72 Blazer - Power Steering Conversion

[PDXk5]

I'm in the process of ordering parts for my winter project of converting from manual to power steering. I was ordering parts from Classic Industries when I learned that they no longer carry the quick ratio 4x4 power steering gear box. Dang.

Any recommendations? I checked LMC and Truck stop - neither carry the quick ratio. I was ideally going to stick with all GM parts but want to get the parts ordered so I'm ready fairly quick. Anyone have a source to recommend or have familarity with this after market company?

http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_in...ducts_id/17189

Is this a direct bolt in? Any issues? Anyone used this before? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[bouncytruck]

Call Wes at Classicheartbeat.com in Olympia and see what he has/knows.

[PDXk5]

Thanks BouncyTruck. I just shot Wes an email and will call him in the morning.
I'm going up that way on the 15th to meet a client in Algona. Still doing fact finding - getting closer. Found a source to rebuild and convert power steering boxes to a quick ratio, so if I can obtain an old ps box I can have it rebuilt to my needs.
Sounds like Wes is a good resource. I have questions about using the CPP small block powersteering pump (19-6168SB-6P), maybe he can give me some unbiased advice. CPP lists it as for a small block application, which I have but I see other dealers denote a difference for 4x4's. I wonder what the difference is. Seems like it should bolt right up. I wonder if the 4x4 version is more robust or something?

I'll post when I get everything figured out or run into more questions.

[bouncytruck]

Franks Pickups is in the same area as Wes. He doesn't phone/internet orders.

[BlazinC5]

you can also check out redhead steering gears in Seattle. Ive herd good things about them.

http://redheadsteeringgears.com/

[mcmlxix]

I bought a RedHead box and loved it... Now I'm going crossover and need a 2WD box... Look for my setup in the calssifieds some time next week....

[PDXk5]

Thanks guys. I'll check out Franks and Redhead Box.

I'll post the outcome.

[PDXk5]

I have finally completed my winter project(s): the Power Steering converison and associated work. Here are the before and after photos of my work in progress.

I converted the manual steering to power steering, put in a new tilt steering column, installed a leather wrapped smaller diamter steering wheel, replaced the brake booster, degreased the engine and hoses, dressed the exhaust manifold and master cylinder and powder coated a number of black parts in the engine bay.

I took it for a test drive yesterday. The rig started first try - first time I have started it since I put it in the garage for the winter projects. Steering column worked great, power steering worked great too BUT I apparently still have three things to sort out.

1. I still have tons of play in the steering.

2. The canceling cam apparently needs to be adjusted - the left turn signal turns off after completing a left turn but the right signal stays on after completing right turn (unless manualy turned off).

3. I'm having trouble getting the horn adjusted - it either is too senstive and sounds without touching horn button or after tweaking won't sound at all.

I'm thinking I can solve the horn and signal - just some tinkering to get it right. However, I'm a bit disappointed with the loose steering. I wanted to make the rig more comfortable to drive and figured that a tilt column and power steering would help and that during this change would help reduce or eliminate the loose steering. It doesn't seem to have changed - almost seems worse - because of the ease of turning the wheels now I suppose.

I had looked at the steering components before starting this - that is the connections of the outer tie rod ends to the tie rod and the drag link but they all appeared tight.

I checked the components a little more this evening and noticed that the tie rod actually rotates fairly easily by hand. It rotates in the grease boot. Not in the direction of connection point but back in forth back toward the rear of the truck or front depending on which way you are rotating it by hand. I'm geussing this is not supposed to be like this and I missed it when I looked before. Can someone confirm - thinking I'm going to purchase some new tie rod outers this week and install this weekend. I rechecked the drag links as well. The front one (connected to the pitman arm) is new and seems solid. The rear one, has a tiny amount of movement (again rotating it - not in the direction it is suppose to move but pulling up on it on one side or another). I suppose it might be good to replace this one as well. One more question. I purchased a new pitman arm for my rebuilt power steering gear box and notice that while it has been tightend to the specified torque actually slides up the grooved spline coming out of the gear box (about a 1/16 of an inch). I'm geussing it should not do this. Should I just continue to torque the pitman arm securing bolt until it snugs down (if it does) or is the pitman arm hole perhaps too large of diameter?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


0 - Original Undercarriage by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


1 - Cleaned Undercarriage by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


2-Original Alternator by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


3-Alternator with Powder Coated Brackets by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


4 - Original Exhaust Manifold by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


5 - Dressed Exhaust Manifold by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


6 - Original Manual Steering Gear Box by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


7 - Power Steering Gear Box by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


8 - Original Steering Column and Wheel by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


9 - Tilt Steering Column and Wheel by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


10 - Original Engine Bay by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


11 - Current Engine Bay by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


12 - Rebuilt Radiator, Powder Coated Fan Etc. by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr


13 by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr

[PDXk5]

PLAY IS GONE !

I re-torqued the PS Gear Box and ensured that cast peak on the rag joint pointed up when the tires were facing straight and whola ..... No more play.

Took it for a test drive and love it. This truck is going to be a fun project.

I don't know if I can mention business names on here or not. The guy that sold me the PS gear box, pump, hoses and NOS Saginaw rag joint rocks. I developed two problems when doing this conversion and he helped resolve both of them. The first one was a problem with the hose - the second one was diagnoising the steering play and correcting it.


Casting Mark by Luftwaffepdx, on Flickr

He had me check the casting peak - and let me know it had to be up so that its rise was aligned between the two hose ports. Something to do with the way the internals work on the gear box - if its not up, the steering will feeler looser (as the bearings are already trying to help turn ...). He also suggested I have a helper turn the wheels with the turck running and watch for parts moving. Moving when/how they were not supposed to. I did and wow, Gear Box moved a lot. I checked the frame, did not see any cracks, re-torqued the 4 mounting bolts and as I did realized that I had either not torqued them to the factory spec before or did it wrong. After re-torqueing them to 65 lbs per ft - it didn't move anymore and test drive proved successful.

I'm really enjoying this build project and can check this first task off or almost. I still need to figure out whats going on with the horn and right turn signal. I spent some time with this yesterday. The canceling spring on the top (for the right turn signal) just bends up and out of the way of the nodes with the canceling cam rotates by it. The left one works and when I watch it, I see it does not move up away from the contact with the canceling cam nodes. This is a brand new CPP steering column - I don't want to take the whole assembly out for a return. I'm hoping something can be adjusted or replaced so I can leave what I have asembled. Anyone have experience with working on canceling cams, the springs and etc?

I have pretty carefully checked out what is going on and the conditions. The spring for the left signal actually moves close to the shaft center when clicked on. The right signal moves close but not as close (perhaps allowing cam nodes to pass by without turning off the signal). Pretty cool engineering but fussy.

Any hlep would be greatly appreciated.

[Kg6yll]

Looks great! Where did you buy the new pump?

[PDXk5]

http://www.powersteering.com/products.htm

Chip is very helpful. Not the cheapest you can find but he is knowledgeable and does great work!