Power to Manual Steering Questions

[AMC Diplomat]

Alright, I did a silly thing and picked up a 24:1 manual box from an A body for a great deal.

I know I need a different pitman arm and a column adapter

The pitman arm is Mopar 3815780, right?

There are different adapters. Macini shows two:

PST says there's won't fit an 87, but that can't be right?

Is there anything else I'm not thinking of?

 

[Aspen500]

They should all have the same splines (far as I'm aware). Manual box input spline of 3/4" 36 spline and the p.s. coupler is 5/8" 36 spline. My guess is the Mancini and MP are the same aside from brand and price. Probably PST says it won't fit an '87 is they never had factory manual steering.

 

[AMC Diplomat]

They should all have the same splines (far as I'm aware). Manual box input spline of 3/4" 36 spline and the p.s. coupler is 5/8" 36 spline. My guess is the Mancini and MP are the same aside from brand and price. Probably PST says it won't fit an '87 is they never had factory manual steering.

Thanks! I couldn't pass on the deal and I needed a new box anyways.

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Ok, another question because I have crazy ideas.

Does anyone know what the length of the manual intermediate shaft is supposed to be? I stumbled across a really nice mopar intermediate shaft, but I'm afraid it won't be the right length.

I know the manual shaft is longer. The coupler/adapter that's in the needs to be rebuilt and since I'm going to all the trouble I had the bright idea to try and hunt down a manual shaft.

If anyone has the measurements on the power vs intermediate overall lengths I'd really appreciate it

 

[AMC Diplomat]

I see a lot of different lengths without part numbers on ebay for less than an adapter. They list the length though and that's why I'm wondering what the length is on the manual one

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Dug around enough and found the answer
Post in thread 'Manual to power steering conversion' Manual to power steering conversion

10.51" vs 7.38"

 

[Aspen500]

I couldn't find anywhere that gave the lengths, only part numbers. Good deal you found it!

 

[AMC Diplomat]

I couldn't find anywhere that gave the lengths, only part numbers. Good deal you found it!

The next goofy question I have is can I use a late B or C body shaft?
Here's a late B on ebay:

Late C body

I'll start digging in and see if I can find the actual lengths of the shafts anywhere

 

[Aspen500]

No idea on the B or C body. Keep in mind the coupler for manual steering is different than power since the input shafts are different sizes.

You can get new p.s. coupler housings but haven't seen them for manual steering.

 

[AMC Diplomat]

No idea on the B or C body. Keep in mind the coupler for manual steering is different than power since the input shafts are different sizes.

You can get new p.s. coupler housings but haven't seen them for manual steering.

Yup! The couplers are different. I've managed to find a manual coupler but I won't buy that until I'm certain I can get an intermediate shaft.

It's hard to see in the picture, especially with the tape measure in the way, but it looks like the existing coupler/shaft is trashed. The little inserts are long gone and I'm betting when i take it apart it'll be badly worn. And since that means I have rebuild or replace it anyways, I might as well just set it up for manual steering. I didn't think it would be as bad as it is because originally I was just going to get an adapter.

Doesn't make sense to source power steering parts now though and then throw an adapter on if I can find the manual parts. It's all got to come out anyways

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Just as an update, no one has the mopar pitman arm unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for a rusty piece of "NOS" junk. The Moog arm is K7100. No one has that in stock except 1 guy on ebay. The Spicer Pitman Arm is 445-1014. I found one of those and it fits like a glove on the manual box

 

[XfbodyX]

Here is a moog 7100 for $59 and $15 shipping and looks nice.

MOOG Pitman Arm FOR ASPEN VOLARE 1976-1980 DIPLOMAT 1977-1979 CARAVELLE 1978-79 | eBay

Pitman Arm PLYMOUTH VOLARE 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980. Pitman Arm PLYMOUTH CARAVELLE 1978-1979. Pitman Arm DODGE DIPLOMAT 1977 1978 1979.

www.ebay.com

You need the measurement on a manual shaft? Would one from an F work?

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Here is a moog 7100 for $59 and $15 shipping and looks nice.

http://[URL]https://www.ebay.com/itm/234095516741?

[/URL]

You need the measurement on a manual shaft? Would one from an F work?

Yeah that's the 1 guy on ebay I was talking about.

Sure if you have that measurement, I'll take it. Doesn't hurt to have more than one reference point.

A manual F shaft would work.

 

[Kern Dog]

Alright, I did a silly thing and picked up a 24:1 manual box from an A body for a great deal.

I know I need a different pitman arm and a column adapter

The pitman arm is Mopar 3815780, right?

There are different adapters. Macini shows two:
View attachment 51874
PST says there's won't fit an 87, but that can't be right?View attachment 51875View attachment 51876

Is there anything else I'm not thinking of?

Can you weld?
For that kind of money, I'd find another shaft and cut and weld in an extension. This tip only applies to the tilt columns though...
What I mean is....that section of the steering column between the coupler and the rag joint. To put a 70s era Cordoba tilt column into a Duster, I had to shorten that shaft. You could do the reverse of it. The Cordoba end shaft is longer than the FMJ units.
Maybe I'm talking about something that doesn't directly fit. There are probably some differences in these FMJs that I'm not familiar with yet.

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Can you weld?
For that kind of money, I'd find another shaft and cut and weld in an extension. This tip only applies to the tilt columns though...
What I mean is....that section of the steering column between the coupler and the rag joint. To put a 70s era Cordoba tilt column into a Duster, I had to shorten that shaft. You could do the reverse of it. The Cordoba end shaft is longer than the FMJ units.
Maybe I'm talking about something that doesn't directly fit. There are probably some differences in these FMJs that I'm not familiar with yet.

The late B body Dodge Magnum shaft seems to be right on the money, based on the measurements people have sent me for overall length, shaft + coupler. I'll see what happens once I get it all installed. I've been doing this on the cheap so far. If it doesn't work I'll just weld a U joint on the end of the B body shaft.

 

[AMC Diplomat]

I've got all the parts together. Now I need to come up with a solution for the water pump belt once I yank the power steering pump. My A/C still works and I want to keep it that way. It's one of the few nice things about the car. (I had to resize the image to meet our new upload file size restrictions)

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Update in case a future person finds this thread and attempts this. Those measurements of 7.38 and 10.51 are complete bullshit. I'm grateful for the people that sent me measurements off their cars.

The B body shaft measures 9.25 end to end. This is it roughly next to the power shaft and coupler:
There's no way that the power shaft on the car is 7.38" When I get this apart I'll post an update

 

[XfbodyX]

Why does the shaft on your car look funky like its too short and not aligning well with the power box. Looks like its missing the retainer clip because of it being out too far and the top of the lower portion looks beat on. Even with the external clip off they wont come out that far unless the inner part is depressed to remove it all. I think.

Is this why your changing things?

Let me resize a couple pics to post.

 

[XfbodyX]

Untouched F power

 

[XfbodyX]

Power F and manual F 1st pic fully extended as far as it will go... 2nd fully compressed as far as they will go.

Sorry I didnt post these sooner, it seemed like all was ok with your one reply.

If I can measure anything else specific just ask.