General Information on the Toyota Steering Box Swap
The Toyota box is similar in size, mounting location, and function to the OEM 1948-1960 box, so clearance issues are few. Using the 1953-1956 F-100 kit from a vendor like Mid-Fifty, Sacramento Vintage Ford, No Limit Engineering, and others, this bolt in swap can be done in as little as 4 hours. With small modifications the same kits can be used on the F-1 series trucks and the F-100 series from the 1957-1960 era trucks as well.
· The frame mounting holes on non-1953/1956 trucks will need to be redrilled to match the OEM 1953-1956 3-bolt mount pattern
· The drag link ball on the F-1 truck series steering arm will need to be replaced with the larger 1953-1956 ball
· The 1953-1956 drag link must be used
The Toyota swap can be used with a slightly modified OEM steering column and shaft or with any aftermarket or salvage column in the 30 to 32 inch length range. The only downside with using the original column is you will lose the horn button function in the steering wheel so a separate horn button switch will need to be added elsewhere.
Going with the manual Toyota box, you get a more modern box that is easier to get repaired at 8:00 p.m. on a Tuesday night in East Armpit, Iowa. Going with the power Toyota box gives you that plus the added driving enjoyment of power steering. The power steering upgrade also gives you quicker steering. Ford F-1/F-100 uses a 24:1 ratio (six turns lock to lock) versus Toyota’s ratio of 19:1 (4.75 turns lock to lock). If you need to rationalize going with the Toyota box just say to yourself “safety improvements are not hotrod modifications.”
Members of the 1948-1960 FTE Forum are often designated as “Lightsiders” or “Darksiders”, depending on how much they have modified and/or hot-rodded their trucks. The Toyota steering box modification would move you farther from the ranks of a “Lightsider” and close to the being a “Darksider”, but unless someone crawls under your truck, who’s to know? Based upon feedback from those that have done the swap, you’ll wish you’d done it sooner! The real beauty of the Toyota swap (almost everyone that’s done it has stressed this) is the simplicity of the work.
There is some literature available on this modification/enhancement. Bonusbuilt.com deals with it to a certain degree and Classic Performance Products also has a tech article on it. This article is based upon a combination of
· Information from the numerous threads in the 1948-1960 FTE Truck Forum covering the installation
· Some direct communication with Forum members to clarify specific issues not covered in the Forum threads
· Considerable input from one forum member that did the installation himself
Caveats
· You may experience some clearance issues if you’re running a big block engine or if you have certain rear outlet headers/exhaust manifolds. The modification can still be done, but you’ll have to go through the frame in another location. Mid-Fifty sells a longer drag link (1.5” longer) for use with axles that have been moved forward. This part may help or a certified welder could modify your stock drag link. Moving the steering box can frequently cause some difficult to resolve issues with your steering geometry. This raises some safety concerns that are beyond the scope of this article. Please consult with an expert before choosing this route. A better alternative would be to resolve the clearance issues with different headers or offset placement of the engine.
· The spline count on the manual Toyota steering box Pitman arm shaft is different from the original Ford Pitman arm. If you’re using the Toyota power steering box, several of the vendors mentioned in this article sell a modified Pitman arm to save you from modifying your own. To use the manual box, the same mount bracket can be used, but a custom conversion Pitman arm will need to be fabricated as no one currently sells a pre-made one.
There is an excellent thread in the 1948-1960 truck forum which discusses creating your own Pitman arm by combining the Toyota and the Ford arms (Pitman Arm Thread). This thread contains directions, tips, and advise from several different members that have done it themselves. In addition, forum member Walston has a pictorial of how to create one yourself in his gallery (Pitman Arm Pictorial). If you make your own, bear in mind that your life and the lives of others depend upon how well it’s made and welded together. At least ensure that a certified welder does all the necessary welding in making this Pitman arm.
Wally (Walston) has a fairly good pictorial step by step on the Toyota steering box Pitman arm in his gallery.
(Photo Courtesy Wally Kandel)
The “How-To”
First decide upon whether you want manual or power steering. Power steering means you’ll need to mount a power steering pump on your engine and run hoses to the steering box. Going with a manual box means you avoid that aspect of the swap, but will need to fabricate your own Pitman arm.
Complete List of Components and Parts to do the Job
· A Toyota 4x4 power/manual steering box. Head off to your friendly neighborhood wrecking yard and find yourself a good 79 to early 84 Toyota 4x4 pickup. For a manual box, grab the manual box and the Pitman arm. For a power box, grab the power box, the hoses running from the pump to the box and maybe the Pitman arm. You can also check your local penny-saver newspaper for someone parting out a suitable donor vehicle.
The Toyota 4x4 Steering Box You Want.
(Photo Courtesy Ron Goldberg)
· A Pitman arm to fit the Toyota sector shaft and the Ford drag link
o To be fabricated for a manual steering box
o To be fabricated or purchased for a power steering box
· A new Toyota Pitman arm/sector shaft nut (unless you saved the old one when taking the Toyota box off the donor)
· A U-joint to connect the steering column to the Toyota box.
o In the Mid-Fifty kit, this is Borgeson part number U15N-7DDx730 and fits ONLY a modified OEM shaft or aftermarket “DD” shaft.
o Columns with shafts other than the modified OEM or aftermarket “DD” types mentioned above will likely require a different U-joint.
· A new, solid heavy-duty tie rod
· A power steering hose set to match the steering box and the pump fittings. You may need to have this custom made.
· A power steering pump and bracket to fit your engine.
· An auxiliary horn button for dash mounting if you are using the stock column.
