Steering Ram??

[Phill B]

I'm collecting the parts I'll need to put Power Steering on my S3.

Do I need a Ram or damper?

What are they for anyway?

[sotal]

What are you putting on?

A Ram is an alternative form of power steering, made as a bolt on kit, the damper is used with or without power steering and is supposed to stop bumps turning the steering wheel as easily and to keep it going in a straight line better.

Here is an example of a RAM system: (they cost about £800-£900)

Here is a pic of a damper (they fit between the steering arm and the chassis - on some there is a bracket, if not you will need to modify): (these are only £10-£15)

[FridgeFreezer]

What he said - the ram system is a really expensive way of doing it. Once you've got PAS you probably won't need a damper - I've never felt the need and I'm running 37's.

[Phill B]

Thanks guys I'm obviously mixing everything up there lol

I've got myself a D2 PS Box, Bottom linkage, Pump from a 300TDi.

Just need a Defender column and resevoiur (never could spell that)

Does all that sound compatible to your guys??

[FridgeFreezer]

Thanks guys I'm obviously mixing everything up there lol

I've got myself a D2 PS Box, Bottom linkage, Pump from a 300TDi.

Just need a Defender column and resevoiur (never could spell that)

Does all that sound compatible to your guys??

You'll need a D2 UJ for the bottom of the steering column shaft, I guess "bottom link" is the drop arm. You may need to fabricate a new steering rod depending on how the lengths work out. You'll need hoses to join the pump to the box, there's not really a DIY option for the high pressure side, you need to get it made (swaged) by a hydraulics shop. If you don't have the D2 box fluid connectors, you'll need those as they're weird. I ended up using metric compression olive fittings to join the cut-off steel pipes to the custom flexi hoses. Luckily I was able to take the ends from a crashed D2 for very little money, the proper pipes are all pre-bent and are a fair bit of cash to buy new.

[Phill B]

Excellent info, that saves me a lot of trial and error for starters.

Thanks Fridge!

Can you confirm this is actually a D2 box?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180275465675

[FridgeFreezer]

Can you confirm this is actually a D2 box?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180275465675

I'm pretty sure it's not - D2 boxes have a different (taller) bolt layout and the pipe runs round the front:

[sotal]

Can you confirm this is actually a D2 box?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180275465675

It says on the listing it's a Disco 1 Box (200/300tdi)

[Phill B]

It says on the listing it's a Disco 1 Box (200/300tdi)

Thanks Sotal

I'm not well versed in Disco's at all. You could show me a Saxo steering column and tell me it's off a Disco and I wouldn't doubt it lol!

I was told it was a D2 box by a mechanic; should have known better than to listen to a mech.

So does this make my job easier, harder or does Your (Fridge's) post still count?

And I have the thread you posted about your conversion saved Fridge. Anything to do with this type of conversion I searched and saved.

I really like your setup, looks very pro.

[FridgeFreezer]

So does this make my job easier, harder or does Your (Fridge's) post still count?

Does what make it easier or harder? Are you saying you've bought a D1 box instead now? Does which post of mine still count?

[sotal]

I think he's asking if having that steering box from ebay makes the conversion easier or harder than if it had been the disco 2 box he thought it was, and if the parts needed are still the same or if he needs different parts to those you posted in post #5

[Phill B]

Aye, thats what I meant

[FridgeFreezer]

Well, you don't need any Disco 2 parts but you do need Disco 1 parts

I believe they have "normal" input splines so you use stock UJ's, a stock drop arm, and they have threaded hydraulic connections which makes life easier as the hydro elves can supply something to fit without having to get special LR bits.

[Phill B]

Good stuff.

Thanks again guys

[landmannnn]

Just need a Defender column and resevoiur (never could spell that)

Stop using internet explorer and download firefox (free). It's a much better web browser and spell checks too.

[yellayomper]

Can someone put up some pictures on where the steering box is mounted on a series 3 as I'm think of doing this to mine and pictures say a 1000 words!!

[twizzle]

Can someone put up some pictures on where the steering box is mounted on a series 3 as I'm think of doing this to mine and pictures say a 1000 words!!

here my photos of the 109 S 11

hows that

TWIZZLE

[Snagger]

Has anyone tried a P38 steering box? I gather that they fit the outboard side of the chassis rail, so you wouldn't need to chop lupms out of the chassis cross member. I'd be interested in that, because I don't want to foul up my galv chassis, and the Defender axles should allow plenty fof clearance for the drop arm once fitted.

