Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:20:49 -0300
Reply-To: Carlos & Margaret de Carvalho <marcarde@NS.SYMPATICO.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Carlos & Margaret de Carvalho <marcarde@NS.SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject: Re: Adding Power Steering
In-Reply-To: <025301c903ce$b6298350$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I have just successfully done a Subaru conversion and added power Steering.
You will have to buy a new p.s. rack, "U" joint & steering rod, or find a
donor vehicle. It is advisable to buy a new "U" joint as there is a good
possibility that they would be worn on these vehicles. YOu will have to buy
new high and low pressure lines like Frank sells or from an equivalent
supplier. Everything else works just fine. Don't forget to do a wheel
alignment when you are finished.
"84 Westy/Sub & 2000 Euro. Camper.
Nova Scotia Carlos.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Scott Daniel - Turbovans
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 5:44 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Adding Power Steering
well said,
and to add something else............
if you're adding PS to an 83.5 those never had PS as an option........
so it's necessary to add a small feature that 84's and later have.....
which is two 'frame notches' on the inboard side of the frame member just
below the filler neck.......
so the PS pips can go between the fuel tank and the frame there.
you'll need the fuel tank out of course.
if it's an 83.5 original waterboxer, you need to drill and tap three holes
in the right head - the bosses are already there, for the Vanagon PS pump to
mount to the right head.
if it's a Subaru engine, no concerns there of course.
have fun !
it's a great upgrade.
I suppose the full length hoses work.
My first thought on that ............just does not seem as good as full
length STEEL pipes.
If you can get non-rusted stock vanagon power steering pumps..........I know
that's what I would do for a PS conversion on any of my vans, or ones that I
rebuilt and upgrade through out and sell - stock steel pipes, front to rear.
If good ones can be found. And it's not that they are weak, but they sure
don't stand up to 20 years of severe corrosion where they salt the roads in
the winter.
Someone should point out to the Insurance institute of America or whomever,
that salt on the roads costs millions of dollars in car repairs, if not even
loss of life now and then.
in Oregon, fortunately, we have red volcanic cinder material to put on the
snowy roads. Works great, and is totally non-corrosive.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Collum" <collum@VERIZON.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:07 AM
Subject: Re: Adding Power Steering
> So that you have full understanding, the steering knuckles for "Factory"
> power steering vans have the tie rods attach at a slightly different
> point. That's one of the things that cause a power steering van to be
> harder to steer when the power steering is out. Fewer turns of the
> steering wheel are required to go from lock to lock.
>
> Now, with that said, one can swap in a power steering rack and attach
> the tie rods to the standard steering knuckles with the end result being
> a van that steers even easier than a factory power steering model.
> Especially if the larger, non-power steering, steering wheel is kept.
>
> You'd want to get a power steering rack and the "U" joint as well as the
> rod that goes forward to the steering wheel mechanism as those parts are
> different. Of course, you'd have to have a power steering pump and the
> lines (or hoses such as Frank Condelli sells) to go from the pump to the
> rack.
>
> Power steering models came from the factory with "Goodies" to boost the
> idle when the steering wheel is turned to the stops.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> James Henry wrote:
>> The question came up today on the Subaru Conversion list about adding a
>> Power Steering rack to an early (83.5, 84, 85) vanagon. I thought I would
>> ask here as well. Anyone had experience in adding a ps rack. Can you
>> outline
>> what is involved?
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