Thread: Finally got another

I've been playing about a bit more and entertained some thoughts on the steering setup.
The standard type steering box that it came with can only be described as bollocksed. Used ones are expensive -and go against my low cost mantra- and we're always something of a weak link anyways.

The more I see of them the less I think of the 'standard' conversion utilising a 4 bolt adwest box, so I decided to find a better solution, and it appeared a lot closer than I expected.

The engine I'm using is coming out of a Dodge 50 series truck, which had a swing arm steering setup similar to the 101.
The truck with the engine has a PAS setup, but I borrowed a non-PAS box from my mates parts stash. Both types are physically the same size and attach to the same mountings.



Like the 101 box it's a Burmen unit, although somewhat larger.



Beneficially it fits in the space vacated by the 101 box rather well, and better still, the UJ you can see in the picture is a standard Disco/Defender item.










as you can see in the pictures the 101 drop arm won't fit the Dodge box. Helpfully the Dodge arm is of similar length to the 101 item, but will require a Dodge ball joint in the small drag link as the joint is bigger, but the short link on the 101 has 3/4 diameter threads, the same as dodge joint.

Mounting wise I plan to use the 3 bolts that held the original, along with the other 2 on the bracket to mount a plate (prolly 20mm) to fill the gap between box and chassis, drilled and tapped so it can be bolted to the the chassis from the drop arm side, then another 3 holes for the lugs on the box, perhaps adding another tab to line up with one of the bolts on the end cap.





In the cab I plan to use a Defender column and wheel as per other PAS conversions, however If I get it right It'll present a viable option for a stronger manual or power steering option for a 101 without bastardising the front end of the chassis as with other conversions.
The biggest benefit for me is that everything is there with the engine to do the job, and I should only need to get some new pipes between box and pump made up.

It looks like the way to go.
Can you show us a picture of the dodge truck model the steering box came from.
I am wondering if we in Australia used a similar model with the same steering box.
Ron

Some further reading on the Dodge 50.

Dodge50.co.uk clicky

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_50_Series"]Dodge 50 Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

Certainly plenty in the UK if there was demand for the parts.

I assume the output shaft of the steering box turns the right way? I thought the Jeep Wrangler box would go in well in the standard position but the output shaft turns the wrong way and there is not much chance changing arms or position to make it work.

Apparently the steering box out of an early 80s Leyland smallbus/white van (LDV??) (similar size and shape as a Ford Transit) will go straight in with some modification - can't remember the name of the vehicle but I used to be carried around in one when I worked with the RN in Portsmouth - in the early 80s.

Garry

Ahhh... the Leyland "Sherpa"... Another quality Leyland product.

Something like this Garry..... LDV Convoy Power Steering Box with Drop Arm | eBay As for the Sherpa's... Right up there with Alegro's, Maxi's, Maestro's etc... Uuurrrrrrggggggghhhhh! Makes me shiver!!

Must admit I don't mind Sherpas, the V8 ones were quite good, whilst the transit engined ones were actually better vans than the equivalent Ford.
Quaintly the one job you didn't want to get stuck with on them was changing a steering box, it is actually easier to cut the chassis rail its mounted through off, and weld a new one in.

I do believe the Sherpa box has been fitted to a 101, but it's a bloody big lump in comparison to the Dodge one, and the original drop arm is too short to be of use, whilst the 101 arm will not fit, the solution I saw involved welding the splined portion of the Sherpa arm into the 101 arm.

There's a guy in the UK fitted a Jeep box to his 101, along with a wood burner setup to run the engine on wood gas, I believe the thread is still on the UK club forum.
I recall his solution to the box turning the wrong way was to rotate the drop arm on the bottom of the steering idler 180 degrees, this did however mean that turning the steering too far left meant that the arm and drag link ended up in a straight line and couldn't be brought back round without assistance underneath.
The drivers floor panel was also beaten upwards some to.clear the steering arm.

The Dodge box turns in the right directions to suit the 101 installation.
I'll need to check, but the RB44 may use the same PAS box as the Dodge, seeing as it was based on the Dodge chassis cab and engine.

Well, instead of messing about with parts, I actually did something constructive with it.
Having polybushed a 110 yesterday morning I decided to indulge myself for an hour or so and sort out the front crossmember for the 101.

As you can see in this picture its rather bent and twisted around the drivers side headlight.



Having wire brushed the paint -and a decent sized patch of filler (I believe it's referred to as bog down under?)- you can see its had a repair added in the past, and just how bent it actually is.



Anyways, some time spent over the anvil with a couple of hammers saw things improve some, whilst the bottom corner was removed with the grinder to allow it to be straightened out properly. After that it was welded back in, along with a little extra around the old repair that had cracked around the edges during the 'beat it flat with a big hammer' process.



All ground off and it actually looks quite presentable, and shouldn't draw too much, if any attention to itself once painted.



More plans afoot, but need to offload some bits to free up some cash to buy more.

Anyone want a 101 engine and box?