Moparts
Mopar Action article on power steering modification?
Posted By: rutro
Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/06/10 02:33 AM
Help!
Friend mentioned article in Mopar Action "Pump it Down" October issue. I can't find it on the stand.
Does anyone have this article?
I have my power steering pump out right now and going to put back in this weekend thought the modification would be good. Basically it decreases the pressure on the valve by shimming the high pressure port fitting.
My friend does not remember the details.
Thanks for anyone's help
Mark
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/06/10 02:52 AM
you have a pm.
Posted By: rutro
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/07/10 08:29 PM
Moparx,
I left you a PM not sure if you got it?
Mark
Posted By: Pacnorthcuda
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/07/10 08:35 PM
I sure would like to read some posts from people who have done this! Been thinking about it, just haven't gotten around to trying it. As I recall E-booger recommends a .031" thick washer/shim for the task.
Anyone done it???
Posted By: SattyNoCar
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/07/10 10:25 PM
I was flipping thru some of my old issues of Street Rodder about a month or so ago and came across on article where they installed a valve inline to regulate the pressure. I'd have to find the issue again to tell you who made it.
Seemed like an easier (though not cheaper) solution.
Posted By: Dougsmopars
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/07/10 10:31 PM
I'd like to know how they do it. Power steering in these older mopars isa bit over powered.
Posted By: thedriver
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/07/10 10:35 PM
Quote:
I'd like to know how they do it. Power steering in these older mopars isa bit over powered.
LOL! Like a motorboat! 
Posted By: StukaJU87
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/08/10 01:36 AM
I'd be interested in this too as my pump is out at the moment.
What is it, some kind of washer to restrict the flow?
Posted By: Pacnorthcuda
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/08/10 01:39 AM
Quote:
I'd be interested in this too as my pump is out at the moment.
What is it, some kind of washer to restrict the flow?
No its just a washer (of a certain thickness, again I think about .031) to compress the valve/spring assembly in the high pressure line a little more than stock. Simple simple simple.
I just have never tried it or heard from those who have...
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/15/10 04:01 PM
Quote:
Quote:
I'd be interested in this too as my pump is out at the moment.
What is it, some kind of washer to restrict the flow?
No its just a washer (of a certain thickness, again I think about .031) to compress the valve/spring assembly in the high pressure line a little more than stock. Simple simple simple.
I just have never tried it or heard from those who have...
well guys, i had a "super meltdown" on this stoopid pooter last friday/saturday and lost everything. i just got back online as of this morning, and i think my scanner is fried. 
the basic idea of this article is that a "shim" is inserted into the spool valve on the pressure side [outlet] that lowers the output pressure from approximately 1400# to somewhere around 750-825#. this makes a very noticeable difference ! i like it a lot ! but the hard part is getting the correct washers to use as shims. e-booger recommends adding approximately .062[1/16th"] to whatever shim[s] you may currently have in your stock valve. the shim washers are 1/2"od.x 3/8" id. one way is to drill out a 1/2" od. washer to 3/8", which is almost impossible to hold. what i did was to stack some 3/8" id copper washers on a bolt and turn 'em down on the lathe. super easy to do. if anyone wants some, let me know and i'll whip up a batch. as to when i can scan the article, it may be a couple of days yet. i will try to take a photo and see how that works. to the original poster, please accept my appologies if this has caused you any delays in your project !
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/15/10 04:13 PM
pic#1
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/15/10 04:13 PM
page #2
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/15/10 04:14 PM
#3
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/15/10 04:15 PM
last page
Posted By: Ply72rr
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/15/10 04:55 PM
These shims should work and come in different thickness for fine tuning the pressure.
Stainless Steel Round ShimsClick on "round Shims",Choose "Bearing",Click on ".498 outside diameter."
Posted By: Junky
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/15/10 06:08 PM
Quote:
last page
When I click on Attachment, the pages are too small to read. 
Posted By: rbstroker
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/16/10 01:26 PM
Quote:
Quote:
last page
When I click on Attachment, the pages are too small to read.
