Power steering conversion q for 45 series

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

G'day, just wondering if one can use a 75 series steering box on a 40/45? I know that most use 60 gear or some use 80 series, but the price is right for the 75 box.

Cheers.

Joined: 31 May 2005 Location: Sydney

The 60 and 80 boxes have the advantage of having forward facing pitman arms so that they can be mounted further back on the rails. It also helps if you want to extend your wheelbase at the front.

The 70 series pitman faces backwards so it has to be mounted further forwards and you'll possibly have to extend the rails a bit to make it fit.

I just went out and measured the 75 box in the garage and the distance between the bolt in the pitman arm and the bolt holes that connect the box to the chassis is ~9". If you have 9" (call it 10") distance between your draglink and the edge of your chassis you should be sweet.

PM me if you want pics comparing a 7xseries box and a 60s box, I have both.

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

v840 wrote:

The 60 and 80 boxes have the advantage of having forward facing pitman arms so that they can be mounted further back on the rails. It also helps if you want to extend your wheelbase at the front.

The 70 series pitman faces backwards so it has to be mounted further forwards and you'll possibly have to extend the rails a bit to make it fit.

I just went out and measured the 75 box in the garage and the distance between the bolt in the pitman arm and the bolt holes that connect the box to the chassis is ~9". If you have 9" (call it 10") distance between your draglink and the edge of your chassis you should be sweet.

x2

I don't think the 70 box will fit. For a 60 box and pitman arm to be in the right spot the box needs to be mounted a fair way down the chassis and the rear body of the box ends up almost flush with the front grill panel. For a 70 box to have its pitman arm in the right spot the box would need to be mounted a long way out on the chassis rail outside the front panel. Will look terrible and probably interfere with the bullbar mount.

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Ok thanks guys, 60 box it will be.

Edit: Oh and if I can't get a 55 series column, what options do I have that looks reasonably stock? can I get the original shaft splined?

Joined: 10 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

hj 45 wrote:

G'day, just wondering if one can use a 75 series steering box on a 40/45? I know that most use 60 gear or some use 80 series, but the price is right for the 75 box.

Cheers.

yeah i have one 40 series with a 75 series box, looks a fugly setup because the box is out the front but it works well.

i woudl stick to 60 sries gear simply because it looks neater.

Jes

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Yeah the 60 box is my preferred option, as long as I can get a 55 column........ Laughing

Otherwise the 80 box with 80 intermediate shaft might be a goer to butt up to the 45 column. Confused

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

You'll probably find the 80 intermediate shaft is too long to use with either box (might fit with 55 column though if it doesnt protude from the firewall as much as the 40??). It is not a normal colapsing shaft with sheer pins. Its like a concertina tyrpe shaft that's designed to compress/bend in an accident and its almost impossible to colapse the shaft straight (would probably weaken it considerably too).

There is a way to keep your 40 column and still use the 60/80 box. You will need a bush for the base of the 40 column, an 80 series rag joint which you really only need one half of to mate to the end of the 40 column. Then you need a 75 intermediate shaft which needs to be colapsed to suit.

Bit of info here in regards to the bush and how it fits: http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/ftopic176271.php&highlight=48019

Joined: 10 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

hj 45 wrote:

Yeah the 60 box is my preferred option, as long as I can get a 55 column........ Laughing

Otherwise the 80 box with 80 intermediate shaft might be a goer to butt up to the 45 column. Confused

you dont reallt need to change the column, just fabricate a bracket to hold a bearing or a bush at the end the steering column shaft. quite easy on any FJ40 that does not have the steering lock as a bearing or bush will slide all the way down to the base.
then all you need is to mount the origional RAG joint that was used to from the shaft to the box, and then run a intermediate shaft between the rag joint on the shaft and the rag joint on the box.
for the intermediate shaft you can also use a collapsible column shaft from a landcruiser that has a collapsable column, you just slide it in until its the right length.

JEs

Joined: 10 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

RAY185 wrote:

You'll probably find the 80 intermediate shaft is too long to use with either box (might fit with 55 column though if it doesnt protude from the firewall as much as the 40??). It is not a normal colapsing shaft with sheer pins. Its like a concertina tyrpe shaft that's designed to compress/bend in an accident and its almost impossible to colapse the shaft straight (would probably weaken it considerably too).

There is a way to keep your 40 column and still use the 60/80 box. You will need a bush for the base of the 40 column, an 80 series rag joint which you really only need one half of to mate to the end of the 40 column. Then you need a 75 intermediate shaft which needs to be colapsed to suit.

Bit of info here in regards to the bush and how it fits: http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/ftopic176271.php&highlight=48019

just checked that link, that bush is a great idea aswell Smile

much simpler.

Jes

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Cheers guys, think I've got it sorted now. By god stock steering setup on these things is rubbish,I hope they shot the little Japs who came up with, then persisted with this retarded idea. Very Happy

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

jessie928 wrote:

RAY185 wrote:

You'll probably find the 80 intermediate shaft is too long to use with either box (might fit with 55 column though if it doesnt protude from the firewall as much as the 40??). It is not a normal colapsing shaft with sheer pins. Its like a concertina tyrpe shaft that's designed to compress/bend in an accident and its almost impossible to colapse the shaft straight (would probably weaken it considerably too).

