Power Steering Conversion

lovey80 · Post by **lovey80** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:01 am

Hi Gent's, am looking at buying a 89 L Sports Wagon for parts and have a few questions.

Is there any difference between a power steering set up from a 89 L Sports Wagon than a 1992 Brumby? Will they be a strait swap or are there modifications required.

Thanks in Advance

Chris

SubaRute · Post by **SubaRute** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:53 am

appart fromt the lower control arms being longer on th L (not sure by how much),and the fact that you may have to change the lines and pump as well,im think there might be a little diff?

can someone please correct me if im wrong.

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:30 am

I don't think there are any similarities. Lines are definately different... rack is different, pump is different. You need to find an MY (82-84) touring wagon to get power steering parts for your brumby. These parts will bolt straight on.

There are a fair few parts you will need to make sure you have so unless you purchase an entire car be sure to ask on here what parts you will need.

Dave

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:39 am

Yeah I wouldn't try to use the power steering setup off an L series.
Conceivably you could use the rack....but you'd have to mess around with the tie-rod ends as they will be too long.
The lines will work but you might have to bend them to get them to fit.
The pump would be a nightmare to fit I'd imagine as all the bracketing would be wrong.

If it helps I can provide you with an MY power steering pump including bracket, from a 1983 wagon.
You could use the rack from the L series if you put MY tierod ends on and maybe get some custom fluid lines made up.

But yeah, your best bet would be to get an MY wagon as a donor vehicle, then everything will just bolt directly in. I see no actual advantage in using L series parts - far as I know they aren't actually any better.

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:52 pm

AndrewT wrote:Yeah I wouldn't try to use the power steering setup off an L series.
Agreed
Conceivably you could use the rack....but you'd have to mess around with the tie-rod ends as they will be too long.
The lines will work but you might have to bend them to get them to fit.
Lines dont interchange on racks.
Also i cant see L Lines fitting into an MY as they are a bad shape

The pump would be a nightmare to fit I'd imagine as all the bracketing would be wrong.

If it helps I can provide you with an MY power steering pump including bracket, from a 1983 wagon.
You could use the rack from the L series if you put MY tierod ends on and maybe get some custom fluid lines made up.
Outer Tie rod ends will go on but not inners

But yeah, your best bet would be to get an MY wagon as a donor vehicle, then everything will just bolt directly in. I see no actual advantage in using L series parts - far as I know they aren't actually any better.

your on crack andrewT

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:18 pm

For once... that is a Mattafact. Your rather wrong in there Andrew.

If L PS lines were even close to being interchangable then people doing EJ conversions could use L lines instead of having to get EJ lines modified. I think that made sence.

Dave

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:23 pm

im pretty sure we get EJ lines modded Dave

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:29 pm

opps... post edited.

Dave

lovey80 · Post by **lovey80** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:00 am

Thanks for the heads up lads!! Back to the searching for a MY instead. You just saved me a lot of time and money.

Cheers Chris

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:47 am

haha nah not on crack.
I was just saying, you could use L lines....if you used an L rack - but naturally this is silly. I didn't realize you couldn't put MY tierod ends onto an L rack, thought I heard of somebody doing it in the past thats all - my mistake.

Obviously you cannot use L lines with an MY rack, I never said that you could - Matatak pointed out that "the lines won't interchange on the racks" right below me saying "conceivably you could use the rack" - ie, the L series one. I know the lines don't interchange at the rack if using an MY rack and L/EJ lines, I had to get the lines modified myself for the Wackybug install.

Confusing post of mine lovey80, sorry bout that!

Naturally the original gist of my post still stands - get an MY donor car instead. Glad you got convinced of that anyways

subybrumby · Post by **subybrumby** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:03 pm

While we are on this, which power steering fluid should be used, there's a couple of different types isn't there?

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:08 pm

subybrumby wrote:While we are on this, which power steering fluid should be used, there's a couple of different types isn't there?

it really doesnt matter.

just an ATF 4000 or equivalent will do it.

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:46 pm

This may sound odd but i have been told by a Power Steering/Hydrolic place that in climates where things freezing is not a problem, engine oil can even be used as PS fluid.

I have tryed it.. back when i had a PS leak. Engine oil is cheaper than PS fluid. I had no problems but i have changed back to PS fluid now my problems are solved.

Dave

lovey80 · Post by **lovey80** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:59 pm

Thanks for all the help lads. If anyone comes across a good donor car (especially one with electric goodies like windows) please give me a bell.

Im in the Brisbane and Sunshine Coast area's quite a lot.

Cheers Chris

BaronVonChickenPants · Post by **BaronVonChickenPants** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:17 pm

Another thing to check, not all EA81 engines have the mounting holes to attach the PS pump bracket to, from memory it attaches to the driverside head but it's been a while since I poked an EA engine.

Jordan.

Post by **Alex** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:26 pm

SuBaRiNo wrote:For once... that is a Mattafact. Your rather wrong in there Andrew.

If L PS lines were even close to being interchangable then people doing EJ conversions could use L lines instead of having to get EJ lines modified. I think that made sence.

Dave

nothing has to be modified to run EJ rack in l-series. it all bolts up. In-fact the ea82 and ej22 powersteering racks are identical looking. The only changes that had to be made are putting the l-series inner tie rods to the ej rack.

(hopefully i havent confused myself here hahaha) confusing this powersteering stuff. But i am successfully running a ej22 powersteering rack in my l-series.

hey matatak what are you running? are u still using MY rack? or did u swap it out? i know you where thinking about putting an impreza one in?

alex

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:15 pm

mines a WRX rack (quicker lock to lock), pump, and lines.
with modified WRX TieRod Ends.

old one was Shite Shite Shite and wanted changing.

lovey80 · Post by **lovey80** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:56 am

Thought I had a full powersteer set up today. Boss wreckers told me they had one and I get down there after an hour on the gateway after a truck roll over and no MY powersteering. The search continues. Will be looking at getting a BYB lift kit as soon as they can fit it. I'm told I have to get a longer "shaft" if fitting powersteering with a lift kit. Where do i get these?

Cheers Chris

brumbyrunner · Post by **brumbyrunner** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:21 am

from the byb.