My 17 year old daughter just bought a 76 fj40. Right now it is in Idaho (Rigby). We are planning on driving Alaska Highway (crazy huh!?!) with the 40 (kinda an adventure my 17 kid wants to do) back home to Fairbanks (AK). We know it will be a rough, long trip, but thought it would be easier with power steering. The fj40 is currently in a my father in laws shop and when we fly down to drive it up, I don't have too much time off to put ps in it and would like to get it done as soon as possible. Anybody know a good place in Idaho area, or maybe even Washington area, to get power steering put in? I don't know how much a place would charge, and it might be easier to do it myself but I thought I might find a place to do it so we can just get on the road.

Thanks
Cessna

Power steering shouldn't really make any difference for what you are planning on doing. Power Steering helps you when you are going really slow and need to make tight turns. I mean really slow. Thats why a lot of 4 wheelers like it. When you are in a tight sport you don't have to continually put a lot of effort into turning the wheel. As long as you are driving at any speed, you don't need it for the drive home.

I don't have power steering and I have 33 inch tires. I don't do the real aggresive wheeling and don't really need it.

My 2 cents worth

yeah I wouldn't worry about it, its not gonna make the drive any better(or at least not much). I would focus on making sure the mechanical stuff is in good shape, then shocks and front end stuff, tires ect. change all fluids, toss a spare tire or 2 in, some extra fuel filters ect ect.

Ah..Rigby..The home of television!!..My Wife is from Rexburg...Thats one hell of a trip you are planning!!..good luck..Ditto on the mechanics!

Personally if you are planning on a saginaw conversion I think it would be worthwhile. Typically with the center arm and nearly 30 years of wear, FJ40 steering is pretty sloppy. Going to the saginaw cuts down on the slop in the steering. You can however, adjust out a lot of the slop but usually saginaw steering is still a tighter setup IMO. I'm near Boise, have a welder, 6HP/60gal compressor, air tools, etc if you wanted to put it on at my place. I would suggest some shims for the front as well. Give yourself some positive caster so it will track worth a damn.

........And get triple "A." Seriously, find out if they cover the alaskan hwy and then pay for it. Otherwise your tow could be a couple grand.

Thanks for the advice. I guess I do the power steering conversion in Alaska. Maybe switching out the tires would be better too. Right now it has 36" tires (real aggressive mud tires too) and I was thinking 33" all terrains.

ummmm.............. yeah that would be a VERY good idea ;)

but now knowing it has 36'...........PS was/is a good idea but swaping out tires will be alot easier.


Thanks for the advice. I guess I do the power steering conversion in Alaska. Maybe switching out the tires would be better too. Right now it has 36" tires (real aggressive mud tires too) and I was thinking 33" all terrains.