SERIES 3 POWER STEERING CONVERSION

If I can weigh in on this, as someone who has rarely driven a large 4x4 that has any power steering (both old FJ series cruiser troopie and LR 109) I have found that as long as my steering is functioning correctly and the tyre pressure is good, all is lubed and in good order you hardly seem to need it.

I guess it helps having a steering wheel the size of a bus one in the S3.

For convenience driving round town it is probably very good but (correct me if I'm wrong) as a modification would all need to be engineered and mod plated once done. And someone once told me it is better not to have power steering for off road because you can't "feel" the road as well. Not having done much I can't really comment from that side, however that was the reason the toyota troopie I owned was never fitted with PS as a new car - ex forrestry and they requested it without citing that reason.

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Originally Posted by pfillery

If I can weigh in on this, as someone who has rarely driven a large 4x4 that has any power steering (both old FJ series cruiser troopie and LR 109) I have found that as long as my steering is functioning correctly and the tyre pressure is good, all is lubed and in good order you hardly seem to need it.

I guess it helps having a steering wheel the size of a bus one in the S3.

For convenience driving round town it is probably very good but (correct me if I'm wrong) as a modification would all need to be engineered and mod plated once done. And someone once told me it is better not to have power steering for off road because you can't "feel" the road as well. Not having done much I can't really comment from that side, however that was the reason the toyota troopie I owned was never fitted with PS as a new car - ex forrestry and they requested it without citing that reason.

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Landrovers offroad on lowered tyre pressures on any offcambers are a bugger to steer though without power assist. and power assist virtually eliminates steering kickback when the front wheels strike offroad obstacles.
Bill.

Anyone here fitted the TDZ power steering ? Comes as a kit but it costs $1629. There will be postage and duty on that so its pretty pricy.

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Originally Posted by crispy

Anyone here fitted the TDZ power steering ? Comes as a kit but it costs $1629. There will be postage and duty on that so its pretty pricy.

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Plus you'll have engineering on top of that..

I use the toyota 60 series box & holden pump on both mine as both have holden 202s in them..The dearest part of mine was getting the steering shaft Xrayed & a traverse hardning test which was $300.The Box was $160 I used an early RR steering column that i get off ebay with sports steering wheel for $100 with postage.I made a drag link out of 4140 & had a machine shop tap each end as one was for the toyota tierod $100.
I got the whole car engineered for about $400 all up that was engine, Steering,Rear seats & belts .front seats..dont know what the steering would cost on its own to engineer..
Although the TDZ is probably a bolt on conversion, I had to use crush tubes in the chassis & plate each side..
I put a thread in here somewhere of it done step by step somewhere..

I found that link . its not the prettiest but gee it works GREAT..

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/series-3/9...age-heavy.html


I'm doing the same to the one i'm building now only with a later box as i got it at a good price..

Thanks Jason,
Pity you dont live up this way or I would be giving you some work. With the TDZ kit, it would already be engineered. I would not bother anyway,who would notice power steering ?

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Originally Posted by crispy

Thanks Jason,
Pity you dont live up this way or I would be giving you some work. With the TDZ kit, it would already be engineered. I would not bother anyway,who would notice power steering ?

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I've had power steering conversions, using 60 series Toyota boxes, together with other modifications engineered in the past, but was informed recently that a Victorian Pinzgauer 6x6 owner who converted his vehicle using Mercedes G wagon parts plus some surgery, looked up the ADRs and discovered surprisingly a possible oversight on part of the engineers that drew up the rules, that vehicles built before 1988 or thereabouts don't require an engineers certificate for power steering conversions.
I have limited download capacity being on wireless, so I can't check the current ADRs online, but if anyone else is considering power steer it might be worth following up.
Bill.

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Originally Posted by wagoo

I looked up the ADRs and discovered surprisingly a possible oversight on part of the engineers that drew up the rules, that vehicles built before 1988 or thereabouts don't require an engineers certificate for power steering conversions.
I have limited download capacity being on wireless, so I can't check the current ADRs online, but if anyone else is considering power steer it might be worth following up.
Bill.

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I have spent two hours wading through the ADR's and the national guidelines on modifications. So far I haven't found anything related to what Bill mentions but thanks to his prompts I have discovered that my S3 does not have ADR 10 on its plate, so the rules relating to that do not apply.

ADR 10 relates to steering columns and the need for collapsible joints - it has been mentioned on this forum that changing the steering box means the whole system needs upgrading - this may not be the case. However, this all depends on what the local licencing authority thinks and whether they have additional rules.

I would be surprised if a steering modification did not need inspecting,

Cheers Charlie

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Originally Posted by chazza

I have spent two hours wading through the ADR's and the national guidelines on modifications. So far I haven't found anything related to what Bill mentions but thanks to his prompts I have discovered that my S3 does not have ADR 10 on its plate, so the rules relating to that do not apply.

ADR 10 relates to steering columns and the need for collapsible joints - it has been mentioned on this forum that changing the steering box means the whole system needs upgrading - this may not be the case. However, this all depends on what the local licencing authority thinks and whether they have additional rules.

I would be surprised if a steering modification did not need inspecting,

Cheers Charlie

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I'm thinking & looking into using the original column for Harry's conversion.. I think my last engineer has since passed away so have to find another one..Plus Harry is a 1976 model with a red engine which i doubt will be passed as the engine is to old now.I think from memery 1971 was when the ADRs changed for that.Which means i'll have to use a blue or black engine not sure about that yet..If i have to change the engine i may just go with a V8 for change..

You can buy somewhere a huge book with all ADRs for your state which is very detailed on all the rules, I used to have a NSW one but cant fint it now..

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Originally Posted by banjo

I'm thinking & looking into using the original column for Harry's conversion.. I think my last engineer has since passed away so have to find another one..Plus Harry is a 1976 model with a red engine which i doubt will be passed as the engine is to old now.I think from memery 1971 was when the ADRs changed for that.Which means i'll have to use a blue or black engine not sure about that yet..If i have to change the engine i may just go with a V8 for change..

You can buy somewhere a huge book with all ADRs for your state which is very detailed on all the rules, I used to have a NSW one but cant fint it now..

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I may have mentioned it on another related thread, but on one conversion I used the original series 3 column and some of the steering box as the support after gutting it and carving away some of the casting to provide clearance for a steering universal joint. The upper ball bearing in the box casting was removed and replaced with a bushing that I made from the aluminium pitman shaft support after cutting it off the box and filing the OD to fit in the bearing bore.
I did this because I'm cheap, and as it happens the bushing diameter is the correct size to support the bottom steering column shaft.The steering column shaft was a 2 piece unit consisting of the top half of the series 3 unit that was cut and two flats filed on the end that fitted into the flat sided female end of a RangeRover Classic bottom column shaft.
Of course if you can get and afford a 110 column, wheel and firewall support it might be easier to use that.
I did it that way because on a series 3,I believe that the steering box,column and the chassis mounting forms a triangulated structure that provides some rigidity to the firewall. And also as mentioned earlier I'm nothing if not cheap.
Bill.