PowerSteering setup help for my SAS'ed truck!!!

[Vozar]

Well, i have everything done on my truck and its ready to roll put but........................ I am having some problems with my PS setup. SO far ive blown 2 coolers and several lines. Im trying to find out what everyone else on the board here is doing for their PS setups for their SAS. Im running the saganaw PS gearbox from 79 bronco and the stock pump. First off, my friend reccomended getting custom lines made at a hydrolic shop. THis would be doable but the stock lines look like hell to take of the pump. What did everyone else do for this. ANy tricks or tips or info would be appreciated. . My friend and I are trying like hell to get this done before the Hot Springs run on the 14th. I really want to do this right, THanks guys

Matt

 

[JoshC]

Geez man, i can't believe you are having problems like that. I'm using a 1st gen box with my stock pump and lines and i've had no problems at all. Did your lines fit just fine into the bronco box? Or did you have to get new ends?

 

[fury]

same here 94 x steering box with stock lines. i was going to use a saganaw steering box but after talking to a few people on the bored i found out it would be a lot easier just to get one from an early ranger or explorer.

 

[JoshC]

The only thing i could think of is if the bronco box doesn't take as much pressure and your pump is busting the lines, make sense?

 

[james t]

Which line is blowing? The return? I assume its the return since you said the cooler is blowing too. The bronco box should be fine with whatever pump you wanna run on it...... alot of bronco guys run Chevy/Saginaw pumps which are just as stout as the explorer pump.

 

[Vozar]

Ok, my friend did me a favor and connected the whole pressure side up with metal lines and a compression fitting. The return side is rubber hose and hose clamps. No cooler for the moment but im going to put one on in a couple days. Im going to test it out tom. Cross yer' fingers!!!!


James- THe pressure line was blowing but hose clamps just couldnt hold the pressure. We had the cooler on the pressure side(big mistake)

Josh- That bronco box is a really stout little box, it can take the pressure.


Thanks for the help guys,

Matt

 

[james t]

James- We had the cooler on the pressure side(big mistake)

LOL. Sorry man, im not laughing at you.... im laughing with you. I did the same thing on a truck back in high school and i know what kind of mess it makes.


I will say this for the record though, in case anyone searches later on and finds this thread and needs help-

You cant run hose clamps on the high pressure side hose. It has to be made to fit. Its under tremendous pressure. You have to run the power steering cooler (if you use one) on the low pressure return side. You can use regular hose and hose clamps on the return side.

 

[Vozar]

I tested it out and it works good. Im putting a cooler on tom. THanks guys

Matt

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Reminds me of the time I head that someone used hose clamps on an A/C system...

Good luck!

 

[Chris4x4Gill2]

Could any of you guys ussing the early explorer or ranger box post a pic of how/where you mounted it to the frame? I am looking at the way the frame is on my 99 compared to the earlier ones and im not sure how it should mount.

 

[Vozar]

Heres the bronco box on mine on the outside of frame. I think most other people are putting them inside the frame rails which is impossible with the SOHC. Radiator and other stuff is in the way.

 

[Chris4x4Gill2]

Thanks for the pic

Could any of you with the ranger box post a pic for me ? I need to see how/where you mounted it to the frame

 

[fury]

i got some pics of the 94 ex steering box i used for my sas.
just use the link in my sig to view them. they will be on page 4.
hope it helps.

 

[Robb]

 

[Chris4x4Gill2]

Thanks for the pics guys. Im asuming that all the lines fro mthe stock PS pump should hook right up is this right?

Robb: did you just use washers as spacers there in the second pic to make up for the lack of indention in the frame that the earlier models had?

either of you have any trouble out of this setup?

 

[JoshC]

I have the exact same setup as Robb, since the same guy did our trucks. I've had problems out of mine. I keep breaking the weld around the tubing going through the frame, so i took my box off and welded a plate on the outside of the frame for the bolts to go through. I haven't done the back side yet cause i had to leave for Iraq, but i do plan on doing that but i'm not sure how since is has that indent toward the rear. There are no washers there. The tubing was cut to length to square off the box before it was welded in there. The tubing touches the box in both locations.

 

[Chris4x4Gill2]

so you used tubing cut to length instead of washers as a spacer to level the box out? Alright, thanks for the reply

 

[Jefe]

so you used tubing cut to length instead of washers as a spacer to level the box out? Alright, thanks for the reply

You NEED to weld tube inserts all the way through the frame or the frame won't be able to hold up to the abuse. Welding a plate along side at least one side of the frame isn't a bad idea either.
Pics from my truck:
Under construction:

Broken on trail:

Problem fixed:

 

[Chris4x4Gill2]

alright, those pics should help alott. Thanks!

 

[JoshC]

I kept busting the welds on the outside of the frame on the tubing, that's when i welded the plate on the outside. If i were to do a new SAS job that requried that type of setup, i'd weld a plate on first, do it right.

I also did the same thing Jefe did, busted 2 grade 8 bolts.