Power steering

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Feb 16, 09 8:58 pm

What would it take to convert my Dart to have power steering, an idea of what work is involved and what parts i would need to replace / add?

TIA

Tank

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Feb 16, 09 10:09 pm

Softy.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Feb 16, 09 11:51 pm

I am sure "A" body owners will be queuing up to trade parts with you.

I would not do it; my wife drives a Big block powered Dart without Power steering OK...(No insinuations there, just a point of fact)

dustymopar · Post by **dustymopar** » Mon Feb 16, 09 11:56 pm

Manual steering here too - once she's on the move, the steering is pretty light

RayC · Post by **RayC** » Tue Feb 17, 09 12:16 am

Dave wrote:Softy.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Feb 17, 09 12:56 am

Why would you want manual steering on the road? , think i'm with the wusses , PS for me , this is the beauty of driving the yanks.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Feb 17, 09 7:56 am

have to admit i have driven a couple of manuel mopars and i dont know what it is but this feels even heavier for some reason

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue Feb 17, 09 8:32 am

Maybe it needs checking out first.
I drove a Mopar (not mine) with terrible steering - it turned out that the headers were fouling the drag link

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue Feb 17, 09 8:56 am

I would be looking at the wheel alignment first myself. By that I don't just mean tracking. I mean camber and caster too.

These cars pass through the hands of a dozen numptys before we get them. One numpty after another fiddles with them and before you know it the car is so out of whack it drives like a pig and then other numptys say stupid things like "all them Yanks drive like that".

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Tue Feb 17, 09 9:10 am

There are things on the steering called grease nipples if you put grease in them the steering is so much lighter !!!!!!!!! get a good grease gun and use it !!!!!!
my barracuda has no PS and I have not found it a problem in 30 odd years only when getting out of tight parking spaces do you have to use some effort do not change to a smaller steering wheel I can steer with just one hand when moving even at low speeds not only that but you use horse power that you can use at the wheels !!!!!!

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Feb 17, 09 9:41 am

A- bodies are not my specialist subject, but here's a general guide to conversion . I stand by to be corrected on the finer details .

Most of the parts you need are here http://www.bouchillonperformance.com/BP ... eering.asp

Replace steering box with s/h power unit from A,B,E body . Bolt-in swap. Your existing pitman arm *should* fit straight on

Shorten steering column approx 1 or 2" to fit . Best done by telescoping the sliding inner sections and re-drilling the shear pin holes and using nylon bolts for new shear pins. (do this at your own risk)

Fit new coupler from steering column to box as power box has different sized spline.

Change pulley set on front of engine to P/S type

Fit new or s/h power steering pump & brackets , pressure hose, return hose.

Re-align front end to give maximum caster , whilst keeping camber & toe within limits.

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Tue Feb 17, 09 9:47 am

Brutus wrote:Why would you want manual steering on the road? , think i'm with the wusses , PS for me , this is the beauty of driving the yanks.

power steering for me too

, would never go back to manual steering ... could be a case of what ever you have gotten use to though ! all the cars i have owned had power steering cars since i passed my test .... leave manual steering on a muscle car for the track ..

steveo · Post by **steveo** » Tue Feb 17, 09 9:49 am

Dave wrote:I would be looking at the wheel alignment first myself. By that I don't just mean tracking. I mean camber and caster too.

These cars pass through the hands of a dozen numptys before we get them. One numpty after another fiddles with them and before you know it the car is so out of whack it drives like a pig and then other numptys say stupid things like "all them Yanks drive like that".

yeah thats true also dave

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue Feb 17, 09 9:57 am

Matt - you missed the bit about having a ten ton puller to get the pitman arms off

DaveBishop · Post by **DaveBishop** » Tue Feb 17, 09 11:38 am

I think I still have all the bit to do the conversion I am changing over to manual Pump, steering box etc.