Tractor hauler question.

T.R.K. · May 14, 2017

Its a 1969 GMC. 1 ton, 3500, 2wd. manual steering. The bushings in the steering gear are worn and I'm having a problem with seering wander. .

I've been looking online. but everyone is so eager to sell they don't make it clear. Does a '69 1 ton use the same steering gearbox as the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks?

I've thought about changing it over to power steering.
Could the power steering gear be bolted up to my existing pitman arm, steering shaft and frame?
Would the power steering pump from a 78 Monte Carlo have enough delivery to keep it supplied? (I have one on hand.)

If you know a source that has a rebuild kit for a manual steering gear, let me know.

Thanks in advance. And yes, the old '69 is gonna get my Moline to the show this summer one way or the other.

Steve@Advance · May 14, 2017

I'm going out on a limb here and saying no, the 1 ton steering is bigger than the 1/2-3/4 ton.

You will need to know the capacity of the front suspension, should be a tag inside the door, maybe in the glove box door.

You should be able to find a used one in a salvage yard or online, or a rebuilt one ready to go on, once you know the weight capacity. With the correct gear, the existing pittman arm should work.

The pump off the car would probably work with a small block engine. Seems the big block 1 ton used a remote reservoir IIRC. Not sure why other than space restriction, but it may need the extra volume.

matthies · May 14, 2017

I used a sector from a mid seventy's 1/2 ton pickup on my 67 1/2 ton chevy it will bolt right up. Your pump will have enough power, just mounting it might be a problem, late 60's didn't have the mounting holes in the head like 70's models do. Maybe your truck has a later engine in it, if it does you can take everything off of the Monte and bolt it up. I put a mid 70's 350 engine in my 67 and then used the complete pulley, waterpump and mounts from a 78 305 chevy.

rustred · May 14, 2017

if its wandering you can tighten up the sector shaft to pretty much zero play. it is that set screw on the top of the steering box. those steering boxes are also easy to install new bushings in them. go to the GM dealer and inquire.
i am not sure now if 1/2 or 3/4 ton is the same as 1 ton. GM has many things standard like international, that fit more than one application , so im sure there is other boxes that will bolt up.

Goose · May 14, 2017

Can't help on this, except to comment that when we were racing stock cars I always put a Corvette sector gear into a manual gearbox to speed up the steering.

In the course of human events, I built a Dodge Duster stock car off of Chrysler's kit car blueprints for a fellow I worked with. I got to looking at the Mopar steering gearbox. The casting was completely different from GM, but both the input shaft and output shaft looked familiar. Upshot was, a Corvette manual sector gear was a perfect fit into the Mopar gearbox.

Who'da thunk?

504 · May 14, 2017

I went to Rock Auto, and they list the same steering box for a 3/4 and a 1 ton.(P/S too)

Robin Hood · May 15, 2017

I once put a power steering conversion in a 1970 3/4 ton chevy fire truck. Everything was bolt-on, no drilling or welding.

CCer · May 15, 2017

To adjust the box, Jack up the front of the truck, Remove the drag link from the pitman arm. Get in the cab, turn the wheel all the way to lock, mark the spot. turn the wheel all the way to the other lock, counting the turns. Divide the count in half, and set the wheel there. That is the center of the box. Tie it there, or have someone hold it there. Get under the truck, loosen the lock nut on top of the box. Shake the pitman arm, will probably be loose, now turn down the screw on the top of the box, until there is no play in the pitman arm, plus 1/2 turn. tighten the lock nut on the screw. get in the cab, turn the wheel lock to lock. Wheel should turn freely lock to lock, EXCEPT when crossing over the center, there it should feel a little snug. re-adjust if necessary. Connect drag link and test dtive.

T.R.K. · May 15, 2017

Its the bushings on the sector shaft that are loose. It would seem that somebody online would have the bushings, but no luck so far. I may try the dealer. Thanks!

T.R.K. · May 15, 2017

Thanks for all the replies.

Napa tells me that the replacement power steering gear is the same for 1/2 through 1 ton trucks, '68 through '76. So it looks like I am junkyard bound.

wisbaker · May 15, 2017

At on time over 90% of the US cars used Saginaw steering gears. Saginaw Steering was a GM subsidiary.

Tractor hauler question.

T.R.K.

Well-known Member

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

matthies

Well-known Member

rustred

Well-known Member

Goose

Well-known Member

504

Well-known Member

Robin Hood

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CCer

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T.R.K.

Well-known Member

T.R.K.

Well-known Member

wisbaker

Well-known Member

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