Change Manual to Power Steering????

[CoopMA]

Hey,
could use some advice please.

How hard would it be to change from manual to power steering in a 1970 Jeepster???

How much for parts?
Where to get parts?
How much for labor?
How much better would be steering be?

[chdorsey]

If you already have Saginaw manual steering (a box up on the front drivers frame horn instead of back near the firewall), the swap is straightforward. You find a donor vehicle and grab all of the gear from that (PS pump, bracket, steering box, column, etc.) and swap it in. I did that swap on mine and got all of the parts needed for less than $100.

Chris

[CoopMA]

Chris,
thx for the advice.
How much better do they steer with power vs. manual????

Also, I'm somewhat mechanically inclined and my motto is fix one break two.

Could I buy the parts new and have a shop install them?

thx
coopma

[Bobster]

Steering is like night and day!
Would probable cost a fortune to buy new parts then pay someone to install! Partsters are fairly cheap and the Jeepster is NOT a catalogue vehicle.

[CoopMA]

So the change from manual to power steering really makes that big of a difference in handling?????

I don't have a Jeepster and am browsing to see what features are best and what to look for.

I drove a Commando years ago and it was hard to keep it on the road because it wandered all over the road.

Does the PS let you steer more like a more modern car???

[chdorsey]

The poor steering there probably was another problem. I have the power steering with all new TRE's and ball joints and it steers very well. The power steering is true power steering and very easy to turn the wheel. It even steers pretty easily with the engine off. If you do the swap and put in all new components in the wear spots, then I would expect a dramatic improvement.

Chris

[clffhnger]

Most local (older) 4wd shops can do the steering swap for you. You do need some fabrication skill to do it.
I think Chris was right in saying that the one you drove probably had some other issues. I have several with and without power steering, and when all the parts are good and the alignment and everything else is right, they steer fine. Power steering will help if you go with bigger tires then standard, helping you push those tires around.

[stevesc1]

If you have the Saginaw steering and some basic handtools and mechanical knowledge it is very easy to convert. If you have the funds, you can just buy a 72-79 cj OEM power steering box or aftermarket box for this application, and then you just need a pump/mounting bracket for your engine, pressure and return lines (usually custom made up at somewhere like NAPA), and maybe a couple of other minor items. It is basically bolt on.

I recently did the conversion using a PSC steering box and it made a big difference. One word of caution, if you plan to run big tires and power steering you need a steering box brace.

[Valtag]

I am having power steering added to my 68 Commando, its costing me $1,800 for all overhauled parts and labor.

[daddywinz]

good grief valtag. this is a jeepster forum, not a humvee forum. $1800? that's more than i'd pay for a whole running & driving jeepster. you must have a job.