Steering conversion 68 CJ5

I am in the process of restoring a 68 cj5 with 225 v6. My question is on steering. There is saganaw power and standard conversions as well as ford reverse steering both manual and power. What is the best application for this jeep? I have some parts but it's not too late to change directions. THX--Derral--

 

Best is very subjective. Very much like Ford vs. Chevy vs. Dodge.

I personally prefer power Saginaw. It makes driving more enjoyable, relatively easy to do compared to many other types of swaps, and it leaves much more room in the engine compartment. I'm not a fan of the reverse steering Herm does. While well thought out and his quality is good, it simply takes up too much room in the engine bay. The Saginaw has been done for 50 plus years and works well. McRuff has a real nice blueprint of the mount and makes the plates and the spud shafts as well. Good quality stuff.
I'd also recommend doing a search here on the pro's and con's. You should find plenty of reading on the subject.....

 

I did the Saginaw conversion, because at the time I didn't know there were other options. I consider myself a shadetree operator at best :smash: and my conversion went pretty flawlessly. I pulled the steering unit off of a Cherokee in the boneyard, got the mounting piece off of a Wagoneer via Ebay, welded the appropriate stuff onto the frame to mate up to the mount, and got the power steering unit off an old Buick in the boneyard. The hoses were custom made down at the local CarQuest. I guess looking back it was quite a lot of effort, but it's a clean installation and it works very well. I don't know about the other installations that you're considering, but I was able to use the existing steering linkage with the Saginaw unit, which was a pleasant surprise. Oh yeah, I did have to fabricate the mounting bracket for the power steering unit from scratch, but that's how I get my rocks off, so...

 

Power Saginaw is a good idea if you ever want the wife to enjoy driving the Jeep. And Yes my wife's Jeep does have power Saginaw.

 

Simple, just build one just for her.

 

That's what I'm doing.

 

I chose the saginaw and am currently puttin it in. It just seems like parts are more plentiful.

 

Thanks Birddog 56. Let me know how it goes. Pictures if possible. I'm currently looking for a pump and bracket that can be installed on a 225 V6. THX--Derral--

 

There's a sticky thread about Saginaw conversions, if you want some examples: http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17911

 

So my steering is in . Made the bracket out of a piece of 3/8 plate. It sits parrellel with the frame. Had to bore a hole thu the crossmember and weld in a pipe for the linkage. All parts from a 93 cherokee. Steering column was too long, made a firewall extention for it. Linkage was too short, welded in about 4 inches of metal.
Cherokee pitman is a 3 inch drop. Still on the fence with that. I used the stock tie rods, just moved them around, so the center one is now on the passenger side knuckle. Had to put in a 1/4 shim under the leaf springs to allow the tie rod to clear the spring pack. Made a 1 inch longer set of shackles. With the drop arm , steering rod is about 5 degrees off parrellel with the weight on the suspension. With a straight arm , it would be much more. Haven't decided what to do there yet .
Pump is not an issue, motor is a 3.9 dodge. It has a pump on it. I have been sidetracked by a paint job, so it will sit for a week or so.

 

So, am I right to understand that the only thing bad about using a Ford box is that it takes up too much room? I'm asking because that is what I have to go in my 1970 CJ5. I started my conversion last night. Been putting this job off too long.

 

Depends, are using herms setup or doing a ford saginaw in front of the axle? Herms setup puts the box in the engine compartment which does take up space, in front of the axle doesn't really matter.

 

manual saginaw here you can get em cheap from those jeepers puttin in power steering type saginaws.

 

I put a D30 under my 67
and modified the ross system to steer it, it actually works real good, I did it about a year and a half ago, then go sick and spent a year and 3 months in teh hospital, getting out you can imagine I am not as strong as I was before going in, well any way I took the Jeep up last weekend on a 100 mile trip to an area and spent 2 days wheeling and then drove home.
Actually it steered real good even in the rough
How ever, I am really interested in comments from guys running the Herms system. I have a Warn power plant on the front of this jeep and so I do not have room to access a saginaw system once installed and I would hate to have to pull the winch and winch plate to get under there if I had to work on it.
So please post up with the herms mod and what you had to do and how it works out

 

If you have a V6 go with power steering, if you have a 4 cylinder, go manual, IMHO.

 

I just installed the Herm system, because I have a PTO winch up front that would not fit with the Sag unit! Had to move the winch over 1 inch on the plate to make room for the winch drive shaft. I have converted 3 other Cj's, 2 with the Sag, and now 2 with the Herm system! I like the Herm system, myself! Again, you do what you want to do! Any power steeringing is better then no power steering!!!!
With the Herm system, there's a lot going on, on the drivers side of the motor!! Check out my pictures, here's the link,
http://s1211.photobucket.com/profile/vidjds
John