Manual to power steering conversion?

Area for General FSJ related chat.
Post Reply

Topic author
JeepJoe
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2017 10:44 am

Manual to power steering conversion?

Post by JeepJoe »

I currently have manual steering in my 79 cherokee 4.2 i6 and was wondering if anyone has done a manual to power steering conversion if so is there a kit or what parts are compatible?
User avatar

tgreese
Posts: 7118
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:31 am
Location: Medford MA USA

Re: Manual to power steering conversion?

Post by tgreese »

There is no kit per se. This topic has been covered a lot on the Jeep CJ sites. Many CJs came with manual steering, but by the 70s it was quite unusual for a full-size Jeep. https://www.bing.com/search?q=site%3Aea ... conversion V8s are easy to upgrade, 258s are not.

The steering gear and steering pump are easy - lots of possible sources, but the easiest would be to pick remanufactured parts for your year and model. Finding a donor for the engine mounting pieces likely will be difficult. Unlikely there is a source for the hoses aftermarket for your year and model, so you may need to have the high-pressure hose made.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
User avatar

Stuka
Site Admin
Posts: 11789
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:53 pm
Location: CA
Contact:

Re: Manual to power steering conversion?

Post by Stuka »

I have never seen a 70's FSJ with manual steering. I didn't even think it was optional past '74.

And like tgreese said, buying the steering box and power steering pump is easy enough. The hoses are available. But you need to find the bracket to hold the pump on the engine, and you may need a different water pump pulley to run the belt from (Pretty sure they ran off the water pump pulley).
2017 JKU Rubicon
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
User avatar

tgreese
Posts: 7118
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:31 am
Location: Medford MA USA

Re: Manual to power steering conversion?

Post by tgreese »

Experience with 258 CJs says get everything off the front of the donor engine. Before 1975, the pump attached to the passenger side of the engine, and an additional pulley bolted to the front of the crank pulley. After that, the pump moved to the driver's side, and making these donor's parts work with other engines is often problematic. There have been several instances - which you can find on the CJ site I linked to above - of CJ owners buying just the bracket and pulleys, and nothing lines up. If you find a donor, take everything from the donor that may be affected by the swap.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
User avatar

tgreese
Posts: 7118
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:31 am
Location: Medford MA USA

Re: Manual to power steering conversion?

Post by tgreese »

The parts book does not break out manual steering for LHD Jeeps by model. I suspect you could get power steering delete even if it was standard equipment for the civilian models. Could be an agency vehicle ...

I'd also suggest that a more straightforward way to get power steering in one of these vehicles would be to swap to a 4.0L engine. If the OP were considering it, that would be another good reason to go ahead.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
User avatar

Stuka
Site Admin
Posts: 11789
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:53 pm
Location: CA
Contact:

Re: Manual to power steering conversion?

Post by Stuka »

Its worth noting to not get the brackets from early 80's (I think 81-83) 258's as they use a serpentine setup, and all the mounts are different.
2017 JKU Rubicon
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
Post Reply