I am actually having the same problem. I am pretty much computer stupid though. Tried saving and blowing up, with no luck.
Posted By: BrianShaughnessy
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/16/10 02:35 PM
Quote:
pic#1
I damn near threw up trying to get the pictures for that article. 
Posted By: tampacuda69
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/16/10 10:33 PM
I made this modification as the article instructed. Factory shim was .017"thick. I enlarged the ID hole of a 1/2" washer by holding it in the jaws of a vice grips and steping up in drill bit sizes to get to 3/8". Modified washer was .062" thick, added to factory shim for a total of .079". ( The article stated the slant 6 shim pack totaled .077")
I realy can't say I can feel a differance in steering effort. My steering box may have over 100,000 miles on it. I can understand it may be a little loose but I thought the effort level would increase and be felt.
I didn't post my findings as I didn't want to cast doubt on the article. The article made a statement regarding worn boxes in the first paragraph.
It is an easy modification and I hope others will post their results and the total thickness of shims used.
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/17/10 02:32 AM
Quote:
Quote:
pic#1
I damn near threw up trying to get the pictures for that article.
sorry guys. i did the best i could with my camera. my scanner is toast 
Posted By: Rick_Ehrenberg
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/17/10 01:43 PM
Quote:
What is it, some kind of washer to restrict the flow? <snip...>
No its just a washer (of a certain thickness, again I think about .031) to compress the valve/spring assembly in the high pressure line a little more than stock. Simple simple simple.
I just have never tried it or heard from those who have...
Actually, compressing the spring LESS. Target is about 800 PSI. I have now done this on 7 cars with amazingly positive feedback from the owners (plus 2 of my rides and LOTS of pos feedback at the Nats!)
The copper brake-seal washer is a great idea, BTW.
Rick
Posted By: 6T6Cuda
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/17/10 01:51 PM
Also you say something about the "federal pumps" in the article - what is wrong with them - you did not expand on that.
Don't they have a two stage valve in them to lower line pressure at speed?
Posted By: Rick_Ehrenberg
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/17/10 02:55 PM
Feds are just nonstop hassles, leaks, etc. Plus, most have 200K plus on them now. Same for Thompsons.
I am going to e-mail Tom a pdf of the article, it will take him a while to put it up, it will be at
MA tech archive Rick
Posted By: rutro
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/17/10 10:41 PM
Rick,
I finally found the magazine.
So my question is...I pulled out the valve assembly and measured the shims, 0.071" total.
I'm guessing this is off a slant six engine. Should I add additional thickness? I've already made some 0.025" thick shims. Should it be somewhat less than 0.025". I would like to firm it up a little, so I'm not sure how thick a shim to make.
Thanks,Mark
Posted By: moparts
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/17/10 11:29 PM
Posted By: hooziewhatsit
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 08/17/10 11:49 PM
Quote:
Actually, compressing the spring LESS. Target is about 800 PSI. I have now done this on 7 cars with amazingly positive feedback from the owners (plus 2 of my rides and LOTS of pos feedback at the Nats!)
The copper brake-seal washer is a great idea, BTW.
Rick
I finally got the box on my '72 W200 adjusted up, and the steering at highway speeds is fairly tight, but takes almost no effort. At a stop one finger can go lock to lock.
It sounds like this mod would increase the effort, which would be awesome 
I'll have to dig into my box and see what I find.
Posted By: PLUM_72
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 09/01/10 09:55 PM
So who has tried this yet?
I pulled the valve out of my Challenger P/S pump and found three .022 shims or total of .066.
So do you add another .062 worth of shims as the article suggests to my already .066, or should I try to approximate the .077 stack up like the article had tested?
Posted By: hooziewhatsit
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 09/01/10 10:28 PM
I pulled the valve out of my trucks pump, and found 2 0.011" shims, for a total of 22.
I ground down a washer that ended up right at 0.077, and put that in.
There's a definite difference while stopped and a little more resistance in the turns. Going straight down the highway may be a little better, but it's still not awesome.
