Thread: Power Steering Too Powerful

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have a chevy V8 with what looks to be teh old standard GM power steering pump, and the stock Jeep / saginaw recirculating ball steering box.

The power steering is too powerful...besides changing the pulley on the pump is there a way to turn down the power?

If changing the pulley is best/only way - are there alternative pulley sizes?

Any ideas?

Hello, I dont know if this might be of some help, BUT HEIDT'S makes an adjustable power steering valve kit.
http://www.heidts.com/heip27.htm
scroll down to bottom right of page.

SprayTech

Help me understand too powerful? please i just like to learn new things not pickin on anybody

Originally posted by SprayTech
Hello, I dont know if this might be of some help, BUT HEIDT'S makes an adjustable power steering valve kit.
http://www.heidts.com/heip27.htm
scroll down to bottom right of page.

SprayTech

essentially a restriction in the line?

Originally posted by shawnlee28
Help me understand too powerful? please i just like to learn new things not pickin on anybody

comparing manual to power steering, manual takes more muscle than power steering. now make it even easier and you are getting to where my jeep is - very touchy.

Back in the day of this jeep the 4 cyl was the GM iron duke 2.5...so the pump may be from that. Jeeps were notorious for over assisted steering -it is not bad when in 4WD, but a bit touchy in 2WD, and since all myother cars (umm, daily drivers anyway) are variable assist the Jeep seems WAY overdone.

Thouht about changing the pressure relief/ bypass valve spring for a lighter one. Pump on chevy motor would be a saginaw so the spring is behind the flat nut at the rear of the pump. This nut has the top machined for a union thread for the high pressure outlet, simply unscrew this nut and replace the spring behind it.

Originally posted by southerner
Thouht about changing the pressure relief/ bypass valve spring for a lighter one. Pump on chevy motor would be a saginaw so the spring is behind the flat nut at the rear of the pump. This nut has the top machined for a union thread for the high pressure outlet, simply unscrew this nut and replace the spring behind it.

Now this is the kind of product engineering i like! I will go take a look at lunch and see 'the nut'...any ideas on what spring to use or where to get one - i can seach through my tool box or can i just try the old cut a bit off the original spring...shorten it shoud reduce the pressure, right?

Thats a pretty robust little spring in there, I suppose you could cut /modify it , but it's not recommended. I would suggest going to a chassis shop wheel alignment service,they should have varios springs for the various model cars that saginaw psp's came out on. good hunting.