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Powe steering on Desoto


Nomad50

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I'll chime in. 

 

Radial tires have a larger footprint than bias ply, and the boys tend to go with the widest tires.  So manual steering at a standstill is virtually impossible, versus the "armstrong" steering of old. 

 

There are several ways to add power steering, none of them easy.  All  of them require disturbing the steering column, to connect to a gearbox or rack and pinion.  I looked into the '50's Mopar units, but they had special steering columns, doubled fan belts and pulleys, and a pump mounted on the back of the generator.  

 

So, I found a Saginaw box with the same pitman shaft dimensions as the manual box,so I could keep the pitman arm and tie rods.  I used the matching Saginaw power steering pump.  Some of the boys have done rack and pinion, and some are looking into electric power steering boxes.  (No need for a pump, but may need hefty 12 volt power.)   

 

My steering column alterations may be similar for whatever device is used.  The shaft is a half-inch pipe, machined at both ends and wedded to the steering gear box.  The jacket is clamped on. 

 

I bracketed the jacket to the firewall, cut the jacket south of the gearshift linkage, and added a bushing to support the shaft.  I cut the shaft and had a splined end welded on.  I used U-joints and D shafts to connect to the new steering box.   And for the horn grounding circuit, I developed a brush contact on the column.  

 

I had to add a pulley to power the pump.  I moved the radiator forward.  I made new brackets to lower the alternator and to support the power steering pump. 

 

I'm glad I added the power steering, but it was no easy job.  If I had to do it all over again, I would look into an electric power steering box.  It still involves modifying the steering column.  

 

tI

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