There is a way to keep your 40 column and still use the 60/80 box. You will need a bush for the base of the 40 column, an 80 series rag joint which you really only need one half of to mate to the end of the 40 column. Then you need a 75 intermediate shaft which needs to be colapsed to suit.

Bit of info here in regards to the bush and how it fits: http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/ftopic176271.php&highlight=48019

just checked that link, that bush is a great idea aswell Smile

much simpler.

Jes

The result of a couple of cold beers, a set of verniers and a nolathane catalogue. Very Happy

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Ok, got everything I need, including the nolathane bushes. Just have to sort out what pump I'm going to use - gotta love a H motor. Confused

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Ok, my column has the steering lock, so the bush won't slide over, do I a). Get the weld ground back to remove the 'bell', slide bush on, reweld - maybe a driveshaft place would do this? Or just get an earlier column, anyone know when the steering lock was introduced?

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

Any chance of a pic? I've not seen one with a steering lock.

Joined: 10 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

hj 45 wrote:

Ok, my column has the steering lock, so the bush won't slide over, do I a). Get the weld ground back to remove the 'bell', slide bush on, reweld - maybe a driveshaft place would do this? Or just get an earlier column, anyone know when the steering lock was introduced?

ah bugger, if you want/need the lock ( imho useless in a fj40) just get a pre-lock steering shaft.

or just slice once side of the bush lengthways and then chamfer the INSIDE of the cut on both sides before you grease it and slide it onto the shaft.

all good, EASY.

JEs

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Yeah the bell where the steering lock notches are located is 9mm bigger in diameter than the rest of the shaft, so there's no way the bush will slide over, mate and myself mucked around and cut one side of the bush and it slides over, but I don't like the idea of a bush installed that doesn't totally wrap around, it'd work, but yeah...... Mad

Good thing you get two bushes. Laughing

Here's a pic:

The top part where the bearing is located and spline for the steering wheel looks to be a separate part to the rest, pressed into the 'bell'. This is from a HJ 45, build date Feb. 1980.

Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Location: SWEDEN

[quote="v840"]The 60 and 80 boxes have the advantage of having forward facing pitman arms so that they can be mounted further back on the rails. It also helps if you want to extend your wheelbase at the front.

The 70 series pitman faces backwards so it has to be mounted further forwards and you'll possibly have to extend the rails a bit to make it fit.

Hi i am to use the Bundera box it has forward facing pitman arm and (i think easyer to find) only thing that differs to a 60 box is that the pitman arm has a smaler kone to the stering arm..

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

Bugger, like I said I hadn't seen one with a steering lock on it before. I guess if you can't remove it and you can't find a 55 column you should be able to find a non steering lock 40 column easy enough. The ones I've worked on have been pre 78 and have all been non steering lock.

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Yeah, found myself a non lock column, so it's all systems go.

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Oh and while I'm at it, how the hell do you remove the cone washers in the knuckle? Mad

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

Brass Drift on the end of the stud and a good wack with a BFH, should pop right out.

Joined: 10 Dec 2002 Location: Sydney

hj 45 wrote:

Oh and while I'm at it, how the hell do you remove the cone washers in the knuckle? Mad

get an old socket that's big enought sit over of the cones, then proceed bash the socket with a lump hammer, this shoudl dislodge the cones.
becareful NOT to bash the cones Razz

Jes

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Time to resurrect this thread, I'm looking at the 80 series rag joint with attached uni and it doesn't look like it'll mate up with the bottom of the 40 column, the 80 rag just looks to small to attach to the 2 holes in the end of the 40 column? Confused

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

hj 45 wrote:

Time to resurrect this thread, I'm looking at the 80 series rag joint with attached uni and it doesn't look like it'll mate up with the bottom of the 40 column, the 80 rag just looks to small to attach to the 2 holes in the end of the 40 column? Confused

Yeah I should have mentioned you will need to do a little bit of booty fab with that rag joint. Was a little while ago so my memory is a little foggy but I'll try and explain it as best I can. I also took a couple of pics when I did it so I'll put them up.

You will be using only one side of the 80 rag joint. The side with the uni joint on it.

Dismantle the joint and reassemble with the rag and lugs onto the side with the uni. Like this:

Now as you have said, the 80 joint is a bit smaller than the 40 one so you will need to grind a bit off each side of the 40 end where the lugs engage to make it fit. Then you will need to elongate the bolt holes on the 40 end joint to line up to the holes in the rag and bolt it together.

You can sort of see how its bolted together in this pic which also shows the shortened 75 intermediate shaft and uni joint to power steering box.

Couple more pics showing box location and clearancing required to inner guard and back of shock tower.

Have fun.

Joined: 25 Dec 2007 Location: Tasmania, Australia

Is the shock tower in the stock location in the above pictures?

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

Yep, as you can see the rivets are still intact.

Joined: 25 Dec 2007 Location: Tasmania, Australia

I shouldve realised.. This is the way Ill go I think, I dont like the idea of moving it..

Joined: 07 Nov 2004 Location: Rockhampton

Sweet, cheers for that, now I should be set. Very Happy

For now anyway. Razz

Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Location: melbourne australia

wow that ragjoint/uni joint should get front page over at scary steering

Joined: 21 May 2004 Location: Brisbane North

pcman wrote:

wow that ragjoint/uni joint should get front page over at scary steering

Care to elaborate?