power steering

[Weezer4117]

Getting my truck all prepped for winter: changed all fluids, rebuilt my western unimount snowplow pump, and greased everything up. Without the plow on the truck the steering isnt to bad. With it on, it is a bear to say the least. Especially in tight spots or working around structures. I have decided that I want to install power steering. I need some sources for parts or perhaps some of you have parts??? What all will I need? I will do the install myself im just not sure what parts I need to get... Thanks

 

[Hal_VT]

That was just about the first thing I did to my M882 after I got it. It's a night and aday difference, before and after. The fact that my manual box was just about bone dry didn't improve its perfomance either.

What you need is a donor vehicle. Any civilian W-100 through W-300 with factory power steering, from about '76-'79. I am not certain of the exact years. You can just take everything PS related and swap it right in. I did mine in less than an afternoon.

The steering box will go in easier if you unbolt the column and move it up a little, but I didn't want to disturb mine and snuck the box in, sort of a heavy Chinese puzzle. My engine already had a spare pulley on the crank for the auxiliary alternator, which I was removing anyway. I left the aux alternator mount in place to mount my plow pump on. This mount shares a bolt hole with the PS pump bracket, so it required a little fiddling to get everything lined up. One of those mounting bolts goes into the water jacket, so I tried a quick install with coolant running down my sleeve, gave up and drained it down. If you keep the aux. alternator bracket for any reason, it has to be trimmed to clear the PS pump filler neck and cap. I didn't cut mine quite enough, and it is a little tricky to check/add PS fluid.

For plowing, it might be a good idea to add a PS cooler, I didn't, and have gotten away with it so far (four years, forty plus driveways every storm, split between two or three trucks, depending on what's broken.)

 

[nattieleather]

Basically the power steering gear and the pump and hoses from a mid 70's dodge W200. Of if you want go to the auto parts store and get those parts from them...will cost you more, but they will most likely be rebuilt items so that could be a plus.

 

[Weezer4117]

I was hoping i could find a donor truck in my home town but it isnt looking to good. The 8' western plow on the front is a lot of fun to manovior in tight spots with manual steering!!! Im just going to have to be patient, wich is hard for me, and wait. Im sure something will pop up.. Thanks guys....

 

[MatthewH]

Hasn't this been covered before, I'm sure it has been covered before, anybody, everybody hasn't this been covered before?










Anyway, the easiest route is to find a donor truck or a good scrap/ pick and pull yard. Either way you go, get everything from that donor truck, every last nut and bolt, shafts etc. If you go with a mid 70's donor, the steering shaft from the column to the box will be the same, but get it anyways, may be in better shape, along with the idler shaft from the box to the axle. I found it easier to keep the lines plumbed in to the box, sometimes on the older vehicles they leak once you undo them and won't seal afterwards.

You can use a steering setup from an 80's to '93 steering setup, but there are a few differences, AS LONG AS YOU GET ALL THE PARTS, pump, brackets, box, steering shaft, idler shaft, etc it works. I'm currently running a setup off a '92 W350, I had to modify the steering shaft, as the rag joint on the '92 is at the steering column end, where the 70's are at the box end, you can buy a aftermarket shaft, or modify yours like I did. If you search for HMMWV tires on an M880, you'll find a thread where I did this, with pics.

Some tips,

Any steering setup off a Dodge truck or Ramcharger/Trailduster will work, as long as its 4 wheel drive, and it has a 318. Includes W100/150, W200/250, W300/350

Because you are replacing the box, you don't have to loosen up the steering column, but you have to insert the steering shaft before hand, as it dosent collapse enough to install later.

Refrain from spinning the wheel after it is disconnected from the box. Doing so will break the horn parts and it will work intermintally or not at all.

If you want to run HMMWV tires, you will have to adjust the steering stop on the drivers side of the axle, as the pitman arm fits nicely into the lugs of the tires and will cause damage. This is only on non-lifted trucks, haven't lifted mine, so cant speak to that setup.

If all else fails, search on here, this has been done several times and has been asked several times. Lots of info with pics

Good Luck

 

[Weezer4117]

i did some searching and didnt have much luck in my specific application, sorry I will look some more. also i was attempting to see if anyone had parts on the forum........ Thanks for the tips!!!

 

[Bob H]

Parts for this are not easy to find.

if you get a power steering box from a 75-77 4wd, Ramcharger/Pickup, it is a direct swap,
make sure to get the pitman arm with it, (the'75-'77 PS pitman arm is not available new!)
it can be done with any 72 to 93 4wd donor truck, just requires more parts like Matt said.

and yes this has been covered a dozen or so times before.

 

[Weezer4117]

Perhaps i should have placed this in the wanted/parts ad, thanks for everything guys.....

 

[Weezer4117]

I forgot to mention that I have $700 in the truck and plow!! I almost fell out of my chair laughing so hard!!!

 

[Weezer4117]

found a 78 W100 and W200 7 miles down the road... both donors