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Old 04-25-2012, 02:28 AM   #137
markeb01
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Spokane Valley, WA
Posts: 8,356
Re: Markeb01 Build Thread

Yes, I was highly motivated to install power steering when I first got the truck. It was actually the first thing I did after the engine swap. The original steering box was almost unworkable. Upon inspection I realized the big plug on the forward end of the box was completely missing, eliminating any lubricant and allowing dirt and debris into the gears. At great expense I replaced it with a replacement junk yard box which turned out to work just as poorly. It was so hard to turn I avoided parking lots and normally left the truck in the street.

The only mention in the build thread is on page 1, the last photo on post #4. It just shows the finished installation. This far back it never occurred to me to take detailed photos of the whole installation process:



REZ made the only kit on the market in 1992. I was somewhat bummed when the kit arrived and I discovered it was not designed to work on a 60-62 frame. But I was committed to having power steering, so I fabricated heavy steel spacers for the front bolt(s), which have performed flawlessly for 20 years.

The steering column I bought was a generic model from Butch’s Rod Shop. I was fortunate in finding a nearly new intermediate shaft from a mid-70’s Monte Carlo that was a direct bolt in between the box and column. It even came with a plastic cover that keeps dirt out of the flex coupler. Here’s a better shot of the cover when I was swapping out the front suspension years later:



To install the steering box using the REZ kit, the box needs a new mounting hole drilled as shown in this photo, and I believe the lower forward mounting hole must have the threads drilled out:



The downside being if you ever have to replace the steering box (which I did 17 years later), these modifications prevent returning the old box for the core credit.
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My Build Thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444502
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