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Advice on installing power steering on HQ 6cyl
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Hi there
I have a stock HQ Premier 6cyl auto with no power steering. I have spotted a number of second hand power steering kits on eBay for sale. What are some of the pitfalls in installing it? I am led to believe the pumps are the sasme for a 6 & 8, but the brackets are different? Also, does the drive pulley just bolt onto the front of the harmonic balance? Apart from the pump, pulley, (belt), steering box and hoses, is there anything else that has to be changed to do the coversion?
Thanks
Matt
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I used the power steering box from an HX with power steering brackets and pump from VH, you will need a pressure hose from a WB as the pump is metric and the box is imperial. The reasoon for the VH pump was they are more readily available.
The biggest pitfall is not getting all the 6 cylinder bits, bracket, spacers, bolts and brace. Most leave the brace off, but this is not advisable. There are also bolts at the bottom that boltthrough the timing cover, most leave these off also, once again not advisable.
Also make sure you get the coupleing from the column tot he box, these are over $100 each, hose will also cost about $100.
The boxes are also getting on and often need reco, not something you can do yourself, unsure of cost.
Warren
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Thanks Warren.
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Matty
If you manage to get a box and pump I can send you a scan of all the bits needed. Dr Terry rebuilds the boxes and the pumps.
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that hardest brace part to get is the rod that goes from RH eng mount, to rear of pump, easy to make one up that will look original anyways
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Thanks all.
One other thing - I was reading on another forum elsewhere about the different length steering arms - apparently you need to change the steering arms to shorter ones to take some of the sensitivity out of the steering with power steering. Is this correct? The front end is actually out of a 6cyl manual HJ (I used it to convert the brakes from drum to disc a few years back). From what I can glean, these should be the longer arms (122mm from centre of front mounting bolt to centre of the tie-rod end, instead of 91mm). I will measure them depending on your reply.
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short arms are needed,get the whole setup off one car that you know all works if you havent got it already.pay a bit extra ,but you KNOW it works $100s of dollars the difference.
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A couple of points to make here. As Warren & other have mentioned, make sure that you obtain ALL of the correct pieces, especially the 6 cyl mounting brackets & spacers etc.
The 6 & V8 pumps are the same except for the fact that the 6 cyl version has the extra mounting stud at the rear of its case, for the outrigger bracket. If you can find the correct stud it can be easily retro-fitted.
The pumps come in 3 basic types:
1. Bolt-on pulley - these are seen mostly on HQ models. 2. Press-on pulley - these are seen on HJ to early Commodore & early WB. Apart from the pulley mount method they are the same as type 1 & are interchangeable as a complete pump. 3. Metric - these are seen on many Commodore & WB etc. They are interchangeable with types 1 & 2 as long as you use the correct (metric) bolts. They have the different shape (ham tin) style reservoir but that has no effect on its fitting.
Try not to use pumps for EJ to HG or VN onwards, their pulleys are different & will not line up.
The short steering arms are required for power steering on ALL HQ to WB cars.
Dr Terry.
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Dr Terry et al
I have another development that may change things. Can you confirm the length of the steering arm that is fitted to NON power steering HQ Premier 6cyl Autos - the reason I ask is that I have just done a rough measurement of mine and they are much closer to the 91mm lenth I mentioned below (which I obtained from another site). The main reason Im looking at power steering is that it is quite heavy for city driving at the moment - Ive driven a few HQs, and know they are pretty heavy, but this one seems worse. If it has the wrong steering arms on it, simply fitting the correct (longer) ones may be enough.
Matty
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quote: Originally posted by Matty Q
Dr Terry et al
I have another development that may change things. Can you confirm the length of the steering arm that is fitted to NON power steering HQ Premier 6cyl Autos - the reason I ask is that I have just done a rough measurement of mine and they are much closer to the 91mm lenth I mentioned below (which I obtained from another site). The main reason Im looking at power steering is that it is quite heavy for city driving at the moment - Ive driven a few HQs, and know they are pretty heavy, but this one seems worse. If it has the wrong steering arms on it, simply fitting the correct (longer) ones may be enough.
