GM Power Steering Unit

[toyman]

I have a few items laying around from a Blazer I parted out a few years ago. I've read that a GM PS unit can be used. Can anyone point me in the direction of what other parts I'd need to make this work? My 70 is tore down waiting for me to start the refurb, and I was thinking that this would be a nice addition. I know I'll need hoses (pressure & return) a belt, a hydraulic cylinder (size, gpm, stroke, etc), and a lever, but I don't have much hydraulic knowledge to know exactly what I'm looking for to mate this all together. If anyone has done this and has the Supplier & Part number (I know, I'm not asking for too much!), or specs on the necessary parts, it would be greatly appreciated!

[Yosemite Sam]

I can't believe that no one has addressed this question.

First off I'm guessing that you are wanting to use the P/S pump as a hydraulic pump?

I'm sure I can't tell you anywhere near everything you need to know about this topic, but I'll tell you what I do know... I saw a tractor that a fella put a P/S pump on to power a log splitter, he mounted the pump more-less above the front of the motor so the belt went down to the front pto. He had long lines running to the log splitter that he towed behind. The control valve was mounted on the splitter. The odd thing about the set-up was that a P/S pump will not hold enough fluid to run the cylinder so he used a radiator hose that was clamped to the fill neck of the pump and the other end of the hose was clamped to a tank that he mounted above the pump (he had to leave the hood off in order to make this all "work"). The whole thing looked a bit unusual but it worked for what he wanted it to do. All in all not a bad effort if this was his first attempt at such a project.

I can't really give you any specifics on how much fluid the pump will move or the size cylinder you would need for whatever application you have in mind, but you need the pump, a control valve, the necessary plumbing, a source of power (pto or something else), and a reservoir for the fluid that you will need to operate whatever it is that you want to operate.

Unless I'm missing something, it is my opinion that the hardest part of this operation would be keeping the pump supplied with fluid. I may be wrong but as far as I know, there is no suction on a P/S pump through the return line. Therefore the reservoir must be mounted above the pump and gravity would supply the pump.

If I am wrong about any of these things, someone please correct me, I am not so old yet that I can't learn something new.

Not sure if ANY of this information is of any help to you or not.

[eastonct124]

Yosemite has that all correct. I've been putting alot of thought into this lately.
-I'm not working right now, so I'm not allowed to spend $.
So, the pwr strg pump is for push only, that's what the valves are for....when you push one way the fluid stays in the piston, the weight of the implement will be enough force to push back (IE-lower the tiller,deck,snowthrower) when the valve is switched to down mode. This will force the fluid back to the pump through the return line. It's not rocket science....but does take some thinking when you get into it.
I think I'm gonna do the electric actuator deal....seems simpler, and it will take up less space.
But, good luck with that, let us know how it works.

[toyman]

Thanks for the info! I think I may follow the same path and look into an electric actuator if I go that route.

[cadetfarmer]

Hey ToyMan;

I have been contemplating mounting a GM Power Steering pump on my 100, to operate my threepoint hitch.

Years ago when I lived in the frozen north country, we use to use these pumps to operate snow plows on pickups, so I know they have enough power to lift anything my CC will handle, although as someone else mentioned the size of the resevoir is an issue.

I am going to try to mount my pump above the front of the engine, driven with a pulley mounted either in front or in back of the pulley for the starter/generator. To do this I will have to relocate the voltage regulator, possibly into the dash tower behind the battery. This will then supply fluid to a genuine CC valve I bought off of Ebay through lines, then connected to a lift cylinder from a CC that I picked up at Cubarama.

I haven't tried to do any of this yet. I have just been gathering pieces, and plan to make this a winter project.

Sorry I cannot post pics, I will try to do that later. I would appreciate an exchang of ideas on this.

Always Tinkering;
Cadet Farmer

[ol'George]

FWIW.
Most G.M power steering pumps operate @ or about #900,
they can be shimmed more or less. the relief in a typical Hydro is set maybe #500 on the imp. lift.
It might be noted that a lot of G.M. pumps have divorced reservoirs.
A feller could hang as much as a 5 gallon bucket of fluid above the pump, to do anything.
If the pressure line is routed through a salvaged cub, or other color tractor deck lift valve, a person can have hydraulic power both ways.
push as well as pull, to operate the cylinder.
if you want to get fancy, get a 2 spool valve and you can operater 2 cylinders, say like a blade lift as well as power angle.
single Valves go pretty cheap on evil bay.

[IHinIN]

I'm planning on using a GM pump and a dual spool loader valve for lift and power angle.

[Monzaman78]

I know that the old Dodge plow trucks used its P/S pump for steering and plow operations. A good friend of mine had one and it worked great.