by Randy Irwin

1958-64 500 SERIES POWER STEERING CONVERSION

Parts Needed:553709 500 Series Small Block

Complete Power Steering Kit*Note: This Conversion Is Only For Chevy Small Blocks With StandardRadiator! This Box Will Not Clear 348/409 Or Small Block V-8 With 4-CoreOr Aftermarket Heavy Duty Radiators.Complete 500 Series, Small Block Power Steering Conversion KitIncludes: CPP 500 Series Power Steering Box, Coupler Shaft & U-Joint,Power Steering Pump Bracket, Power Steering Pump, Single GroovePump Pulley, Pressure & Return Hoses, Fan Belt & All MountingHardware. 553288 500 Series Power Steering Box561353 Power Steering Pump Bracket553030 U-Joint & Coupler Shaft553280 Power Steering Pressure Hose561364 Power Steering Return Hose

Tools Needed: Torque WrenchPitman Arm PullerRatchet9/16” Socket

5/8” Socket1-5/16” SocketGrinder

The original power steering on the 1958 to 1964 Chevrolet passengercar was more or less a hydraulically assisted manual steering system.There is a valve on the end of the drag link that when the car is turned willsend a signal to the slave cylinder to either push or pull the center link inthe direction of the turn. This all works fine but as we all know, both thecontrol valve and slave cylinder are known for leaking. Not until 1965 didChevrolet start installing a true power steering box. This was a muchcleaner system and was not as prone to leakage. With the use of a truepower steering box, the alignment specifications could change so thatmore positive caster could be used, and the car would handle much betterdown the road. In this article we will be installing the new CPP 500 seriespower steering box; this will eliminate all leaking problems; in addition the14:1 steering ratio it will make your Chevy handle better, steer quicker, anddrive better than ever before!

Time Frame: 8 Hours

Randy Irwin - Technical WriterRandy has been involved in the Chevy

parts business for over 30 years. He is a wiz-ard at creating, making and modifying customparts for Chevys.

553709

Photo #2a & 2b: The original steering box and coupler shaftwill be replaced with the new CPP power steering box and U-joint assembly. To remove the box first remove the pitman armfrom the pitman shaft on the steering box. The pitman arm isheld to the pitman shaft with a right handed 1 5/16” nut andlock washer. Remove the nut and lock washer and using apitman arm puller remove the pitman arm from the originalsteering box. Our project car has manual steering so all themanual steering components will be used. If the car hadpower steering, the pitman arm, drag link and idlerarm would need to be changed to manual steeringcomponents.

Photo #1: The steeringbox on a 1958 to 64Chevy bolts to theframe in front of theengine crossmemberwith three bolts. Thesame style steeringbox was used in allcars; with or withoutpower steering.

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553288

Parts Needed: (continued)561352 Power Steering Pump553747 Power Steering Pump Pulley564207 Crank Shaft Pulley, Third Track541003 Power Steering Belt

To order parts call 1-800-683-1961 or visit LateGreatChevy.com

Photo #6: Before mountingthe new 500 Series steeringbox to the frame, make surethe box is centered. Thesteering box will turn 3-1/2times from lock to lock.Install the lower U-jointonto the input shaft of thebox, turn the U-joint all theway to one side and thanturn it back half way (1-3/4turns), this will center the box.

Photo #3a & 3b: The steering box is connected to the steeringcolumn with a shaft that has a coupler (rag joint) at thesteering box and a male splined end that connects to thefactory U-joint on the steering column.

Photo #5a & 5b: The steering box is held to the frame withthree 9/16” bolts. Remove the bolts and the steering box can beremoved from the frame.

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Photo #4a & 4b: To remove thecoupler shaft, remove the 12-point bolt on the lowercoupler at the steering box andthe nut and bolt at the bottomof upper U-joint. Loosen thesteering column mountingbracket clamps under the dash

and pull thecolumn upslightly. This willallow the coupler

shaft to be removed. Photo #8: With the steeringbox centered, make surethe wheels are facingforward and install thepitman arm. Torque thepitman arm nut to 95 lbs.

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Photo #7a & 7b & 7c & 7d: The new CPP 500 series powersteering box, P/N 553288 includes new mounting hardware.The bolts for the original steering box were 3/8”; the new boltsare 7/16”, so the frame will need to be drilled out. With theframe drilled out the box will bolt directly to the frame with noadaptor plate. Torque these mounting bolts to 55 lbs.

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Photo #9a & 9b & 9c & Diagram: The complete power steeringkit includes a U-joint and splined coupler shaft. The U-joint hastwo different spines, 3/4”-30 spline and 3/4”-36 spline. Theinput shaft on the steering box is 30 splines; the U-joint is

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attached to the input shaft with a set screw and lock nut. Thereis a groove in the input shaft that the set screw seats into.When the U-joint is installed correctly the input shaft of thesteering box will be flush with the inside of the U-joint yoke.The U-joint should be installed on the input shaft so that theset screw is 180-degrees from the flat surface on the input shaftof the steering box.