I'm thinking about putting the original shims in for ~0.099".
By adding more shims all you'll do is lower the pressure. I would aim for the 77 to start with (but I wouldn't worry about it being exact). If there's too much resistance, take some back out.
Posted By: Rick_Ehrenberg
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 09/02/10 03:53 PM
Let me just reiterate a few points...
> I have only tried this on vehicles with Chrysler-built chucks (i.e., "classic" Mopars and older B-vans). I have no idea of the ramifications of doing this on cars with Saginaw chucks (pickups, newer B-vans) but my gut tell me the outcome will be similar. I also dunno about using the reduced pressure with racks.
> Every vehicle I've tried this on (about 9 now) has worked out extremely well with a very noticeable improvement in "road feel". Not magic, but significant. However, if your chuck has 100K, your linkage is sloppy, you have zero caster, and you have 85-series bias-ply tires on 5" wheels @ 22 PSI... ;->
Rick
Posted By: PLUM_72
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 09/04/10 11:33 PM
Ok update...Had .066 worth of shims stock, added a .020 shim for a total of .086
Is there a difference? Well maybe a slight difference. I was afraid to go more without having gages to see where the pressure went.
It would have been nice for the article to state the shim size in the pump that gave 1400psi. Perhaps there's a relationship that could be calc'd between shims and pressure.
If nothing else it was a good fluid change. I got rid of my ATF/power steering fluid mix that had been in the pump before.
Posted By: rbstroker
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 09/05/10 12:47 PM
Quote:
Let me just reiterate a few points...
> I have only tried this on vehicles with Chrysler-built chucks (i.e., "classic" Mopars and older B-vans). I have no idea of the ramifications of doing this on cars with Saginaw chucks (pickups, newer B-vans) but my gut tell me the outcome will be similar. I also dunno about using the reduced pressure with racks.
So this mod will work with the early pumps found on '62-'65 "B" bodies?
> Every vehicle I've tried this on (about 9 now) has worked out extremely well with a very noticeable improvement in "road feel". Not magic, but significant. However, if your chuck has 100K, your linkage is sloppy, you have zero caster, and you have 85-series bias-ply tires on 5" wheels @ 22 PSI... ;->
Rick
Posted By: moparx
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 09/05/10 01:03 PM
Quote:
Ok update...Had .066 worth of shims stock, added a .020 shim for a total of .086
Is there a difference? Well maybe a slight difference. I was afraid to go more without having gages to see where the pressure went.
It would have been nice for the article to state the shim size in the pump that gave 1400psi. Perhaps there's a relationship that could be calc'd between shims and pressure.
If nothing else it was a good fluid change. I got rid of my ATF/power steering fluid mix that had been in the pump before.
on my charger, it had a .050 shim. i upped it to .140[which is .090 added] that made a definate difference. since then, i have made a selection of different sizes of shims, and i will, at some point, add more and see what happens. i sent out a selection of shims to a couple of members for evaluation, but i haven't heard any results so far. for what it's worth, my car only has 18,900 original miles, so it's far from worn out, but i also had a power steering fluid/atf mix, which i have no idea what problems that mix could cause to the box or pump. as to the 1400# pressure, i'm "guessing" the pumps were tested from the factory for that #, and were shimmed accorgingly to arrive at that figure, as the 6 pumps i have done all had different amounts of shimpacks in them.
Posted By: Mr71Bee
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 09/08/10 05:53 AM
71bee with a fresh steer n gear set for level 1. I added .058 to the .060 shims in the pump. Felt a little better, but not dramatic.
For fun, I added another .050 to the mix. Not good. At slow speeds I would hit a point of no boost and it was very hard to steer. There was no difference at speed with this amount of shim.
I do not run a lot of caster, so this may effect the feel. BTW, this will be fixed soon with offset bushings. I put the PS shim pack back to the .060 plus .058 level.
Posted By: boydsdodge
Re: Mopar Action article on power steering modification? - 04/23/11 03:55 AM
What are all you loosey goosey guys running for caster in your front ends.
