Convert to power steering

[watpress]

I have a 79 Monza with manual steering. What do I need to do to convert it to power steering? Is it just a matter of changing the steering box and adding the pump and hoses?

It can't be that easy, nothing ever is!

[erik monza]

Well I think it is - - -

It is a little closed system, and if you have the parts - that's it - now I have never done it. all my Monza´s had power steering , but that was the same system in all - a steering box - some hoses - and a pump.

If anybody know more come forward and let us get this problem solved

Thanks from Erik

[cjbiagi]

The centerlink is also different between power steering and non ps. I seem to recall the pitman arm is also different? Not positive on that....

[BadBowtie]

If you have the small manual steering box you will need centerlink and pitman arm (idler arm is supposed to be the same).
If you have the larger or cosworth manual steering box then just the power box.

Go to this page and look at the last post to see which centerlink you have/need and follow the link for more information:
http://forums.h-body.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=27674

[irock49]

I did the same conversion on a '79 Sunbird earlier this year. Check out my two threads "Newbie needs help with P/S, P/B conversion" and "Power Steering Installation". You didn't say what engine you have but if it's a V-6 or V-8, getting parts like brackets, pulleys, and belts should be easier that it was for the 4-cylinder I worked on.

Here's what I had to buy:

Power Steering Gear - 800221 - Borgeson Manufacturing (http://www.borgeson.com)
Universal Joint - 014931 - Borgeson
3/4" Double D shaft - 409418 - Borgeson
Pitman Arm - 806008 - Borgeson
P/S pump pulley - 801105 - Borgeson
P/S pump - 206803F - Rock Auto
P/S pump cap - 82581 - Rock Auto
Supply hose - 7-1606 - NAPA
Return hose - 7-1201 - NAPA
Pitman Arm seal - 5693027 - General Motors/Chevrolet dealer

Feel free to send me a PM if you need advice.

[cjbiagi]

You still need a PS centerlink. The manual and power look similar but the geometry is different. If you need one I can get it, but the PS ones are not cheap.

[irock49]

The only visible difference I can see between the two links is the distance from the hole to the pivot on the passenger side (left in this view). I used the manual link in the Sunbird, the pitman arm and the idler were the same length, and I didn't have a problem. I don't remember any holes thru the link but I'll look to be sure next spring - too cold to get under a car now - and I'll get the front end alignment checked just to be safe.

[cjbiagi]

i believe the mounting by the pitman arm is in a little different position and there is also more of a dip in the link. The mounting point by the pitman is also a bit lower relative to the center of the joint. I do believe it will bolt up but the geometry is off a bit. There is obviously a reason they had two different centerlinks and front end geometry is much more complex than it looks. The distance between the two holes where the inner tie rods mount is different between the two so you may find that the pitman and idler are not parallel to each other when the steering is centered. Both should be perfectly pointed to the rear and parallel to each with the steering centered. The centerlink also needs to be level so that's why the mounting points are different.

[cosvega76]

Don't forget that the center link for the large-gearbox manual and power steering is the same. I believe that a '79 Monza had the large gearbox, OE (or what my foggy memory sees of the '79 Monza I bought new). You'll just need the correct pitman arm for the power steering box.


Chuck

[irock49]

The reason I didn't "remember" the holes in the link was because the tie rods were installed in them. DUH!!

Does any know in what years different links were used between power steering and non-power steering cars? I'm no expert on H-bodies but when I installed the power steering I did check the length and offset of the Pitman arm (the same), and compared the manual and power steering boxes to make sure the length of the output and its location relative to the mounting holes were the same. After I made sure the wheels were exactly centered and the output shaft was also at exact mid-travel, the Pitman lined up dead on and the link was level. The Pitman arm has four wide teeth equally spaced around the internal spline to match the four slots on the steering gear output shaft, so everything has to be dead on or it won't go together.

I think Chuck (Cosvega76) may be on to something in that the later H-bodies ('79 and up?) may have had a larger, different manual steering box instead of using the Vega box.

[watpress]

Thank you everyone for the info. It currently has a 350 in it and in all honesty, I bought it, backed it off the trailer, parked it in the garage and since it's winter haven't driven it yet. A lot of things were stripped off of it for racing purposes. So far I put wipers back in it, got all the lights working, added a heater core, box and hoses to it, and have the gas tank out to clean it up and put a new sender in it.

Manual steering doesn't bother me too much, but I thought power would be nice in case I drink too much and need my wife to drive me home!

[dindin]

The only visible difference I can see between the two links is the distance from the hole to the pivot on the passenger side (left in this view). I used the manual link in the Sunbird, the pitman arm and the idler were the same length, and I didn't have a problem. I don't remember any holes thru the link but I'll look to be sure next spring - too cold to get under a car now - and I'll get the front end alignment checked just to be safe.

I ordered a centerlink from PST for my cosworth and they sent me one that did not match up to the existing one, I called them on it and the guy told me they sell plent of these and nobody returns them..he seemed uninterested in what I was saying, I found rare parts can refurbish your old one for about $250.00..

Al