Steering: To '52 ragtop here: maybe you can come up with an Astro van Saginaw PS conversion?

[1962larksedan]

Our Jim T has a huge amount of respect in Studebaker land with his disc brake conversion kits: maybe of we beg him (and supply him with supplies) he can come up with a decent PS conversion for 1951-85 Studebaker/Avanti passenger cars?

The Chevy Astro van (at least the 2WD version) used a reverse rotation Saginaw 800 series PS gear which happens to be the same direction as a Stude unit and apparently there's enough room under the hood for it to fit next the L/H exhaust manifold on any Stude/Mckinnon AKA SB Chevy powered car.

Apparently it'd be just the matter of designing and making up frame brackets and a custom Pitman arm along with (possibly) an Ididit or similar steering column.

IMHO the Lark/Avanti models would be the best ones for R&D since they have the shortest distance between the front axle centerline and firewall so vehicles with a greater distance i.e 1959-64 C/K's and all 1951-58 passenger cars would have adequate room by default.

[StudeRich]

Hmm, I wonder how many Old Astro Vans we can find nowadays?

Maybe a Steering gear rebuilder would have some stock, if they are getting thin on the Ground (as Jack Vines would say) at Pic-Ur-Parts.

[1962larksedan]

Hmm, I wonder how many Old Astro Vans we can find nowadays?

Maybe a Steering gear rebuilder would have some stock, if they are getting thin on the Ground (as Jack Vines would say) at Pic-Ur-Parts.

Astros were built as late as 2005 so why they're rare in the Pick A Part's would be weird since the 'sweet spot' in those places is about 10-20 YO vehicles.

[Studebakercenteroforegon]

'61 and later Lark types with the recirculating ball Saginaw steering box are very nice driving cars as they are - the only thing I would do is to make sure the original parts are in good shape and properly lubricated. Sometimes I think the theme on this forum is "If it ain't broke, fix it until it is!"

[52 Ragtop]

Well, Maybe after I get the 3/4 ton trucks done! The 1 ton trucks are now available, Then on to some of the early models. I'll also need to talk to my insurance guy, last guy told me "You're already doing brakes, and now you want to do steering? How much do you want to pay for liability insurance"? <G> At least with the brake hoses, I have Brakequip LLC that names me on their policy. But, as long as I pressure test each and every hose, (which I do) I'll never have a failure!

Jim

[1962larksedan]

Well, Maybe after I get the 3/4 ton trucks done! The 1 ton trucks are now available, Then on to some of the early models. I'll also need to talk to my insurance guy, last guy told me "You're already doing brakes, and now you want to do steering? How much do you want to pay for liability insurance"? <G> At least with the brake hoses, I have Brakequip LLC that names me on their policy. But, as long as I pressure test each and every hose, (which I do) I'll never have a failure!

Jim

I def understand your concerns re: liability.

The reason I 'dragged' your name through the (Astro Van Saginaw gear) PS conversion for a Stude/Avanti 'mud' is that you have a sterling rep with your assorted disc brake conversion kits.

[gordr]

Well, I know if Jim were to offer a steering kit, it would be first-rate. But I appreciate the liability issue too, and I can understand why he may be reluctant. Also, there is such a thing as spreading oneself too thin.

What would really help in this instance is for anyone who contemplates doing it to simply go ahead and do it, and document, document, document! What parts you bought, which fit, which didn't, photos, drawings, and dimensions.

If two or three of us do this conversion, and keep real good records, then one of us, or a third party, could digest all the information down into a good do-it-yourself article for Turning Wheels, or maybe even a set of plans and parts list. Then maybe vendors could be found to make the necessary welded steel bracket, and the custom Pitman arm. With those parts available, it would be an easy job for any competent mechanic to do the swap.

[ddub]

I have always wondered if I took a Stude to a street rod shop and asked for power steering if they could dream up something that worked well. Probably not cheap.

[1962larksedan]

Well, I know if Jim were to offer a steering kit, it would be first-rate. But I appreciate the liability issue too, and I can understand why he may be reluctant. Also, there is such a thing as spreading oneself too thin.

What would really help in this instance is for anyone who contemplates doing it to simply go ahead and do it, and document, document, document! What parts you bought, which fit, which didn't, photos, drawings, and dimensions.

