Just did the power steering shim trick

Posted By: Pacnorthcuda

Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/16/11 09:29 PM

Ok, I finally did the Mopar Action (Ehrenberger?) trick with my power steering pump:

440 'Cuda, Fast ratio pitman, Small Steering wheel (Tuff). One would think the steering wouldn't be TOO light---wrong--way too light for my tastes.

So I yard the pump and remove the piston, take it apart. The washer under the hex measures .030. I make one that measures .053 and add it. Test drive car--had I not known I changed it I would never have felt a difference. MAYBE it was a little firmer, MAYBE a little.

I decide to do it again, I make another washer that measures .056 and add it. The total is now .139. Test drive car--its better!!! Just a little firmer, but a better overall feel.

Glad I did it, thank you E-booger and Mopar Action!

Making the washers is easy, just find one with the right ID and sandwich it between two nuts on a 3/8" bolt--then grind it down on your bench grinder till the OD measures .500".

Posted By: mikemee1331

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/16/11 09:48 PM

this is the little trick where you pull apart the pressure line fitting and add washers to it?

Posted By: Pacnorthcuda

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/16/11 09:50 PM

Quote:

this is the little trick where you pull apart the pressure line fitting and add washers to it?

yes.

Posted By: mikemee1331

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/16/11 09:54 PM

sweet! my engine is out right now so now's the time to try it! thanks for the update

Posted By: 71rm23

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/16/11 11:08 PM

Pacnorthcuda, do you have a link to this mod? Any pix of your alteration? Thanks

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/16/11 11:29 PM

You kept the OE washer & added the addt'l (2) right? What was the ID of em? Thanks for the info.

Posted By: Pacnorthcuda

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/16/11 11:35 PM

Quote:

You kept the OE washer & added the addt'l (2) right? What was the ID of em? Thanks for the info.

Right--3 washers totaling .139. I never miked the ID--I just rummaged around till I found some that fit, but its a little over 3/8"

Posted By: Strawdawg

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/17/11 12:28 AM

Quote:

You kept the OE washer & added the addt'l (2) right? What was the ID of em? Thanks for the info.

Robert, I ordered these the other day from McMaster Carr but they have not arrived yet

92409A605
Brass Bearing Shim .020" Thick, .378" ID, .498" OD, Packs of 10 (Same as 92409A600)
2 weeks
$7.59 $7.59

I think they should fit.

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/17/11 02:30 AM

Thanks Dawg I'll make a note of those #'s

Posted By: JonC

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/17/11 01:09 PM

I had the other type of pump, but had the style you can do this to. I did the mod but then the hose fittings were different. What should I use for the high pressure hose?

Posted By: Fat_Mike

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 10/17/11 01:21 PM

Quote:

Pacnorthcuda, do you have a link to this mod? Any pix of your alteration? Thanks

http://www.moparaction.com/Tech/beep/PUMP_IT_DOWN-re-v1.4.pdf

Posted By: Rick_Ehrenberg

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/03/11 03:13 PM

Quote:

<snip>...
Glad I did it, thank you E-booger and Mopar Action!

Making the washers is easy, just find one with the right ID and sandwich it between two nuts on a 3/8" bolt--then grind it down on your bench grinder till the OD measures .500".

You're welcome! I have now done this on about 10 cars and it has never failed to amaze.

Several guys have mentioned that copper sealing washers (brake hose, etc.), from the parts store or in those Chinese assortments, are available in an ideal size.

Firm Feel's lower pitman support kit, and needle bearing idler kit (both developed by

) are also equally amazing upgrades.

Rick E.

Posted By: Devil

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/03/11 03:49 PM

I wonder, with this improvement, the ones Ehrenberg mentioned above and a setup like Hotchkis sells for our Mopars. I wonder how it would make our cars handle. I would love to try it out on a stock car, then do it with the upgraded one...

Ryan

Posted By: Rick_Ehrenberg

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/04/11 01:36 AM

Quote:

I wonder, with this improvement, the ones Ehrenberg mentioned above and a setup like Hotchkis sells for our Mopars. I wonder how it would make our cars handle. I would love to try it out on a stock car, then do it with the upgraded one...

Ryan

Hotchkis gives up a lot of brake anti-dive (which it exchanges for improved camber gain). Under some conditions, this can result in bottomed suspension (esp. if car is lowered), which equals infinite spring rate, which equals massive understeer, which equals...bang!

Rick

Posted By: PHJ426

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/04/11 02:55 AM

Funny how they never tell you what the trade off is when buying the H upper control arms.

Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/04/11 03:02 AM

Take one hard/fast ride in a car equipped with the Hotchkis parts & tell me all about theory... I've heard all kinds of bad things happen when you use the taller FMJ spindles too.. Lots of guys run them, I haven't heard of any terrible wrecks caused by running them.... I work with engineer types, sometimes you need to step away from the slide rule & see what really works...

