adding power steering

[Dan Ward]

Hello to everyone!
Regarding my 57 Silver Hawk with champion flathead and auto transmission. This car has standard steering. I may (in the future)want power steering. First of all(not knowing Studes that well yet),
can it be done ? --and secondly, what has to be changed if the answer to the first question is yes? I'm not sure if the present steering gear can be used with added components or I would have to switch it out with another unit off another car. I know I need a pump, mounting hardware & a cylinder. Are these parts obtainable from Studebaker International?. Any advice will be appreciated.

(PS----I got my accelerator/carburator linkage problem solved & Mr. Biggs was right---the system of linkages works well when everything is adjusted right-----Thanks again Dan Ward

[lstude]

I am not an expert on this, but I know you have to change the bellcrank. I put a power steering bellcrank on the 63 Lark I had but never added the power steering. I think you may need a different pulley and the rest should just bolt on. The best thing would be to find a 6 cyl Hawk parts car or a vendor who has the complete setup. 6 cyl. Hawk parts cars with power steering might be hard to find. I don't think many people ordered power steering with 6 cylinder engines.

[Roscomacaw]

Dan,

Good to hear that the linkage problem got cured. As to the power steering, the 57s had a different setup from what you're making reference to. On '57s, the power assisting was all contained in the steering sector itself. There was no seperate power cylinder like later cars had (we commonly refer to that system as the Bendix PS setup - the earlier is a Saginaw system)
The later type COULD BE fitted to your Hawk, but it would require you rounding up more parts than if you went with the original stuff. But before I go any further with this, I hafta ask why you would want to complicate things with PS on a 6cyl car. It SHOULD be pretty darned easy to steer just as is. The lighter weight engine should make the steering easier than a V8 would and I - for one anyway - don't think a V8 Hawk is hard to steer if you've got a sane choice of tires on it.
Further factor the power that'll be lost to driving that pump and I'd be for going without. What's your logic or goal to this?

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[Dan Ward]

Thanks to everyone for the advice on my 57 Hawk power steering changeover.

Mr.Biggs---You are right--it's not difficult to steer. Even my wife thinks she can drive it fine the way it is. I probably will "not" change it over in the end. The car is new to me now & I'm gathering as much information as I can--I do alot of "what if" thinking. One of the "what ifs" is a 289 stude v8 (which I also will probably not do). I'm glad you said what you did about the steering on cars with v8's. I was wondering if the extra weight would dramatically change the steering. I'm not exactly sure how much or what I will do to the car at this point. I plan on fixing a few things to make it dependable and I will just drive it this summer & have some fun. By then I should get a better feel for what it needs as well as for what I personally want to do with the car. If I can get the performance & reliability I want by restoration of the car as it is, I suspect I will do that. The only thing for certain is I will fix the body. It is basically a fairly solid car, but needs alot of "nicks" & "dings" fixed and some paint work.

One thing for sure--I plan on "driving" my car regardless of what I do. I may not drive it in a blizzard or down gravel roads at 50 mph, but I will drive it. If I get caught in a rain storm, it will have to get wet. (other people may feel different, and that's ok--this is just me--what's right for one person may not be for another).

Regards---Dan Ward

PS--I'm still not exactly sure of how to use this forum--hopefully this is correct

[lstude]

Of the 15 Studebakers I have owned in my lifetime, the 64 Daytona I have now is the only one with power steering. It is only handy when parallel parking, which I seldom do. On the road, I prefer my Studebakers without power steering. Studebaker power steering has very little "road feel".

And, Yes you are using the forum correctly and Welcome to the forum!

[Roscomacaw]

I like your attitude, Dan. Rain ain't gonna hurt it unless you're worried about water spots on the frame and how that might sway a judges opinion on how well you've over-restored your Hawk.

Heh - they weren't engineered and built to be judged - that is unless you consider a returning customer to have judged that Studebakers were worthy of his hard-earned cash because he got good value for dollar on one.
Only Studebaker ever saved one for the pure sake of saving one! DRIVE IT, I say![]

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[Ira]

i have the pump, ram and control valve along with the rebuild kits for an Eaton Pwr Steering unit for 60 Hawk. I need someone who can rebuild all three for me if anyone can recommend. thanks

[karterfred88]

If you have the kits, do it yourself--not brain surgery. Unless the interior parts are corroded, like the control valve interior, spool, rollers in the pump--you're throwing money away. Very simple to do with the repair manual in a couple of hours since they are out of the car. There are of course rebuilders such as Lares, or one of our vendors can have yours rebuilt for you, and others that will be glad to take your money. Anyone that rebuilds Ford units can rebuild yours. Including Stanger (see website)-but don't hold your breath waiting to get them back-will do an excellent job-just not timely.

[rkapteyn]

Dave Thibeault (978 897-3158) rebuilds these and also offers complete kits.
Good vendor!

Robert Kapteyn

[Jeffry Cassel]

Adding PS to this car is more trouble than it is worth. It has no power to spare. It is light in the front end and very easy to steer IF it is properly aligned and you are not trying to run 215 tires on it. You would be amazed at how much more pleasant driving is with 6.70x15 tires on it and way easier than trying to gerry-rig PS. You will never find all the hardware you need. I have never ever seen a Champion with PS so finding all the brackets you need will be impossible.

[Mohr HP]

I'm debating the same thing for my basket case 60 lark convert, but I'm going with a 259 V8. Do you experienced guys still feel power steering will be unnecessary with that added weight? I've never driven a Lark, but my '64 Dodge sedan at 3,600 pounds was so nose heavy, I later added P.S. My standard catalog of American cars says the V8 Lark converts were 3315 pounds, and I'm adding A/C.

[PackardV8]

I'm debating the same thing for my basket case 60 lark convert, but I'm going with a 259 V8. Do you experienced guys still feel power steering will be unnecessary with that added weight? I've never driven a Lark, but my '64 Dodge sedan at 3,600 pounds was so nose heavy, I later added P.S. My standard catalog of American cars says the V8 Lark converts were 3315 pounds, and I'm adding A/C.

It has far more to do with the tire size chosen than the weight. With original width tires, PS is not a necessity. However, today our eyes are accustomed to minivans with 265 tires, so it's difficult for many Stude owners to stay skinny. If 6" wheels and 225 tires are chosen, then yes.

Second is an aware driver. My '55 E12 pickup with 215/85-16 Michelins, the steering wheel literally could not be turned when the truck was standing on asphalt on a hot day. To force it to turn would have wrecked the gears in short order. I learned to nudge into motion forward or backward before trying to turn the wheel. After thirty years, it became automatic. When I rebuilt it into a custom with a Packard V8, I did add PS and it's very nice to have.

jack vines

[sals54]

One of the easiest fixes for any standard steering Stude is to grease the bejeebers out of that kingpin. Put your grease gun on the zerk fitting and start pumping grease. It will eventually start coming out of every seam. Don't stop pumping till you see the grease coming out near the top of the kingpin. Now you'll have smooth and easy steering for years to come. And, yes. It makes a gargantuan mess. So clean as you go.

[TWChamp]

I agree with both the above #12 and #13. I never start turning the wheel until the car is moving. It's hard on all the steering parts to do otherwise.

Grease is the key to easy steering. Even on my lightweight lawn mower, as soon as I grease the kingpins, it's like adding power steering to it.