BLDTruth

Yep I think that is the way it is going to go because I can't get the damn pitman arm off. None of the pullers I have tried have worked.

On a positive note, I ended up calling it quits after doing the pump swap and I can report that the results are every bit as amazing as advertised. You literally can turn your wheels with your pinky in a stationary position. And its quiet. So much quieter. Maybe the best upgrade I have done on the truck so far.

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

I haven't had a problem pulling pitman arms. I use an electric impact gun to tighten the puller, maybe that helps

BLDTruth

My problem is finding a puller that fits between the arm and the box - all of the ones I have rented haven't fit. Reading around the web it seems you need the right magic puller to do the job - at this point its easier for me to just get the new arm.

BLDTruth

So the stock belt is definitely too tight - I drove around yesterday without problems but when I started her up this morning I heard an awful chirp that was rpm-dependent. Was hoping I could get away with it but no dice.

BLDTruth

$30 for a belt 1.5" longer than stock did the trick. Luckily O'reilly's had a Gates belt in stock that I needed.

So total cost for the project was about $120 for the JY pump, bracket, and pulley, new high pressure hose and belt.

Slowbrick

So,....almost 3 years later, how has this upgrade performed during this time period? Did the steering box hold up? How much play in the steering? Is the steering still easy & predictable? Did the pump whine come back? Still quiet?

I ask because my '92 has a very loud whine and leaks like a sieve. The power assist is erratic at times. I'm sure that most of the noise is caused by cavitation from air being introduced at the leakage points.The truck has 180,000 miles on it and it is time to address the steering issues.

Since there will be some new replacement parts involved I'd rather just do the work once. If the Saginaw box truly is an upgrade that holds up well over time this is the option that I would prefer.

Jonathan

BLDTruth

I still think it is the best upgrade I have ever done. Still using the same pump. No whine. Smooth as butter.

Slowbrick

That's good to know and glad that it is still working well for you. Hoping to get this done in the near future.

Steve83

No, it's not the steering box:


(phone app link)

It's the PUMP:


(phone app link)

Doug Raney

One of the first things I did to my truck after I bought it was the Saginaw pump upgrade. The steering was very sloppy and the pump whine was quite loud. I had to drive the truck long distance at night on a two lane two way black top road in the rain. It was a bit of a nerve-racking experience with the sloppy steering and the oncoming traffic.

After that experience, I had a new steering gear box installed. I went to a salvage yard and found a van with the bracket. It came with the pump, but I decided to get a re-manufactured pump instead. Everything fits perfectly. I'm very pleased with the ease of steering, tightness of new gear box, and how quiet it is compared to the Ford pump.

I learned about the conversion from "The Fox Shop" on YouTube from this playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...krqLzlMnRQrgYi