on that. If you have concerns about heating and notching then try the washers first. If you dont like it you can always go back and do it with the heat and BFH.

[LockDoc]

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I used spacers on one of my 67's and haven't had any problems. I am planning on doing the same with my Green '67 when I put PS on it. I didn't use washers, I used solid steel spacers and grade 8 bolts. Keep the box as close to the frame as you can get it without touching.

LockDoc

[gysgtc]

I just did mine and it only took 3 thin washers on each bolt.

[Kid]

I upgraded my 68 from slave cylinder power, to late model power steering box. Not hard to do at all. My experiance with spacers was that the alignment with the steering col. was a little off & didn't like that. So I held the steering box next to frame to mark where the frame interfered. Then I heated up the frame at the localized area with a torch, & beat a dip in frame with a BFH. Only took about a 1/4" or less. I also had to clearance the radiator mount support to clear the power steering box. I think you'll find that the clearanced frame method looks better than spacers or washers. "my opinion"

[stsalvage]

1968 dose not have the problem my 1967 suburban has that problem i used a ball ping hammer and beat mine in and later talked to longhorn man and he said Wrong.You put unneeded stress on the frame and you can crack the frame so now i have to beat it back and weld the plates in and do it the right way But i have a 1972 suburban chassis that i might use its a 3/4 ton but i will just swap the spindles and rear end.Mine came with a power assisted ram on mine

[Kid]

Originally Posted by stsalvage

1968 dose not have the problem my 1967 suburban has that problem i used a ball ping hammer and beat mine in and later talked to longhorn man and he said Wrong.You put unneeded stress on the frame and you can crack the frame so now i have to beat it back and weld the plates in and do it the right way But i have a 1972 suburban chassis that i might use its a 3/4 ton but i will just swap the spindles and rear end.Mine came with a power assisted ram on mine

1968 models seemed to be a cross over year, during my research when I was redoing my 68, I found that a 68 model could have the frame without the dimple & some had the dimple (mine didn't). As for unneeded stress, been driven daily for 9 years now, no crack yet... As 67Slider said, the reviews go both ways...

[Average Joe]

I added power steering on my 67 283 'Burb and did not have to dimple the frame. It already had the raised bosses. I was fully prepared to do it, but was very happy when I discovered I did not have to. BTW I used a power steering box off a 86 3/4 Burb and pump and brackets off a '68 Impala that had a 307 with short water pump. I had to swap the fitting on the back of the pump for the metric threaded fitting. ( I got that idea from TX Firefighter.) I already had the 86 pump so it did not cost anything. It would seem that my story about the frame is not common since it is a 67 and everything I have read on here says that the frame should not have had the raised bosses on it. To the best of my knowledge it is an original frame.

[abilityonline]

All, I'm wanting to do this for my 68 chevy c50. It has no power steering at the moment. Question: Have you seen another model chevy that matches up well? Do all the c series trucks have the same pitman size or did they do something different with these larger models?