65' Power Steering

[Ron Luchene]

Greetings!

I am new to the forum but have been gaining insight from the info posted here for a few months. Thanks to all for sharing your knowledge!

I have a 65' Riv and have had issues with the power steering. I rebuilt the pump and installed a new hose but still had issues (i.e. hard steering). I decided to swap the steering box and had info that indicated that a later model steering box would provide for a better ratio lock to lock and would fit without issue. The info also indicated that I needed to use the pitman arm which came with the steering box. In my case I have a 71' Riv steering box with a 71' pitman arm. No matter how I have looked at this, I can not possibly see how the 71 arm will work. I grabbed the original 65' pitman arm and it installs perfectly. I have turned the wheels side to side (about 2.5 turns lock to lock) and I can not see any issues with this arm. There is no binding and the motion side to side appears perfect. Has anyone swapped the steering box on a 65' with a later model box? Am I missing something or can I leave it as is with the 65' pitman arm?

[RivNut]

If you don't use the original pitman arm, you'll destroy the geometry. It needs to be the same lenght as the idler arm. If not, you don't have a parallelogram between the two arms, you'll wind up with a trapezoid. You'll be creating a bind when you try to turn the wheels.

[Ron Luchene]

Ed,

When you say "original" pitman arm are you referring to the 65' arm?

[RivNut]

Yes,

The '65 arm; it matches the 65' idler arm

Ed

[Ron Luchene]

Thanks Ed! Personally I couldn't see it working any other way but when the documentation I had stated otherwise I was left wondering what I was doing wrong. I will hook up the hoses tomorrow night and hopefully I will have power steering again. My arms are getting sore!

Ron