· A kit to adapt the steering box to your frame.
o Mid-Fifty sells one for about $250 and it seems to be one of the best quality of the alternatives out there. The kit includes a very sturdy mount bracket, a hybrid Pitman arm (from Toyota PS to Ford), a new sector shaft nut, plus optional parts depending on which kit is selected (see catalog for specific components included in each).
The Mid-Fifty Toyota Conversion Kit
(Photo Courtesy Roger Hughes)
· You can use the stock steering column but if you do, you’ll need to make or buy (Mid-Fifty or No Limit Engineering) a lower shaft bushing to keep the shaft centered in the column housing. You’ll also need a lower column to floor mount.
Step-By-Step Procedure
To make it easier to proceed, you might wish to remove your inner fender. This is not mandatory but it does make it easier to get in there.
1. Remove the steering column.
a. Saw through the steering column just above the box. The stock steering shaft goes all the way into, and is part of, the internals of the steering box so you need to cut it off.
b. Disconnect the shift linkage from the column if you have a column shift.
c. Unbolt the column drop at the dashboard.
d. Remove the column from inside the cab (you’ll need to unscrew at least ½ the inspection plate from the floor to clear the shift arms if you have a column shift).
2. If you plan to reuse your stock steering column, follow the directions in the kit to perform the following procedures.
a. Shorten the housing.
b. Install the centering bushing.
c. Match your shaft to the Toyota Borgeson joint you will use for a connection. This will likely involve grinding two flats on your steering shaft to copy the DD design used with most popular Borgeson joints. You may have to make other adjustments if you are using a different joint.
3. Open up the sector shaft hole in your frame a wee bit per the instructions in the kit. If you are not using a kit, make the hole large enough so that the sector shaft clears the frame with the steering linkage in all positions.
4. Bolt the Toyota box to the bracket making sure to torque all bolts to 60 ft/lbs.
5. Install the steering box and bracket assembly with the long end of the bracket pointing towards the bottom and then poke the sector shaft through the original hole in the frame. Bolt the steering box and bracket to the frame. If the holes are a bit off, break out that die grinder you’re so good with. If the mount does not want to go inside the frame you may have to straighten one or both frame flanges until it slips into place.
6. Center the sector shaft.
a. Turn the shaft all the way in one direction.
b. While counting the revolutions, turn the sector shaft all the way in the opposite direction.
c. Now turn the sector shaft exactly half way back the other way so it is centered.
d. At the risk of being anal, do this about three times just to be completely sure you got it centered.
7. Attach the modified Pitman arm to the centered sector shaft so the Pitman arm is perpendicular to the ground. Torque the fastener to 110 ft/lbs.
8. Re-attach the steering column.
a. Slide the column back through the firewall.
b. Attach the steering shaft to the Toyota box using the universal joint you got from Mid-Fifty or whomever.
c. Reattach the column drop at the dashboard.
d. Reinstall the column inspection plate at the floorboard.
e. Reconnect the shift linkage if you have a column shift.
9. Reconnect the stock drag link at the lower end of the Pitman arm.
10. If you decided to go with the power steering box, then you need to install the pump assembly on the engine and run the hoses between it and the pump. The port on the steering box closest to the frame is the high pressure or input line. The port closer to the engine is the output or low pressure line.
11. Wire in your new horn and “Bob’s yer Uncle”.
12. Crack open a cold barley and hops based libation and, celebrate a job well done.
For a nearly blow-by-blow account of one of the author’s day’s spent doing the install, check out this thread. It didn’t go quite as smoothly or as quickly as the discussion above would suggest. A little worse than changing your old rear leaf spring pins, but no where near as bad as a root canal.
NOTES:
· If you want to ease into this – go with the Toyota manual box initially. Should you later decide you want power steering, the Toyota boxes interchange easily except for the different Pitman arm.
· It has been mentioned that the early 84 Toyota box is useable and the later one is not. Here’s how you tell the difference.
o The good box has 4 mounting ears – 2 on each side of the Pitman shaft (see the picture above).
o The wrong one is a long skinny bugger. When you’ve seen both, you’ll understand.
· You will have to do a wee bit of grinding on the box housing to allow it to sit flat against your frame rail. Again, when you look at the box, you’ll easily understand what’s required.
· You may want to shop around for the kit parts a bit
o Mid-Fifty doesn’t have the Pitman arm for the 1957-1960 trucks, but No Limit Engineering does.
o No Limit Engineering has a bearing/sleeve/coupler kit to attach the stock column to the Toyota box.
o The opinion of the group is that the Mid-Fifty kit has the best box-to-frame bracket and other parts.
o Classic Performance Products has pretty much everything.
o Mid-Fifty has the rubber power steering hose set with adapters for most pumps.
o Gotta Show Products has braided SS hose sets with their own low profile fittings if you want stainless steel, need a custom length hose, or run into clearance issues with the return line hose.
· There is a new electric remote power steering pump available if you can’t, or don’t want to, install an engine driven pump. No one in the 1948-1960 Truck Forum has any experience with it, so you’re on your own.
· JobLot Automotive sells a rebuilt stock draglink assembly for about $90.
Closing Comments
So you’ve finished the upgrade to the Toyota box. It went easier and quicker than expected. You’ve got money left in your pocket and you know that just isn’t right. Now it’s time to think about upgrading those front brakes to discs. Check them out at places like Engineered Components, Inc. and others. It’s another fairly easy and very worthwhile upgrade.
Disclaimer
The authors have made every effort to be as accurate as possible; however, we make no guaranty as to the accuracy of the information in this article.
The end
At this time 2/29/08, this is every tech article I could find on the FTE website that deals with our range of trucks ( i.e. 48-60)
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