Matty
Holden man working on a Ford.
try this comparison [img]  [/img] shorts are on the left measure @ 91mm "Reputations are made and broken as soon as you enter or leave my shed.." Edited by user Thursday, 8 April 2010 7:38:38 AM(UTC)
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quote: Originally posted by Matty Q
Thanks all.
One other thing - I was reading on another forum elsewhere about the different length steering arms - apparently you need to change the steering arms to shorter ones to take some of the sensitivity out of the steering with power steering. Is this correct? The front end is actually out of a 6cyl manual HJ (I used it to convert the brakes from drum to disc a few years back). From what I can glean, these should be the longer arms (122mm from centre of front mounting bolt to centre of the tie-rod end, instead of 91mm). I will measure them depending on your reply.
Holden man working on a Ford.
hq and hj all had short arms ...power steer or no power steer ...unless someone has changed them...hx on is where you get the 2 variants in length between non steer and power.. going to church makes you no more a christian than standing in a garage makes you a car... www.classicozwreck.com.auEdited by user Thursday, 8 April 2010 10:49:38 PM(UTC)
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hx?
Jim in Adelaide...Hindsight is bad vision! |
Jim in Adelaide.. |
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sorry jim,meant to type hx and hit the z..fixed now.. going to church makes you no more a christian than standing in a garage makes you a car... www.classicozwreck.com.au |
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Hi, from my experience the early HQ & HJ had the longer arms, this certainally seems to be the case for the one tonners.
I had to turn the ends of the hose when I used my V8 hose in the conversion of my HX ute. The bottom pulleys dont always fit either as some have been remachined and have a large chamfer where the steering pulley is supposed to centralise, some pulleys fit flush with the end of the crank or have hammer marks in them which makes life difficult too.
I have converted mine so I dont strain myself reversing trailers etc. Without meaning ofence, I think it is a shame due to evalolution that many drivers have forgotten how to drive and can no longer drive convententional steering cars. They have forgotten that the steering should not be turned unless the vehicle is in motion, consequently they strian the steering and their muscles and the tyres and car parks get screwed up.
Normal steering boxes on the HX - Z cars do often seize up also, and some drivers think steering is heavy because it doesnt have power steering, when it is because the vehicle just needs steering maintaince.
Dont get me wrong power steering is good in the right hands.
Mike81973
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All good info and comments, thanks. Looks like they are the correct arms, on the plus side, at least they dont have to be changed as part of the power steering conversion.
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Thanks Greg , I thought something was missed out,they must of had both on the hx then,what a head f*#k....all cool!MIKE,,, I agree totally about the new drivers coming thru,to no fault of their own they dont know how to drive the older cars,Ive often thought that if I was hurt in the outback somewhere with a manual car,Id probably die there because the youth of today (mainly)dont know how to drive manual cars ,but thats ok,if i had to get into their mobil phone they would die too!........lol *********NO OFFENSE JUST AN OBSERVATION ABOUT EVOLUTION********** Jim in Adelaide...Hindsight is bad vision! Edited by user Friday, 9 April 2010 4:53:44 AM(UTC)
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Jim in Adelaide.. |
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mike,the vehicles you had must have been converted as IT IS hq and hj that have the shorter arms...the couple of thousand hq and hj vehicles with out power steering ive wrecked in the last 30 years as a full time job cant be wrong... going to church makes you no more a christian than standing in a garage makes you a car... www.classicozwreck.com.au |
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greg,werent one tonners(hq,hj)not around till 74 ,would that explain the confusion,just a question as I think this is the case.
Jim in Adelaide...Hindsight is bad vision! |
Jim in Adelaide.. |
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rather than relying on my memory which sometimes sucks i went to dr terrys book.. HQ 6 cylinder 1 tonner..december 71.. HQ V8 1 tonner february 73.. going to church makes you no more a christian than standing in a garage makes you a car... www.classicozwreck.com.au |
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ahh ,Dr Terrys memory,thats better!..lol..thanxz. Jim in Adelaide...Hindsight is bad vision! Edited by user Friday, 9 April 2010 5:25:20 AM(UTC)
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Jim in Adelaide.. |
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Advice on installing power steering on HQ 6cyl
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