Finally got the J60 power steering parts today, I've been looking on how i am goin to do this power steering swap into my 1980 Bj40.

I've been test fitting the parts and have found some problems:

#1: the Bj40 tie rod ends are too small for the Bj60 pitman arm?? Do i have to buy one Bj60 tie rod end or is there another way to solve this in a safe way?

#2: where does the steering box have to be attached? my 4x4 dealer told me that most people mount the box on the outside of the front frame horns, and so eliminate all the parts used in the original non power steering steering setup. This seem's to me the right way to do it, but is it??µ
I'm also planning on sleeving the holes in the frame in order to prevent crushing the frame.

#3: how do i install the pump?? Is it as simple as making a bracket and bolting the pump onto the block and then add an extra pulley for powering it?

#4: what about the steering shaft?? How can i lengthen it in a safe way?

#5: any other tips and suggestions are more than welcome!

Have you been to IH8MUD.COM?

Originally posted by wngrog
Have you been to IH8MUD.COM?

:flipoff2: yes, even did a search here that came up blanc, I'm a good little newbie!!!!!

As you can see no info on a J60 power steering swap into a J40, I wonder why no one has done this? Is it because the saginaw power steering parts are widely available for you Yanks, or is there another reason??

http://www.lslc.org/common-btwn-chapter/newsletterfiles/LSLC-Jun01.pdf

There should be a nice writeup of Tom Pennington's FJ60 PS swap here.

Originally posted by rustycruiser
http://www.lslc.org/common-btwn-chapter/newsletterfiles/LSLC-Jun01.pdf

There should be a nice writeup of Tom Pennington's FJ60 PS swap here.

Thanks for the link, i read it throurougly and what i found out was.

1. the power steering box bolts on to the frame where now the shock mount is located. This seems logical but how will i mount the shock then?? Do i have to use custom built shock hoops?

2. I think i got how the the steering shaft assembly should be fabricated, there needs to be a bearing at the firewall to support the steering shaft, then a custom shaft to a U joint, and that u joint is attached to the Fj60 stock steering arm? Did i get it right?

3. How do i solve the tie rod end problem? that guy used stock FJ40 tie rod, wich was redrilled and retapped to be able to accept the FJ60 tie rod end, this solves the problem but IMO it weakens a vital steering component.
My plan is to have some shims machined to make the Fj40 tie rod end fit into the FJ60 pitman arm.
What's the best and safest way to fix this?

Tom's setup on the tie rod has held up well. I don't think you are sacrificing anything doing it that way.

One guy in my club runs the same setup as Tom and he mounted his shock tower behind the box and runs that shock at a 45* angle.

Works fine for him.....

Here is a Scout conversion, but you get the idea...http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=768961

"Tom's setup on the tie rod has held up well. I don't think you are sacrificing anything doing it that way."
I'm probably a bit paranoid about this but when it comes to steering, braking,... I can't be too carefull!

"One guy in my club runs the same setup as Tom and he mounted his shock tower behind the box and runs that shock at a 45* angle."
Maybe a dumb question but do i have to angle the other shock also to 45° or can i run one in the stock position and the other one in the 45° position?

Thanks for the advice!

Just run one at an angle....in the picture above, that shock is nowhere near 45*...just but the box on there and make it as close as possible to straight up for maximum dampening.

Hell, Tom has been running his without a shock since he did power steering:eek:

Originally posted by wngrog

Hell, Tom has been running his without a shock since he did power steering:eek:

Mine is also my daily driver, so I think that would be scary at 90 mph on the highway :eek:

:confused:

Could you bolt the box just behind the stock unmodified shock tower, and run the draglink slightly diagonal. Problems are shock tower vs box clearance, bumpstop, pumpkin....
or maybe just in front of the tower ?... -> column clearance vs tower, and rad. & battery mount...
Maybe you could work out something whith keeping the stock relay, in its original position, or maybe on the other side of the frame, whith the box in the original box location, or maybe in the old relay location. ?!?

This 60 series conversion looks like a big PITA to me...
I don't really see a way one could do it without modifying the shock & battery towers, ... but since you bought the parts already... Any chance your shop could take back the box, and give you your money back ?

Good luck anyway...
And please share your findings. :D

Originally posted by stupid frnch jackass

This 60 series conversion looks like a big PITA to me...


"Nothing is a PITA, everything is a challenge!":flipoff2:, relocating the shock tower seems simple enough, and the battey stand, I don't think it will get in the way much, but if it does, I'll have to trim it to make it fit, the stand is beefy enough so I'll be able to trim quite a bit of metal of off it.

What are the other option besides a 60 series power steering conversion? For us europeans it's hard to find the saginaw power steering setup!!

OK, it's a challenge...
MY challenge will be to make a dead simple bolt-on PS conversion, tho :flipoff2: (with no more than 200EUROS for parts).
Don't even bother with the saginaw :rainbow: stuff, there's plenty of good ol' european PS parts to be had for cheap here.
I'll show you what my part are, and how will the shit will bolt on.