Photo #10a & 10b: The coupler shaft has 34”-36 splines oneach end, the shaft will be “about 1” to long. Each car isdifferent depending on how the body is mounted on the frameand how the steering column is adjusted. The shaft is made ofmild steel and can be cut with a hack saw, band saw or chopsaw. We cut 1/2” off one end of the shaft and installed it in thelower U-joint making sure the shaft was flush with the inside ofthe U-joint.

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Photo #12a & 12b: The original coupler shaft had a groove cutinto it to allow the pinch bolt to pass over the shaft; a notchwill need to be cut into the new shaft for this pinch bolt.

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Photo #13a & 13b & 13c:Mark the shaft where it willneeds to be cut for the pinchbolt and remove the shaftfrom the car. Using a hand orbench grinder cut a grooveinto the shaft.

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Photo #14: Next install the shaft back into place, tighten the setscrew and lock nut on the lower U-joint and tighten the pinchbolt on the upper coupler.

Photo #11a & 11b: With the coupler shaft installed in the lowerU-joint and the steering column bolted in place, place thecoupler shaft next to the original upper U-joint, at the bottomof the steering column and determine how much if any theshaft will need to be cut. The shaft should protrude up insidethe upper U-joint at least 1-1/8”.

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Photo #15a & 15b: The small block power steering pumpbracket is a two piece bracket that bolts to the front of theengine block with two 3/8” bolts. The fan belt adjusting platehas a leg that will attach to the upper forward motor mountbolt for support, and is trapped between the main pumpbracket and the engine. Install the adjusting plate first; leavethe motor mount bolt loose at this time.

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Photo #16a & 16b & 16c & 16d: There are two studs on theback of the power steering pump. The upper stud will key intothe slot on the adjusting plate and the lower stud will key intothe slot on the rear of the pump main bracket. The front of thepump is held to the main bracket with a supplied 3/8” x 3/4”bolt and lock washer. The stud uses a supplied flat washer, lockwasher and nut to hold the pump in place. Mount the pump tothe main bracket before installing the main bracket to theengine block, leave the bolts loose at this time.

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Photo #18: The upperstud on the pump willkey into the slot in theadjusting plate. Theupper stud uses a flatwasher, lock washer andnut like the lower stud tohold the pump adjusted,leave the nut loose atthis time.

Photo #17: The pumpmain bracket is held tothe front of the enginewith two supplied 3/8”x 3-1/2” bolts and lockwashers. The bolts willpass through the mainbracket, adjusting plateand screw into thefront of the engine.

Tighten these two bolts and the single bolt at the motor mountfrom the adjusting plate.

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Photo #19a & 19b & 19c& 19d: The powersteering pump pulley willline up with the thirdgroove on the crank shaftpulley, if your car hadfactory power steering thestock crank shaft pulleywill work fine. If your car

did not have power steering a third track pulley P/N 564207can be added to your single or double groove pulley. Thedouble groove pulley P/N 563650 has two collars that will keyinto the single groove third track pulley P/N 564207.

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Photo #20a & 20b: The power steering pump has a woodruffkey on the shaft. The single groove pulley (supplied with thecomplete kit) will key onto the shaft and is held in place with a9/16” fine thread locking nut.

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Photo #21:Next install thepower steeringbelt P/N541003 andpull the pumptowards thedrivers side ofthe car totighten the belt.With the belt

tight, tighten the single bolt on the front of the pump bracketthat screws into the pump and the two nuts on the back of thepump that are on the upper and lower studs.

Photo #22: The powersteering box has two femaleports, the larger port is for thepressure hose and the smallerport is for the return hose.The 500 Series box uses flaredstyle hoses.

Photo #23a & 23b: Thepressure hose P/N 561364

has a 90-degree fitting on each end of the hose and willconnect to the larger female port on the steering box and thefemale port on the back of the power steering pump.

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Photo #24a & 24b: Thereturn hose P/N 553280has a 90-degree fitting onone end that will connectto the smaller port on thesteering box. The otherend of the hose willconnect to the barbednipple on the back of thepower steering pump andis held to the pump with asupplied hose clamp. Withthe hoses connected andthe front suspension offthe ground fill the powersteering pump with powersteering fluid. Now turnthe steering wheel fromlock to lock about ten

times to bleed the air from the system. Next start the engineand turn the wheels from lock to lock another tens times tocheck for any leaks.

Now that your Late Great Chevy has a true power steeringgear box, the factory alignment specifications will no longerapply. The following alignment should be used with the newCPP 500 Series power steering box.

Caster, Divers Side Caster, Passenger Side2-1/2 Degrees Positive 2-1/2 Degrees Positive

Camber, Drivers Side Camber, Passenger Side 0 Degree 1/4 Degree Negative

Toe In, 1/8” Total

Enjoy your new power steering conversion… Good Luck!

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