Hydraulic Power Steering Conversion

[Hurley37]

I have a 2015 Chevy Silverado single cab short bed work truck with the 4.3 liter that the power steering unit just decided to quit working while prerunning in Baja with my wife. It wasn’t an issue but my triceps got a serious work out. I took it into Bob Stall Chevrolet in La Mesa California and found out that the ECU and the EPS weren’t communicating. Of course this isn’t covered by the warranty and it was $1,100 for the new EPS and $800-$1,300 for the labor. The gremlin of Offroad racing usually ends up being an electrical issue so I decided to ditch the EPS and go with the older more reliable Hydraulic Power Steering Steering. In order to do that I ordered the Dirty Dingo Power Steering Conversion Brackets, Dirty Dingo LS water pump adapters, LS water pump, 1996 Chevy Silverado Power steering pump, 2006 Chevy Silverado hydraulic rack and pinion, and Corvette vacuum pump block off plugs. All the parts finally arrived today, and I’ll be starting this project and hopefully be finishing before the weekend is over.  

 

DD Conversion Brackets

https://www.dirtydingo.com/shop/mobile_product_info.php?products_id=1750

 

DD Water Pump Adapters

https://www.dirtydingo.com/shop/mobile_product_info.php?products_id=1583

 

Corvette Vacuum Plugs Part # (order 2)

11546665

 

LS Water Pump Part #

89018052

 

Power Steering Pump Part #

7312138

 

Steering Rack Part #

221000

 

 

 

 

[Hurley37]

[Hurley37]

[1SLOW1500]

Sorry but why. There is tried and true systems. Full hydraulic systems that are stronger then coffin nails. And half the parts.

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[Hurley37]

8 minutes ago, 1SLOW1500 said:

Sorry but why. There is tried and true systems. Full hydraulic systems that are stronger then coffin nails. And half the parts.

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Electronic power steerings a joke. The steering rack and pinion is temporary, I’m designing a swing set full hydraulic system with a Howe hydraulic ram. I’m going to need a power steering pump so this is a step in the right direction for me.

[HeySkippyDog]

After battling with the hydraulic power steering in my 93 C1500 years ago, having electric power steering is a godsend to me. My problem was that the only pumps available to me at the time were remanufactured and one summer I changed that pump 4 times in 3 months. I could still, to this day, change out the pump in that truck blindfolded. I did it probably about 7 or 8 times total in the years I drove it.

The hydraulic system in my GMT800 Tahoes was pretty stout. Never an issue, but eventually they'll spring a leak.

I don't drive Baja though. [emoji2369]

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[austingta]

I agree. Buy yourself an AM only radio too, in case the modern stereo goes out. 

[Hurley37]

1 minute ago, HeySkippyDog said:

After battling with the hydraulic power steering in my 93 C1500 years ago, having electric power steering is a godsend to me. My problem was that the only pumps available to me at the time were remanufactured and one summer I changed that pump 4 times in 3 months. I could still, to this day, change out the pump in that truck blindfolded. I did it probably about 7 or 8 times total in the years I drove it.

The hydraulic system in my GMT800 Tahoes was pretty stout. Never an issue, but eventually they'll spring a leak.

I don't drive Baja though.

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If it were a daily driver I’d get the electric power steering completely. But several of my buddies also had EPS fail on there trucks that never hit the dirt. One of them had to change out the whole rack once and the motor twice. Every auto parts store has power steering fluid and some sort of power steering line I could mcgiver. But a Snap in diagnostic machine is a little tougher. This is my fix to the the problem, other people have there’s and I respect that! Thanks for the reply

[HeySkippyDog]

There are ways to harden electronics to shock and vibration, I assure you. And we've done it with systems that are far more complex than a power steering system.

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[Hurley37]

1 minute ago, austingta said:

I agree. Buy yourself an AM only radio too, in case the modern stereo goes out. 

Haha I have racer x intercom headsets in the truck just in case that happens!

[HeySkippyDog]

Solid state hard drives are far more reliable in harsh environments than mechanical ones. Just one example.

It's all in the execution.

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[Hurley37]

1 minute ago, HeySkippyDog said:

There are ways to harden electronics to shock and vibration, I assure you. And we've done it with systems that are far more complex than a power steering system.

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 Agree with you 100%. I’m going to something I know just for the simplicity of it and what’s been proven in Offroad racing since it started.

[HeySkippyDog]

If you have sponsors with deep enough pockets, I bet that I and a couple hand-picked guys could design and build you an electric one that's Baja-worthy! [emoji106]

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[Hurley37]

2 minutes ago, HeySkippyDog said:

If you have sponsors with deep enough pockets, I bet that I and a couple hand-picked guys could design and build you an electric one that's Baja-worthy!

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No sponsors or deep pockets? I know Polaris RZRs have EPS but I haven’t seen a desert truck with one yet. It’d definitely be cool to make it work

[HeySkippyDog]

No sponsors or deep pockets[emoji23] I know Polaris RZRs have EPS but I haven’t seen a desert truck with one yet. It’d definitely be cool to make it work

It was worth a shot! Good luck on your project.

I would be very leery of using 90s truck parts though. The trucks then (1500s) were not as heavy as they are now.

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