Just finished converting the armstrong steering to power this weekend. Best $75 (CDN) I've spent on my truck so far! I would strongly reccomend this to anyone with manual, it feels like a whole new truck. I could have had the old steering out and the old steering in within about 2 hours but I ran into a couple easily-avoidable problems. For anyone interested, I'll breifly go over how I did it:

-went to scrap yard, got the power steering pump, steering gearbox, pitman arm, brackets, belt, lines, bolts and the intermediate shaft (goes from gearbox and connects with the steering column just before the firewall. Got all this from an 84 F-150 300-6 carberated, I put it into my 82 F-150 300-6 carberated. Note: Unless your truck has airconditioning or the one you are taking it from has ac, you will need to grab the two little spacers that go between the ps pump brackets and the block. I forgot to do this and I ended up having to shim up the brackets with a stack of washers.

-Lined up the new parts with the ones in my truck to make sure they fit.

-pulled all the parts out of my truck. Everything came out relatively easily (with wrenches). Fortunately / Unfortunately I got lucky when removing the intermediate steering shaft from my truck. I was able to just leave it attached to the gearbox, unbolt it where it attached to the column and pull the whole unit out. This may not be possible for everyone, for as I later discovered, it is quite a tight fit between the intermediate shaft and steering column. You may have to unbolt it from the gearbox, and pull out the whole column assembly. (to do this, just remove the little black plastic bushing from where it enters the firewall and pull the whole assembly out through the hood.

-Bolt the new stuff in. Everything went easy except for the intermediate shaft. To make a long story short, to attach the shaft to the steering column, you will need to pull the column out and use a mallet to pop the two units together.

-Add fluid and presto


good luck

 

Thanks for the post; this is my dream but it must be a minor problem, since I keep putting it off. Maybe this year; your info very helpful.

Did you have any problem finding pump or gearbox that did not leak?

Thanks again.

Raul
w/ 81 F-100, I6, SROD, Carter 1V non-feedback carb, no A/C, no PS, no PB, but it gets me where I need to go

 

Now that you have P/S, you may want to swap in the smaller steering wheel that goes with it, it makes for a bit more room in the cab, but, it is a bit thinner along with being smaller.
Evan MacDonald
82 F100 FlareSide 4wd
HD 300-6 9.5:1 CR
Clifford 270H cam
Hedman Hedder
SBC valved 66 240 head
Headlight Relays - Delanty Style
NP435(6.69 low)
NP 205
3.55 Geared ARB'd 9" & Trac-Locked TTB
31x10.50/15 Cooper Discoverer LT's

 

Finding the ps parts was really no problem but once again I think luck may have been on my side. I went to my little local junk yard / towing place (little two man operation) and asked them if they could get me the parts. They told me they had a truck on the property with the right parts, but apparently when they went to pull the parts they found they could turn the steering wheel about 4-1/2" without it even turning the pitman arm, so that gearbox was shot. Then a week later they phoned me up to tell me that another truck had come in with good steering and I told them to go ahead and pull it. 2 days and $75 later i was steering with one finger!

I think I'll just keep the stock wheel just cuz its not giving me any problems. Then again I do have to get a new turn signal switch / return unit, so maybe I'll grab the wheel too.

later

 

God how I love this place!

You people are the epitomy of the saying:

JUST DO IT

 

OK I took the plunge this weekend - I was finally able to find a place that had the whole PS setup. I did not get by cheap though - I had to pay 250 bucks. I called around, that's about what others would charge, if they had it. Most have pump and gear box - but that's it. The only advice I would add to what is in the original post, is that you will also need the two bolts that hold the front pump bracket and timing chain cover. If you do not have PS, all bolts on the timing cover have heads, on a truck with PS two of the bolts are headless bolts that have nuts (one for the cover, one for the bracket. So get those two bolts too.

I have two questions: 1) Does this system use PS fluid or auto trans fluid (what kind?). My system came out of a 85 F-150. I seem to recall an exchange somewhere on this board discussing the fluid to use and those were the two choices.

2) I suspect my gear box is going to leak, the linkage under the pump was soaked with fluid and dirt, and the pump was empty. Of course, I have 30 days to exchange it for one that doesn't - but what are the chances the next one will be any better. My question: How difficult (and effective) is putting in a seal kit? Is it something the regular guy can do? Would it be better to get another box?

I hope to have power steering next week. Oh, and thanks to the note above, I also got the steering wheel - not much smaller, but smaller. At my size, I need the room.

Any advice welcome. Thanks b1rdjx88 for the encouragement -- my wife blames the website, not you.

Later folks.

Raul
w/ 81 F-100, I6, SROD, Carter 1V non-feedback carb, no A/C, no PS, no PB, but it gets me where I need to go

 

OK, I found the post on the ATF vs PS fluid -- it's over in the Inline Six forum. Apparently ATF is the way to go.

Comments/advice on seal kit still appreciated.

Thx

Raul
w/ 81 F-100, I6, SROD, Carter 1V non-feedback carb, no A/C, no PS, no PB, but it gets me where I need to go