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Samurai power steering opinions

SamuraiTy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Member Number
3537
Messages
58
Loc
Carson City, NV
I just wanna know if it's even worth the trouble to put it in. Particularly on an open front end on 33s. Opinions?
 
I went balls out with full hydro and was happy to have it.

Its one of those things you don't think you need, until you have it you never knew how you went without it.
 
I have done two track/kick power steering conversions and they steered 33’s just fine.

I 16V swapped both samurais I had and never ran the 1.3 so it was easy to do power steering because the pump was already on the engine. I used Calmini’s conversion kits which made it easy and then used sky off road’s high steer with a dropped pitman arm. I don’t even know if those parts are available anymore but I wouldn’t trust calmini with a penny these days.
 
psc pump and res, tapped kick steer box, hydro assist on toys, hughes 500e cooler.

i have box full of kick pumps somewhere. kick steering on a 1.3 not worth the effort imo.
 
I've done lots of mods to my main off-road samurai. I'd say PS is in the top 3. I've had it long enough I can't remember if I had it when I had an open front or not (if I did, it wasn't for long until the front was locked). I can say wheeling is much more enjoyable when I don't have to fight the steering wheel all day.
I did the trackick PS. Made a simple plate bracket for mounting the pump bracket to the 1.3 block. Made a simple plate bracket to mount the trackick PS box to the frame. Modified an older Celica (I think) pitman arm (the stock trackick pitman arm will work, but the Celica one is a little longer to help with more steering throw). Used a Ford PS cooler off an older Explorer. Threw on a trackick alternator, a trackick water pump pulley and re-drilled a trackick crank pulley/balancer from 5 bolt to 4, so I could run ribbed belts on everything.
I've mainly ran 33s and 34s with a locked front with the PS. Never had any issues with the trackick PS working. I have had to reinforce the stock samurai drag link since I bent it a few times when wheeling in the rocks (did not bend it by hitting it on rocks, just by trying to turn the wheels when the front tires where against rocks).

I do also have trackick PS on a more stockish off-road samurai (29" tires, spooled rear, open front, 4:1 tcase gears). The steering wheel turns easy enough on it, it doesn't even feel like the steering wheel is connected to anything.

All that being said, I would like to try the electric PS setup off a Saturn Vue, if I ever do PS again on a samurai.
 
I'm running a TC pump and FJ80 steering box, with 35" tires.

It's definitely worth having power steering.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm waiting to see how it turns out on my friends rig to decide if it's worth it. Sounds like it is.
 
I put a complete track kick set up on mine, only added a heat sink cooler. It's great with 32x10s and worked pretty decent with the tracks as well. If you have access to cheap parts, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. If not, I'd probably do the tc pump.
 
100% worth it. I have a track kick pump that is about to get booted for a TC pump, and an FJ80 box. The track kick box got sketchy loose, I thought I was going to break it driving down the road. Confidence is super high with my current set up and steers 37's pretty well.
 
100% worth it. I have a track kick pump that is about to get booted for a TC pump, and an FJ80 box. The track kick box got sketchy loose, I thought I was going to break it driving down the road. Confidence is super high with my current set up and steers 37's pretty well.
The TC pump powers my FJ80 box nicely.
 
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I ran a Kick/Track PS setup on my 1.6 16v powered Samurai. It had a Lock Right in the front, and was on 34" LTB's. I mounted the steering box using the Petroworks 'Wedge' bracket for proper alignment and steering. I ran it that way for many years. I would do it again.

I also ran a typical auto parts store style cooler.
 
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right? my buddy had 35s on stock axles (broke all the time) and he muscled them with no steering. that was miserable.
My first 'rig' as a dumb kid was a 1985 Toyota with lift and 1/3 tread 35's and manual steering. You can do it if it's a light rig and you are in the dirt, but I agree with the misery if you get it twisted up or on rock:homer: Live and learn.
 
When I was putting Toyota axles in the rig that YotaAtieToo has now I was gonna go with the electric steering from a Saturn.


Seemed like the best option to avoid stealing any more power from that poor little engine:laughing:
 


I have heard with EPS that it puts a lot of stress on the sector shaft of the stock Armstrong box. But if I was gonna do it again I would try this method. Should be fine with 33s.
 
The TC pump powers my FJ80 box nicely.
Good to hear. The trackick pump does it pretty well but you aren't turning if you are hard up against a rock. I do appreciate that feature though, it keeps me from ever worrying about breaking knuckle studs or steering arms etc.
 
Good to hear. The trackick pump does it pretty well but you aren't turning if you are hard up against a rock. I do appreciate that feature though, it keeps me from ever worrying about breaking knuckle studs or steering arms etc.
Well, I (or maybe you) jinxed me. Took the Sami to my mom's house for dinner tonight, probably 30 miles round trip. Got home and was fucking around out back running a junk car over and the pump locked up. It killed the engine and the starter could barely turn it over. Took the belt off and kept fucking around. Lol at least it'll be under warranty.
 

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All these reply's saying you should do it. I have everything you need to do the swap for free. All you need is the wedge. Stop by and grab the setup.
 
Skip the wedge and just get the parts from trail tough. 1 hole lines up, you just have to drill 2 and weld the sleeves in, then it's mounted properly. Less hardware to come loose.

You have to ditch the rag joint for a u joint, but you should do that anyway. Also, the kick pump bracket will bolt on, but the pump won't clear the box, so you need an adapter deal for that also.
 
psc pump and res, tapped kick steer box, hydro assist on toys, hughes 500e cooler.

i have box full of kick pumps somewhere. kick steering on a 1.3 not worth the effort imo.
Wan't to sell some I need a couple parts?
 
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