Reducing PS pump pressure

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BlackBrick

BlackBrick

The Cult Mechanicus
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So now that I am almost done with the steering and suspension rebuild on the Brick, was thinking of dropping the pump pressure to the power steering pump to provide a firmer feel to the steering. Shooting for 850ish PSI.

I am going to be using the shim kit from Summit:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MCH-P306

I guess I will let everyone know how it goes.
 
I did this per the Ehrinburg article in Mopar Action. With out removing the pump, the whole job took about an hour. It definitely increases the turning resistance, before I could turn my small Grant wheel with one finger, (Firm Feel Stage II) with the car parked and idiling. Now it takes two fingers at their limit. So I would say it about doubled. You can easily drive with one hand. It really feels good going down a twisty road. Total cost: one modified washer.
 
On the drive to get aligned prior to ripping out the LCAs for the bushing, the steering was pretty sloppy. I know the LCA bushings, tie rods, and Idler Arm is going to have a massive improvement overall, so I am going to do this after the fact to compare.

@player1up, I have not seen anything about doing this to a federal pump, but will look around.
 
Thanks, I have a spare pump at the house but not sure if it's a federal or a saginaw... been in a box for years...hadn't really thought about it until today...

Well, found the old pump in the cave and it's a saginaw.... DOH! so I can't take that one apart and compare to the one on the car... :(
 
Yeah, well so much for that. I have a Federal pump......lmfao, I guess I get to start snooping around for a way to reduce the pressure on that one.....
 
I did a little mixing & matching of ps parts on my car, and I'd strongly recommend putting in an adjustable valve. It's a few bucks more, but the ability to fine tune it easily is more than worth it IMO.

Took me 3 tries to get the feel how I wanted it without the adjustable valve.
 
player1up - thanks for the tech article. I guess when I get around to rebuilding the pump I will mess with the valve. Right now, steering is nice and tight and I have little or no float at all, so I guess I am good for now.
 
4woody, what is this mysterious "adjustable" valve you speak of?? :) Does it go in line or do someone make a valve that goes in the pump?

Blackbrick, No problem, I'm kinda in the same boat. I rebuilt my pump a while back but it's leaking at the body ( main o-ring ) so I'll be taking it apart again to see if I can get it to stop, and while I'm in there I might as well work on the valve...
 
One of the things you can do that will increase steering effort as well as improve turn-in is to increase caster on the front end. I was able to get +2 deg of caster on the 73 without resorting to offset bushings and 'Problem Solver' cams.
 
I have a 98 dodge ram 3500 cummins truck , and I swapped out my power steering pump with a new or rebuilt pump from advance auto parts ( junk ) ...
Now i seem to have low flow or low pressure ,,
I can't turn my wheels when i stop on a rough concrete surface or when I'm in four wheel drive in a bind,, i do have a little bigger wheels on my truck, but the old pump didn't have this problem it just leaked bad....
,,, I didn't know about the pressure regulator in the pump,and i think i need to up my pressure,,,..
So if I take a shim or use a smaller shim will that help???
I found a kit for about 30 $ http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MCH-P306/
I don't think I need to get the kit, if all i need to do is change a shim size,, i think????
please tell me what you think!!!!!
 

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I'm begining to wish I put in a manual steering box by now.

Now I recall back in the 70's older teenagers saying how power steering should just be in 4 door cars. High rpm's power steering pumps don't like either.

Power steering is nice at very low speeds, after that it becomes more of a hassle.

Be nice if you could get an electric power steering pump@! This way you could adjust the pressure from the engine tach and it won't care if you go 5,000 rpm's min on the freeway for an hour or two, lol

Maybe one or two pumps are being sold now? We got electric cars, I want an electric power steering pump:faroah:
 
you can buy the shims from and industrial supply for cheap for the saginaw. i just took mine out of another pump i had.
 
I might give this a sot this week when I drop my new steering box in. I don't think I had a seal in the thing that didn't leak!
 
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