power steering on a split bus

[rubbachicken]

ave any of you guys out there fitted power steering to a split bus
i am trying
i don't know the GM equivalent, i'm using a power rack from a vauxhall vectra and an electric power steering pump from and a vauxhall astra van

the rack
first trail fit, with booster inplace

with the booster removed, as it'll need a bit more tweeking

and finaly the power fluid pump

i'd be grateful for any help, advice, idea's
thanks for reading

[Rex Surewood]

Why..? People has been driving buses without powersteering since 1950 and nobody got hurt..

Anyhow.. The biggest problem, as I see it, is getting the steering wheel connected..? Have you thought of any solutions to that?

[busracer]

why?...why?...so you can run a 10 inch diameter chain link steering wheel. thats why.

[rubbachicken]

the reason for doing this, well i have a few
first off i want to drop the bus a few more inches, the first thing that hit the ground on a lowered split bus is........... the steering box
next off there's the feeling at speed that the van moves across the road in the wind, even when there is no wind
my final want, just to make the thing easier in traffic, parking etc etc
and just incase i find a normal decent woman, it'd be good if it were easier to drive


as for a way of getting it to the steering colum, i think i have a solution for that
i'm going for something similar to this, using the steering box from a vanagon

rather than going across from one side to the other i hope to be able to squeeze in all on the one side, notching the chassis i hope to be ble to get the steering box up and safly level with the chassis out of harms way
maybe i can tub it and slam it, if it works

[rubbachicken]

[Stocknazi]

why are you wanting to put power steering on your bus again?
i think its unneccessary and will devalue your bus.
the reason for the wandering at speed is probably worn suspension componants. why not service the front end and try to eliminate your steering problems? replace or repack wheel beARINGS, check for play in your drag link and king and link pins, grease everthing, and change the oil in your steering box. check drag link and other conponants for play BEFORE you try to adjust your steering box. it may need adjustment, but most of the time other steering conponants are worn and the box is not to blame.
again , i and 95 % of people in this forum will advise you NOT to add power steering and try to improve? your bus. if its not broke, dont fix it.
maybee you need a nice vanagon, its more modern and more complex to repair
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[classictint]

Fellow Bus owners..
I think he was explaining how hes going to install it, not asking permission..

[AndrewM]

It looks like you're already doing a "hell of a job" without anyones input. Why not just update the whole bus. Switch out some of the body panels with vanagon stuff, that would be cool too. And you should loose the steering wheel, maybe a GT wheel would look RAD. You should definately put some AUDI seats in it, oh oh and a DVD player. If I were you I would have an artist paint "Big Pimpin" on it. Oh snap, that would be awesome. By the way, what part of the UK are you from?

[Braukuche]

[classictint]

[scoot1958]

Some of the coolest trends in old automotive and motorcycle conversions have come out of Europe; I say you are one daring *.$.#. - GO FOR IT, and I want to see more pics throughout ...

Naysayers beware; classictint and I will be crawling under your busses at the shows to see who gives in and installs one of rubbachickens' "kits" when he gets the kinks worked out and goes into production!

STOCK: 60' SC, 60' VERT,

Slightly modified 81' Caddy

[rubbachicken]

whoa, it seems i must have found a forum for unmodified busses
and people with no desire to improve the handling of their pride and joy


i don't see it as devaluing my bus, it's a keeper, one day i'll be burried in it
abeed: putting pwer steering on it again ??
it's not about worn out steering componants, i have driven bay for years, when i get them every part of the steering is replace, i have found that each and every one of them wanders across the road so i figure this one will get an up date
Braukuche: pray tell, wht are the rest of the problems with my bus, appart from it's nutbag owner
again i ask, how many of you out there have modified the engine, trans nd the braking systems, so what's the big deal with wanting it to have better, more responsive, and POWER steering
i have an idea, if you don't like what i am doing, please do not waste you time and mine telling me i am wasting my time and riuning my split bus
to those with positive thought's about what i am trying to achieve, thanks for your thought's

[jeremyrockjock]

[mynameismud]

do what you like- it's yours.

i wonder if there was the same talk when people began running disc brake conversions, bigger engines, etc- who gives a damn. if that's what you want, more power to you. just keep that in mind when you try to sell it.
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[jeremyrockjock]

[lammyrider]

welcome to the samba rubbachicken and you thought that VZi could be aurgumentative
think you'll find the resto boys will think your an idiot and the custom boys think your a mad genious they dont hold back their opinions on here,see the rant section

[rubbachicken]

[pyrOman]

I do like your idea also. Though my '65 Dormy with a fatchick disc brake front beam does pretty well even with the 13 inch Grant steering wheel, power steering would definitely make things a lot easyer for tight parking and such. However, it pretty much only helps there since at speed, too sensitive a "steering" could be more detrimental than helpful.

I remember way back when small japanese cars like the Honda started coming out with power steering. Even with the engine in front these vehicles were too light to have full on power steering. So they had a set up that the power steering cut off as yuo get to speed. Do some more research. Maybe your electric pump already has such a "cut off" switch or you can make one.

In the mean time and for whatever it is worth, I too have been told many a time "You just can't do that!" "It can't be done!" By some "experts" even! Then when I've come back to show them and they start asking me "How'd you do it?" I tell them to just try and find out for themselves!


Good luck on this project!
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[VWBobby]

I think its a great idea!

I was/am in the process of fitting a rack n pinion set to my bus.....by why not go all the way? The modern power racks are very compact and strong. I was using a manual rack but have spotted some power racks that would be great.

Are you bolting it straight to the frame rails using some fabbed mounts?

One word of caution; Don't mount the rack too far back/forward of the steering pivot points. If the tie rods are angled too far, there will be considerable bump steer when going over ruts, etc.

[rubbachicken]

the rack will be mounted on home made brackets, i like to over engineer so they will be heavy guage steel
and yes i already figued that i need to mount it as close to the beam as i can, but i do have to work it around the booster, but i am confident i can sort it
to the doubters that have replied, so far 99% of the bit i have done to my bus can be reversed if the need ever arised
but as far as i'm concerned this is a keeper so it doesn't matter[/b]
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