Newbie Here and I have a question about Power Steering?

[LowBudget]

Hello All!
I am new here and I am going to be picking up a 1981 D-50 (2wd) tomorrow. It will be my daily driver, and it currently does not have power steering which is not a super big deal but I would really enjoy having power steering. I was wondering if anybody could help me with converting it to power steering. What boxes will work? what pumps would I be able to use?

Thanks,
LowBudget

[BradMph]

You come to the right spot, hang in there until the Gurus stop in that have mastered that update. Shouldn't be more then a 24 hour period. Meanwhile if you want to get familiar with the parts, check out our free manuals pages and grab yourself a manual. Might be able to solve your questions with those.

Welcome to the forum, Enjoy! :)

[Fordubishi]

With my 81 I just went to the wreckers and got a power steering box and replaced the manual one. Other then needing the pump and lines it was a direct swap.

[noahwins]

I was thinking of adding PS too, any idea if it's a direct fit on a 2nd Gen (RWD)?

[Fordubishi]

Not sure about the second gen. Might be an idea to get one from a wrecker and try it out.

[LowBudget]

You come to the right spot, hang in there until the Gurus stop in that have mastered that update. Shouldn't be more then a 24 hour period. Meanwhile if you want to get familiar with the parts, check out our free manuals pages and grab yourself a manual. Might be able to solve your questions with those.

Welcome to the forum, Enjoy! :)
Thank you!
and as I was driving my truck home from where I bough it at, I noticed that it had a massive back firing problem, and it smokes pretty good on the highway when cruising. pretty gutless. But my god, with the manual steering, and a shifter that falls off it is a riot to drive. Once I get Power steering I am probably gonna swap the motor and maybe go to a 5-speed.

[LowBudget]

With my 81 I just went to the wreckers and got a power steering box and replaced the manual one. Other then needing the pump and lines it was a direct swap.
I will go and call some wreckers and see if I can get a box for it. Thanks!

[BradMph]

Backfiring, sounds like a timing belt jump or a unadjusted distributor, Also could be a bad valve, but bad timing cause valves to open or close to early or too late cause fuel to explode while a valve is still open and that's when a backfire occurs. Your hearing the time of combustion explosion when the the valve isn't sealed and it explodes down the exhaust manifold instead. carb back fires is the same except the explosion leaks out an intake valve up and out the carb. Usually burning eyebrows in the process.

[LowBudget]

Backfiring, sounds like a timing belt jump or a unadjusted distributor, Also could be a bad valve, but bad timing cause valves to open or close to early or too late cause fuel to explode while a valve is still open and that's when a backfire occurs. Your hearing the time of combustion explosion when the the valve isn't sealed and it explodes down the exhaust manifold instead. carb back fires is the same except the explosion leaks out an intake valve up and out the carb. Usually burning eyebrows in the process.
yea it was back firing out of the carb. inside of the carb was just covered in soot. and junk. but whats weird is that if i am in town hooing around in it, it just runs fine. slow till it gets up in the revs, no back firing, and when I am on the highway cruising and I push the gas, that is when it back fires.

[minnisp]

i just swapped power steering from an 84 diesel to an 86 2.0l. You will need a power steering pump, and a power steering pump bracket. if you don't have one, the bracket isn't easy to find. i called around the country at junkyards and finally found one. used car-parts.com they have a nice search.

maybe someone here has one.
also, FYI, i had to change out the steering column because the power steering gearbox is longer than the manual one. The manual steering column knuckle that attaches to the gear was too long there wasn't enough room to attach it. Anyway, there may have been a way to adjust the column to fit the power steering gear but i wound up changing the column too. You'll need the hoses. otherwise it's surprisingly simple. it's a huge improvement i found the manual steering pretty tough in city driving for such a small truck. good luck!

[LowBudget]

i just swapped power steering from an 84 diesel to an 86 2.0l. You will need a power steering pump, and a power steering pump bracket. if you don't have one, the bracket isn't easy to find. i called around the country at junkyards and finally found one. used car-parts.com they have a nice search.

maybe someone here has one.
also, FYI, i had to change out the steering column because the power steering gearbox is longer than the manual one. The manual steering column knuckle that attaches to the gear was too long there wasn't enough room to attach it. Anyway, there may have been a way to adjust the column to fit the power steering gear but i wound up changing the column too. You'll need the hoses. otherwise it's surprisingly simple. it's a huge improvement i found the manual steering pretty tough in city driving for such a small truck. good luck!
Thanks for your input!

[LowBudget]

So today I was driving around town and I hit a huge pot hole. proceeded to look at my gauges afterwards, everything was fine, kept cruising along. I looked at my gauges again about 30 seconds later and holy crap! temp was pegged out. pop it out of gear turn it off and coast to the side of the road. Pull my E-brake. I get out and look under the hood. no holes in the block, still have oil,got my belts, didn't feel any hotter than usual. I get back in the truck, and there is smoke coming from behind the gas pedal. I look closer and my E-brake cable going into the bracket with the pulley is melting its rubber coating! I pull back the vinyl carpet and wait for a while for it to cool down. my e-brake is stuck on. so luckily i have some pliers that i use to get the cable out of the other bracket on the underside of the truck, and now my father's friend shows up and gives me a tow. (at this point I have established that I have no power at all in the truck.) and we tried to bump start it, and the engine would turn over, but no firing. no spark. so after the tow I am at home and put one of our spare batteries in the truck and still no power! any idea what is going on?( electrically) I checked my grounds and stuff and everything seemed good. the E-brake thing I have no idea what is going on there. that is just freaky. One good thing is that I found out that my motor is a 4g52. I know nothing about electrical stuff, so any ideas are welcomed.
Thanks,
Carter

[pennyman1]

If its an automatic, check the wiring on the neutral safety switch - sounds like it may have been damaged by the overheating under the dash. It should be on the shifter and plugs into the harness between the seats on the tranny tunnel

[LowBudget]

If its an automatic, check the wiring on the neutral safety switch - sounds like it may have been damaged by the overheating under the dash. It should be on the shifter and plugs into the harness between the seats on the tranny tunnel
thanks,
but Its a 4 speed. any other ideas

[noahwins]

FYI, I bought an original 1989 Mighty Max sales brochure on eBay and it looks like power steering was a standard option on the 1 Ton models (longbed)...

[LowBudget]

FYI, I bought an original 1989 Mighty Max sales brochure on eBay and it looks like power steering was a standard option on the 1 Ton models (longbed)...
Interesting

[camoit]

You have a short to ground in the electrical and the fusible link is now burnt. It's near the battery on the + side. Find the short under the dash first or you can burn the truck down.

[Tecker]

When my truck had no power I found that if I ran a + wire to the fuse box every thing worked grate. but make sure you put a fuse on that + wire I don't want you to melt your truck down.