If two or three of us do this conversion, and keep real good records, then one of us, or a third party, could digest all the information down into a good do-it-yourself article for Turning Wheels, or maybe even a set of plans and parts list. Then maybe vendors could be found to make the necessary welded steel bracket, and the custom Pitman arm. With those parts available, it would be an easy job for any competent mechanic to do the swap.

As you stated. Those two parts would be the only critical application specific components needed since the reach rod would be stock Studebaker and either modifying a stock Stude column wouldn't be too difficult or using an 'Ididit' or similar assembly would round out the 'mechanical' side of things with (probably) a custom pressure hose made up and a section of generic return line to cover the hydraulic side of things.

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

Using a used, unknown steering box would not make for a safe, dependable build.
A used unit would be fine used as a mule while fabrication took place.
When transmission swaps are mentioned on this site, it is usually recommended to use a new or a quality rebuilt transmission.
That advice most certainly applies to a steering box swap.
With that said, the number of units available in pic and pulls shouldn't be a factor in this swap.

[SN-60]

[QUOTE=55 56 PREZ 4D;799886]Using a used, unknown steering box would not make for a safe, dependable build.
A used unit would be fine used as a mule while fabrication took place.
That advice most certainly applies to a steering box swap.



No sense of adventure!

[PackardV8]

Using a used, unknown steering box would not make for a safe, dependable build.

Add, "used, unknown mileage steering box out of a totally wrecked van."

Having said that, most of the Stude parts we're using today come from used, unknown mileage wrecked cars. With a custom build, "no warranty expressed or implied; user is to determine suitability for his application."

jack vines

[1962larksedan]

Add, "used, unknown mileage steering box out of a totally wrecked van."

Having said that, most of the Stude parts we're using today come from used, unknown mileage wrecked cars. With a custom build, "no warranty expressed or implied; user is to determine suitability for his application."

jack vines

I have to agree. The only time that makers of a conversion kit of anything would be liable is if they actually supplied the part in question that could fail. Using Jim and his disc brake kits as an example: if he supplied a pair of junkyard calipers and one were to let loose, the liability would be on him, if the end user of said kit put his own calipers on (regardless of source) and the brakes failed due to a problem with said calipers..........no judge would try to go after Jim and Turner Brakes.

[Studeous]

Buy a fine low milage Asteroid. Plant a privecy privet in the back yard. Drive it for a year. If it drives and steers good, dissect it, use the steering box, push it in the back yard. Load it up with Studebaker parts.

[PlainBrownR2]

I have to agree. The only time that makers of a conversion kit of anything would be liable is if they actually supplied the part in question that could fail. Using Jim and his disc brake kits as an example: if he supplied a pair of junkyard calipers and one were to let loose, the liability would be on him, if the end user of said kit put his own calipers on (regardless of source) and the brakes failed due to a problem with said calipers..........no judge would try to go after Jim and Turner Brakes.

That's kinda like the vendor I use for my fuel injection stuff. Last Christmas I put together a Megaview kit for the '55. Now the kit is akin to an automotive version of a Heathkit, where the buyer puts it together themselves. Upon completion, I tested it, and found that it wouldn't display. A few more rounds of diagnostic testing led me to believe that the chip, which is also used in my ECU, had gone bad. So, I sent a "I need to return this item" email back to those guys, and after a few rounds with some diagnostic questions, they sent me a form to fill out regarding the problem with the kit. There kits have a warranty, and if something failed under warranty, they'd change it out, no charge. Upon completion, I was also to mail back the completed device, which they would gladly troubleshoot for me, and replace the problem component. But, under their policy it was written such that, even though this is a kit that you build yourself, and things CAN and DO go wrong, and that they would gladly fix or replace the broken component in question, that if any additional modifications were made to the original design of the circuit, that they would need to remove them, and charge me for the extra labor to undo what I did. There were no modifications to the circuit though, and they replaced the ailing chip free of charge.

I get it that this is a different scenario though, and the scale of liability involved. If a caliper fails and a customer gets upset, Jim just can't just pull another caliper off of an antistatic strip and send it through the mail like they can with the chips, this concerns a very important part of the car, the turning and the stopping!