Originally posted by stupid frnch jackass
OK, it's a challenge...
MY challenge will be to make a dead simple bolt-on PS conversion, tho :flipoff2: (with no more than 200EUROS for parts).
Don't even bother with the saginaw :rainbow: stuff, there's plenty of good ol' european PS parts to be had for cheap here.
I'll show you what my part are, and how will the shit will bolt on.

"You talk the talk, but do you walk the walk?" :flipoff2:
You've been talking about your simple ps swap for months now, but when are you going to give some more specific details??

Ok, here are the specific details.
so far I've invested 150 euros in : PS pump from a peugeot 605, PS distributor from a rack setup, peugeot 605, hydraulic ram from a citroën XM (the ram was bigger than the 605's : ~1" vs ~1/2").
The distributor is ~4" long, and wil bolt up between the column and stock box. I still need to find the adequate pulley for the pump, I'm planning to run a longer fan belt. The ram will mount one end on the axle, the other end on the tierod through welded tabs. The fluid reservoir will probably sit on top of the distributor.

distribution block
http://toy4x4.free.fr/distri.jpg

ram
http://toy4x4.free.fr/verin.jpg

:flipoff2:

Don't have a clue what you are talkin about, that's way out of my league, I don't want to get creative with steering parts 'caus i don't know how all the components work.

Another reason for not doing that kind of ps swap is, there is no way that could ever pass automobile inspection!!!

Don't have a clue what you are talkin about, that's way out of my league, I don't want to get creative with steering parts 'caus i don't know how all the components work.

OK, The distributor is a device you find in every PS system. Basically it is an interface between the wheel and the mechnical box, which compares the difference of torque between wheel and box "input". If you turn the wheen on the right, the box will resist somewhat, because of self-centering while driving, or tire rub on the ground or ... . There is a spring in the distributor, and when you try to turn as above, the spring will load, and some parts in the distributor will move, allowing high-pressure fluid to flow in the adequate section of the PS actuator, wether it is a ram like in my pic, or a built-in assisted like the BJ60 box you have.


Another reason for not doing that kind of ps swap is, there is no way that could ever pass automobile inspection!!!
Talk about this when you lenghten the column, relocate shock mount... !
More seriously, I intend to build my setup looking as close to stock as possible, i.e. nice clean brackets, clean integrated lines, builtin look for the distributor...
When you think about it, I'm not really modifying my stock steering setup, just adding a few gizmos...

diesel cruiser-

These may be hard to find, but 10/85 and later J60 intermediate columns work the best for the box to steering shaft conection. Spot welds can be drilled out (safety, collapsible) and lengthened to right size, then re 'plug welded'. IF, you can find a J55 steering column, these emerge from the firewall with a lower end bearing support and 30 spline connection making the shaft a bolt on. 1974-1980 are better as they take same steering wheel, ignition lock, and turn signal etc...as your 1980

Originally posted by rick d
diesel cruiser-

These may be hard to find, but 10/85 and later J60 intermediate columns work the best for the box to steering shaft conection. Spot welds can be drilled out (safety, collapsible) and lengthened to right size, then re 'plug welded'. IF, you can find a J55 steering column, these emerge from the firewall with a lower end bearing support and 30 spline connection making the shaft a bolt on. 1974-1980 are better as they take same steering wheel, ignition lock, and turn signal etc...as your 1980

I think it's nearly impossible to source the part's you're talking about in Europe. I haven't even seen a J55 over here in Belgium!

"denis' I still don't have a clue on how that will work, I guess it will be clearer to me when you eventually fab it up and show some pics of it.

Dunno how the box is lubricated, but maybe you could use it flipped 90° on the right, and offset the pitman arm so that it's ~vertical when the wheel is at the middle... using it as a 40-like box actually...
Just a thought.

Cheers,

look at the pics i sent out

i sent them to hundreds of you guys months ago
months and months ago


and its easy


you use the factory shock tower, flip the bolt front to back, and the shock stays in the same location, the tower moves back around 4", or 5" enough to squeeze the box into the perfect location, with a little grinding on the shock tower

driving without shocks?
one of my "associates" (dodgy dave) the posts of the amphibious cruiser, black one in surf up to the bonnet, has never put a shock absorber on his, 6" spring under lift, i dont think will move too much with or without a shock on it!! :flipoff2: and i drove it.....its ok.....ish......coils would be worse without shocks, leafs you can get away with it if necessary.....

tie rods? shorten a 60 long one and tap it.....run factory 60 steering rods, they are phatter..... shorten the tie rod and drag link, cut and tap a new thread, looks factory, totally safe

box to firewall
daihatsu feroza, or 75 series bundera arm, bolts on, support column with bush

no welding, or anything difficult really, i run 38.5" super swampers and havent had problems yet, soon to be hydro

hammer down!!