[FridgeFreezer]

Has anyone tried a P38 steering box? I gather that they fit the outboard side of the chassis rail, so you wouldn't need to chop lupms out of the chassis cross member. I'd be interested in that, because I don't want to foul up my galv chassis, and the Defender axles should allow plenty fof clearance for the drop arm once fitted.

I don'#t think bolting a steering box to the outside of the chassis will work out much better than bolting it inside, you still have to drill & tube the chassis and would likely have to scallop the x-member to be able to get the bolts through. Are you using defender axles with leaves or defender axles with coils?

Another location photo, the steering box goes in the same position it is as standard on other vehicles, if you bolt the shaft to it it should sit where it needs to be:

[Drillerjoskin]

Has anyone tried a P38 steering box? I gather that they fit the outboard side of the chassis rail, so you wouldn't need to chop lupms out of the chassis cross member. I'd be interested in that, because I don't want to foul up my galv chassis, and the Defender axles should allow plenty fof clearance for the drop arm once fitted.

I offered one up when i first thought about power steering on my lightweight, a few things put me off it, even tucked in close it will compromise your steering as the tyres would touch without overlength steering stops, and the other thing was that (on the lightweight anyway) i would have had to cut out a segment of the inner wing, right where the bracing is so before long the o/s wing would have been flapping about, the other thing was quite simply the fact that being outside the chassis rail it would get splattered with everything that came of the front wheel. All of the above is obviously if you wanted to simply bolt it on, which i liked the idea of!!! If you were to segment the chassis and sit it in a bit then these things could be overcome but if your going to do that then you may aswell put it in the relay position and be done with it.

Tidy job, on yours FridgeFreezer, looks neat and tidy that does.

[Chris Davies]

Hi, has anyone done this conversion (defender/rangy steering box) on a series 2 and managed to keep the standard series 2 front end? Twizzle how does yours look? What did you do to beef up the cross member after cutting lumps out of it

Cheers

[FridgeFreezer]

Mine's a Series 3 with Series 3 front end, much the same really - no need to change the front appearance.

[Les Henson]

No pictures I'm afraid, but I've pretty-much copied Fridge's method. I bought a new chassis, cut the front crossmember right off, and then made a new one out of 5" x 3mm box section - located 4" further forward. I did think about cutting a lump out of the original crossmember, but it seemed that it would be a weak point to me. I also thought about 'dog-legging' the original crossmember, but I thought it would look just plain ridiculous.

Les.

[Snagger]

I offered one up when i first thought about power steering on my lightweight, a few things put me off it, even tucked in close it will compromise your steering as the tyres would touch without overlength steering stops, and the other thing was that (on the lightweight anyway) i would have had to cut out a segment of the inner wing, right where the bracing is so before long the o/s wing would have been flapping about, the other thing was quite simply the fact that being outside the chassis rail it would get splattered with everything that came of the front wheel. All of the above is obviously if you wanted to simply bolt it on, which i liked the idea of!!!

With the Defender/Discovery front axle, I'll have a couple of inches extra clearance laterally from the tyre and the 1-ton suspension arrangement gives a little more vertical clearance for the drag link from the spring.

I have seen some American conversions where they bolted the steering box to an 8mm plate, tack welded the nuts to the back of the plate, and then welded the plate to the outside of the chassis, having drilled holes large enough in the side of the rail to clear the plate's captive nuts. I don't like that idea because it puts all the load on one side of the rail, not spreading it across both, but I'm not an engineer and the principle may be sound.

I'd hope that two of the four bolt holes would be sufficiently clear of the cross member to pose no difficulty, and that the other two could have their nuts affixed by cutting a semi-circular access hole in the bottom face of the cross member near the chassis rail without disturbing the front and rear faces, leaving plent of strength for its lateral bracing role.

Fridge - I'll be retaining leaf sprung suspension.

[woop]

I am also doing a power steering conversion using Fridge's method with a Disco 2 PAS box. One of the most difficult parts of the conversion i've found so far is trying to find a radiator that would fit. Having to raise the PAS box up so the Pitman arm clears the front axle on full compression makes it only possible to use a relativly small crossflow radiator. Also it needs to have the inlet on the top RH side--most radiators that i could find in wreckers here in OZ had inlets on the bottom on the RH side which is no good because of the PAS box placement. So far, the only radiator that i found that would fit was from a Volvo 850. It has one large 2 speed fan, and hopefully will have enough cooling capacity for our long hot 40deg summer days over here in stop start traffic.

Nick