power steering conversion - stock column
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 205
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From: Southern California
power steering conversion - stock column
I'm still working on a Toyota power steering gearbox conversion with the NoLimit "bolt on" kit on my 59 panel. note- one thing I've learned about "bolt on" kits - they often don't simply bolt on - Am now at the point where it appears I'm going to have to cut the shaft and shorten the column. Have purchased another kit that provides a bearing and collar for the gearbox end of the shaft. Will I be able to use the stock column shift ? Other than "measure carefully" , can anyone offer advice/experience to help me avoid problems before I cut?
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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I hear ya! I'm about to embark on the same conversion - Toyota w/stock column - for my 54 f100. It appears that I'll have to get a u-joint welded to the end of the steering colulmn, and may have to drill some holes in the frame. I'm putting together my list of questions and then plan on spending some quality time with technical help at Mid-Fifty, Classic Performance, and/or Sacramento Vintage Ford. I don't want to buy the wrong stuff, or not have all the right stuff, and also want a good idea of what will and won't "just bolt in".
This board has been great so far. I'd love to see a more detailed tech help on this issue. Even with all the historical threads I'm still not getting the complete picture. Figuring this stuff out is half the fun.
This board has been great so far. I'd love to see a more detailed tech help on this issue. Even with all the historical threads I'm still not getting the complete picture. Figuring this stuff out is half the fun.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
U-joint
No Limit Engineering makes a shaft/bearing/collar kit that slides over the original shaft and fits into their u-joint with no welding. The unit has a collar that makes it fit neatly into your original column. $66.95
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,890
Likes: 9
From: La Verne, California
K.W.
That's the Great thing about Bolting On the Original Style P/S System that can still be Purchased & the only thing left to acquire is the P/S Pump which is easily found on e-Bay or @ your local Wrecking Yard for older vehicles.
It does Just That, "Bolts Right On", w/o having to go through all this other garbage & purchasing all these other specialized bits & bobs.
Cheers
Colonel Flashman
Red '58 Mercury M-100 Truck
Blue '58 Mercury M-100 Panel Truck
That's the Great thing about Bolting On the Original Style P/S System that can still be Purchased & the only thing left to acquire is the P/S Pump which is easily found on e-Bay or @ your local Wrecking Yard for older vehicles.
It does Just That, "Bolts Right On", w/o having to go through all this other garbage & purchasing all these other specialized bits & bobs.
Cheers
Colonel Flashman
Red '58 Mercury M-100 Truck
Blue '58 Mercury M-100 Panel Truck
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 205
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From: Southern California
"Bolt on" woes & 57 - 60 Panel truck questions
When I attempted to fit up the gearbox bracket, I found that the vertical portion, which bolts to the side of the frame , was welded on backwards so that it blocked the sector shaft hole in the frame! I phoned the folks at No Limit and had another bracket the next day, but it was exactly the same. Five minute with a grinder and two spot welds later I was in business. A No Limit employee later revealed the reverse brackets may have been the last act of a disgruntled former employee.
BTW Colonel, any suggestions on where to go for panel truck tail light rubber gaskets? Does the panel use the same spare tire hardware as the pickup?
thanks/Mike
BTW Colonel, any suggestions on where to go for panel truck tail light rubber gaskets? Does the panel use the same spare tire hardware as the pickup?
thanks/Mike
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Texas
On the stock shifter, when you cut the column you have to fab a plate and tack it to the stock column to mount it to the floor. I made the plate a little larger and put a hole in it for the shifter. on the shifter had to tack a washer around the shift tube to keep it in the right place. I fabed a arm for the shifter linkage. Hope this helps, any questions email me and I can walk you through it.
Scott
Scott
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: S.C.
I had the original column in my 55 with the toyota box; it was really simple and easy to install the only welding that was required was welding the borg-joint to the original steering shaft. As mentioned above there is a kit tha will slide into the original column to keep it centered. When completed you can't tell the difference from inside. About seven months ago I went with the tilt column just to have tilt. You can see both pictures in my gallery. If anyone is interested I will look to see if I still have all the parts for the kit to mount the original steering column and it won't be $60+.
Jaye
Jaye
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 218
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From: Spokane, WA
Hope you guys don't mind me sittin' in. I have a '62 F100, and am seriously considering the Toyota swap. I've seen companies mentioned already kits for ps, and the '61-'66 forum guys talk about the toy swap also. What I'm wondering is, can I use the toy swap for the earlier effies as for mine, or are there other considerations I'm unaware of? Mid Fifties offers a kit for GM ps, but like everything else, don't really know if it would work for me, or my truck at least. My truck is 2x4 and has a 292 if it matters.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
57 - 64 steering linkage
57 - 64 mamual steering linkages are the same, so you can use the '57 - '60 aftermarket Toy-Ford Pitman arm. I don't know about the frame bracket, for mounting the gearbox, but I'd bet $5 they're identical. I'll be under my '59 later today and take a couple of measurements. The folks at No Limit Engineering have been helpng me with this and are now painfully aware of the differences between the 53 - 56 and 57 -60 differences. Recommend you give Tim at No Limit a call 909-386-7637. Hope I wrap this up today.
I also have some digital photos of the bracket - email me & I can forward them.
Mike
I also have some digital photos of the bracket - email me & I can forward them.
Mike