add on power steering project

[IOPort51]

first post and first picture.



It seems that the 4.0 head sets just a bit higher than the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l . this resulted in cutting the back pump mount and adding about 3/4" to it.

look closely and you can see where it has been cut and re welded.

the good news is the pulleys line up perfectly.

 

[IOPort51]

Nothing is ever as easy as it first looks.

Words to live by.

A little help is needed guys. I am about to drop the manual steering box and put up the power steering box and it would look like the mount will have to be removed from the frame before all the bolts can be removed from the actuator itself. The tricky part comes in where the bolts holding the mount to the frame are the same bolts holding the spring hanger to the frame. This, of course, requires a very different jack stand placement to keep the strain static on the spring hanger.

I kind of hate to think about what shape the nuts on the inside of the frame are in. I see this turning slowly but deliberately into another one of those rusted hardware adventures we all love so much. The bolts on the steering actuator are expendable if I could just see a way to get a good angle to cut them off.:dunno:

Unless one of you can tell me another option I think I shall start by drilling a 1/8" hole close enough to the nuts inside the frame rail to give me a shot at hitting them with a little PBB. That should make a good start.

Here, hold my beer, I'm gonna try something.

 

[thiswontbetooexpensive]

Is there a way you could at least get the straw of the can pointed in the right direction? I would look this way before drilling even a small hole in the frame.

On a side note, the same bolts on my 1980 looked terrible from the outside. Slight pressure was all it took to get them removed. I guess that the water sprayed up there while driving was good enough to keep mud out.....

Just turn and see, and good luck

 

[Old Dog]

Good luck with this one. Mine were a real PITA and of course the welded nuts broke loose.

 

[Torxhead]

Sounds like a great project and I hope you can reuse those nuts. Adding those aftermarket spring shackle mounts and one of those bars that connect the steering box to the oppisite frame rail would be a good idea if you havn't already.

 

[IOPort51]

Here is a small but important discovery. The hydraulic fittings on the steering actuator are 18mm and 16mm. Neither of these are included with my set of metric tube wrenches. Does this seem right to you?

 

[Old Dog]

You should know by now that they never include what you need in a set.
Just like the 7mm allen wrench that you need for the front discs.

 

[Torxhead]

IO, N.A.P.A. has a 16+18mm tube wrench combo, hopefully your local store has one. Old Dog, I have a 7mm wrench in my CJ toolbox also.

 

[IOPort51]

Sears has a 5 piece set with the 16/18mm for about $30 or a 16/18mm combo wrench for $21 And they are open on Sunday. need to get out of the house for a while anyway.

 

[IOPort51]

well, it is official, I now have power steering. with a little help from Pete, M.O.R.E. and 73CJ everything is in, working and for now at least, not leaking.

used the Flaming river U-joint to mate to the steering shaft, M.O.R.E. heavy duty mount and M.O.R.E. lubricating shackles. The only problem was with the shackles needing a bit of grinding to clear the frame. No big deal.

 

[Old Dog]

Good to hear you got it all going.
It's been so long since you went to sears I was begining to think you got in a fight with the tool salesman and thrown in jail.

 

[Petescj]

well, it is official, I now have power steering. with a little help from Pete, M.O.R.E. and 73CJ everything is in, working and for now at least, not leaking.

used the Flaming river U-joint to mate to the steering shaft, M.O.R.E. heavy duty mount and M.O.R.E. lubricating shackles. The only problem was with the shackles needing a bit of grinding to clear the frame. No big deal.

Glad you got it all up and running. I love that M.OR.E. mount. Definately adding that to the to do list. :drool:

 

[IOPort51]

Power steering drastically changes the driving experience. It is almost like driving by remote control, No feel of the road at all and it is very easy to over steer. It will take some getting used to. over correcting at highway speed could get real exciting real quick. I have not tried it with the front axle engaged.

 

[Wrangled13]

Glad you got it working. I ended up cutting a hole in the frame to get those bolts off the bracket. Now I get to weld a plate over it


Sent from my probably outdated electronic device, more than likely tracked by our government.