Adding power steering

I just bought a Freightliner cabover 79. Anybody have idea how to add it or is there a kit? Any help would be appreciated.

 

You will not find a kit for that.
The least expensive way is to find a bone yard truck and get all the parts. New filter and hoses. Wash the new hoses out also. Hope the pump and gear is good. One off a running truck you can steer is best but hard to find.

 

Can I take it off any truck. If so I have one I can take power steering components off of

 

No: However at a shop I used to work at a sector and pump were taken off an early 80's COE similar to yours. It had a Big Cam. The pump and sector were installed on a 4000 White with a Small Cam. A mounting plate had to be fabricated between the sector and frame. Two different drag link sections had to be found. One had to fit the pitman arm, the other the spindle arm and the had to screw together at the correct length. Then there are spindle arm and steering box hydraulic stop adjustments required.
Watched a man work his brains out to do that another time. He was smiling when he got it together, turning the steering wheel back and forth in the shop. When he turned the steering wheel to the left the tires went to the right.
Pitman arms are different with some applications as well.
I thank TRW-Ross and Sheppard have same good information about adjustment on line.

 

What are your plans for the truck? If it is to work it, well ok. If it is going to be a show truck, why bother? No power steering is a lot easier to turn than power steering that doesn't work. If you're not backing up and need to turn the wheel, they turn pretty easy, as long as you're rolling.

 

Yea I’m gonna be working it. I would rather have some kind of assist. I tried googling ram assist

 

What about an air-assist? Lot easier, and you still have the "feel" of manual, like Bean jr. sez, and assist when backing in. I wonder if you can still get that, that's what I would do.

 

Yes I h

yes I been googling that as well. Still trying to research

 

I drove a Mack with air-assist. It was a simple unit, just an air cylinder mounted to the tie rod, and a 2 way air valve. The only problem was, backing in a tough spot and jerking the steering wheel, you can run out of air.

 

I’m surprised I didn’t get more hits on this thread