Posted By: HUSTLESTUFF

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/04/11 09:45 AM

Quote:

I wonder, with this improvement, the ones Ehrenberg mentioned above and a setup like Hotchkis sells for our Mopars. I wonder how it would make our cars handle. I would love to try it out on a stock car, then do it with the upgraded one...

Ryan

I have firm feels stage 3 and fast ratio and all the hotchkis goodies. Handles incredible. At Willow Springs car felt very stable and at auto cross very responsive. On the street on ramps are a blast, especially the clover leaf kind. Of coarse, to get the most, you need big brakes and sticky tires.

I'm working on a dedicated track car now and had already purchased a rebuilt steering box and will use Ricks upgrade with the firm feel suspension(74 Charger Petty Tribute) but will use a traditional circle track quickener. I'll be looking forward to testing it all out.

Mike

Posted By: Devil

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/04/11 04:00 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I wonder, with this improvement, the ones Ehrenberg mentioned above and a setup like Hotchkis sells for our Mopars. I wonder how it would make our cars handle. I would love to try it out on a stock car, then do it with the upgraded one...

Ryan

Hotchkis gives up a lot of brake anti-dive (which it exchanges for improved camber gain). Under some conditions, this can result in bottomed suspension (esp. if car is lowered), which equals infinite spring rate, which equals massive understeer, which equals...bang!

Rick

That's interesting. I will need to read up more on this. What do you feel would provide a good performance setup?

I've read all the mods done to the Green Brick, the Road Runner over the years. What do you feel would be a good all around setup for our cars?

Thank you,

Ryan

Posted By: MoPar Jamie

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/05/11 01:50 AM

Another thing you can do is tear apart a couple stock pumps and ge the shims from them. Thats what I did for my old '87. Didnt bump it up much but I felt somewhat of a difference.

Since there isnt any known firm feel boxes for these trucks I'll take all I can.

Posted By: Hotchkis

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/10/11 01:16 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I wonder, with this improvement, the ones Ehrenberg mentioned above and a setup like Hotchkis sells for our Mopars. I wonder how it would make our cars handle. I would love to try it out on a stock car, then do it with the upgraded one...

Ryan

Hotchkis gives up a lot of brake anti-dive (which it exchanges for improved camber gain). Under some conditions, this can result in bottomed suspension (esp. if car is lowered), which equals infinite spring rate, which equals massive understeer, which equals...bang!

Rick

Before we introduced Hotchkis Sport Suspension for Mopars, we conducted a tremendous amount of development on the street and track before bringing our suspension products to market. We understand the extreme forces the suspension undergoes when subjected to performance driving. We also strive to make our suspension products easy to install so the enthusiast can do the work at home.

The Hotchkis TVS can be installed as a complete kit or in stages, one component at a time � depending upon the builder�s budget.

- The Hotchkis TVS uses factory style suspension design and improves the geometry as well as using stronger materials. �Other� systems use Mustang II style A-Arms and steering racks. We believe in using Mopar style suspension on your Mopar, we just make it better!

- The Hotchkis system is a true bolt-on, the other guys require either fabrication or complete K-Member swap.

- Hotchkis Sport Suspension is optimized for strength vs weight using Cosmos FEA software and in real world testing.

- Our system is performance proven in drag, autocross and road course racing. Our Mopar systems have competed and won in SCCA and Goodguys Autocross events, the Virginia City Hill Climb, and we recently competed in the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational.

- Our E-Max test car has won more autocross events than any other classic Mopar currently competing, bar none. And it uses nothing but bolt-on components (except our subframe connectors, which are technically weld-in).

- Thousands of combined roadcourse and autocross miles without a failure.

- Competition proven with top finishes in 341 Challenge, Motor State Challenge, Goodguys autocross and OUSCI.

- Our E-Max Challenger with our bolt-on performance suspension has won in Goodguys autocross competition and is competitive with the finest Muscle Cars ever produced.

- Our Mopar customers have won the participant class at Goodguys autocross.

- No other Mopar suspension company can claim a win in a Goodguys autocross.

- We stand behind our suspension with a 3 year/ 36,000 mile warranty.

- We have a terrific group of enthusiast customers that thoroughly enjoy driving their Mopars because of the benefits of Hotchkis Sport suspension.

Posted By: JAMESDART

Re: Just did the power steering shim trick - 11/13/11 04:20 PM

you can buy washers in the sizes needed through an industrial supplier for dirt cheap, or you can pull them out of another pump. if you dont feel like making them. i pulled mine out of another pump, it definitely helped.