power to manual steering conversion

HI can anyone put me in touch with how to purchase a manual steering box outright at a reasonable price without a hefty core charge. I can get a rebuilt box for $170, but there is a $200 core charge, and all I have is a power box for a core, and the seller will not take it as a core. I am sure of one part # a Cardone 27-5000, I think there is also a ADIX, but I am not sure on that one. I don't want to spend $400 for a manual steering box to put on a $100 jeep. The Benz diesel that I just put in the XJ does not have a power steering pump. So I wanted to convert to manual steering

thanks

Why not fab up a mount for your xj power steering pump and just get a custom length belt that routes in the pump? Would cost less than getting a new box.

xj_maniac_newb said:

Why not fab up a mount for your xj power steering pump and just get a custom length belt that routes in the pump? Would cost less than getting a new box.

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X2. I have an old truck with manual steering and I'm converting to power. I would never go the other way...

Hit the junk yards, a lot of 2.5l MJs/XJs came with manual steering.

I agree that it would be best to add a pump to your engine, powersteering is one of the best things Ive added to my MJ.

My 85 2.5L XJ came plain Jane. It was a 4 speed manual tranny, no power steering, rubber "carpet".

hi Thanks for the reply's. I tried the one and only U-pull it yard near my location. no luck on any manual steered jeeps of any kind. they did have a old IH scout. but that box was very different. Also funny not a single CJ or wrangler in the whole yard. They used to have some, but I guess they moved them all out.
The reason for the conversion to manual and not making a bracket.
The MB engine uses a v-belt, not a serpintine belt, So I thought quite a bit of work to fab and align the bracket, then source a v-belt pulley for the jeep pump. Going the other way using a MB pump, still have to fab and align the bracket, PLUS it would need custom hoses with MB on one end and Jeep on the other. It has been done, but seemed like alot of work. Other reason simplicity, this is a 2wd jeep normal ride height. The purpose is too sit it out in the boonies, with a solar battery maintainer and hopefully it can sit for months and months at a time, and start and run when needed without having bad gas, or other problems. Trying for the super simple durable operation.
This has been my first engine conversion. I have done plenty of R & R engines. But this is a first for this type of conversion. Getting the engine mounts fabed and the engine installed was the easy part. The hard part is in all the little bits, accelerator linkage, transmission control, etc. And coming up next all the mods to the front suspension and steering.
So far it has been a lot of fun and also quite a bit of frustration, as the engine sat for so long in the shop. This is the learner conversion with the $100 jeep, and the +25 engine. so $75 for the big parts. I made $25 on the engine after I scrapped the MB body. I did buy an adapter for $350 though. If this one works out, I have a nice MB turbo motor to put in a nicer jeep, and that one should have power steering and Airconditioning.
I am stil looking for a used cheap manual steering box. If anyone knows the location of one that can be shipped to South Texas let me know.
Also one other thing I considered and would be interested in discussing. Has anyone used or converted to a electric power steering pump. I thought about that as well, and it still may be a solution.

thanks again for the replys

Have you considered an electric PS pump?

yes I am pretty interested in electric power steering. is anyone runing a electric PS system. I saw some from Toyota MR2's, and I know the newer Chevy malibu's have Electric PS. I am not very familiar with the different systems. I was hoping you could just mount the electric power unit hook it up to 12 volts, and run some steering hoses to it. But I doubt it would be that simple.
anyone have any experience there

They actually do sell V belt pulleys for the xj power steering pump. If you could fab up a mount (or buy one, i'm sure you could find one that would be able to be modified decently easily

i did not know they had a v-belt pulley. I will be considering that. Just now I have so much other crap to do, to get front end cleaance, and fuel shutoff, and etc etc. I am far far away from needing to steer with power. I did have a guy call me after some online quote I filled out. He offered the non power pump for $230 outright. He as kind of rude, So I told him if he could sell it for $200 i would buy it. Then he was even ruder. I told him you called me I did not call you. Like I said I am far away from actually needing this.
This morning new primary and seconary fuel filters, Electric fuel pump bypass in the tank, and finish pulling the front coil springs off to prep for the coil spacers. Oh and maybe try and raise the engine on the mounts just a bit for more clearance. Then order some bits for a fuel injector nozzle replacement.
I still want to find that manual steering pump in a junk yard, for less than $100. or maybe still looking for a electric unit for cheap as well

I bit the bullet and bought a rebuilt manual steering box. That is great. but now I need manual steering pitman arm. as near as I can tell I need a manual pitman arm that is a honest 4.5" to 6" longer than the stock XJ pitman. I would also like a bit of angle change to bring the drag link forward in the jeep toward the front bumper a bit as well. I am pretty sure this manual steering box is used in other vehicles.
Does anyone have any info on which other vehicles might have this steering box. Hopefully I can find a longer pitman arm from another vehicle.
I also need to modify my new adjustable track bar, and make the new drop tackbar mount a little more drop.
Has anyone made a custom trackbar? I have seen some of the heavily modified rigs with custom trackbars. How can I spec a new trackbar. How heavy does the pipe have to be? Also I need a shorter 3/4"-16 RH thread HEIM joint?

thanks

hey xj_maniac. So where could I source a v-drive pulley for the xj pump? Do you have a year model or part # I can use?
There does not seem to be a large enough drop pitman arm that will fit the manual box. of coarse the power steering pitman arms don't fit the manual steering box.
So now I am looking to drop the whole steering box on the fram, and still get a drop pitman arm, and fab a bracket and mount the xj pump on the benz motor.
So I will need a v-drive pulley to fit the xj PS pump



thanks

diesel-xj said:

hey xj_maniac. So where could I source a v-drive pulley for the xj pump? Do you have a year model or part # I can use?
There does not seem to be a large enough drop pitman arm that will fit the manual box. of coarse the power steering pitman arms don't fit the manual steering box.
So now I am looking to drop the whole steering box on the fram, and still get a drop pitman arm, and fab a bracket and mount the xj pump on the benz motor.
So I will need a v-drive pulley to fit the xj PS pump



thanks

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I have a part number, but from what i read they can be pretty pricey. You can read some in the the thread i found and see if it helps you any, the part number is in the second post.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/wanted-v-belt-power-steering-pulley-89-wrangler-yj-w-2-5-l-engine-1340179/

I'll keep searching around and see what i can find. At one point i found one on Ebay, but i cant seem to find it now.

Hey thanks a lot xj_maniac. That will help to have the part #. For today I was looking for a '84-87 xj with the v-6. Nice to know I can look at the older YJ's with the 4 cyl as well. I saw an aluminum pulley on some racing parts supply today, It was pretty pricey as well.
This conversion has tuned out to be kind of a PIA. getting the engine in the car was the easy part. Dealing with the front oil sump on the benz is a real pain. The little jap diesels would probably be easier to complete, but they cost real $ compared to the benz diesels.
Looks like I am going to fab up a track bar from scratch. And I will start on the jeep to mb power steering pump bracket in a few days. I have a mb PS pump from a turbo motor, but it is different from the NA motor I am using.
well thanks again for the info.

diesel-xj said:

yes I am pretty interested in electric power steering. is anyone runing a electric PS system. I saw some from Toyota MR2's, and I know the newer Chevy malibu's have Electric PS. I am not very familiar with the different systems. I was hoping you could just mount the electric power unit hook it up to 12 volts, and run some steering hoses to it. But I doubt it would be that simple.
anyone have any experience there

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i had a saturn vue and it had electric power steering. there was no pump or fluid, it had a servo under the dash on the steering sector shaft. worked fine for all intensive purposes.