Too Much Power Steering

I recently completed putting Saginaw PS on my CJ5. Pretty much a standard setup - Saginaw box, GM pump, 1 piece tie rod and 2 hole knuckle on the stock D27 axle. The pitman arm is a stock CJ7 part.
My issue is it's overboosted! If you've ever driven a 60's Chrysler sedan, it's like that....SUPER easy to steer, I can literally drive it with 1 finger all the way down by the hub of the steering wheel! I'd really prefer it with a little more effort, is there any way to tone it down a little bit?

 

Yep, my flatty is like that with no " feel" There is an adjustable bypass valve you can add to the lines to bleed the pressure off.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hdt-ps-101
You can tinker with the valves in the box and pump, some people shim the pumps internally to reduce pressure.

 

google flow restrictors for GM pump.

 

Mine is like that too. Post your remedy when it works for you.

 

the feel of Chrysler steering . no resistance what so ever
mine is same way . considered it was gear box I used . just learned to live with it
if there's a easy fit . inquiring minds would like to know

 

X4 , here.....These guy's seem to be the pro's on this this. Made in America, too.
https://turnonesteering.com

 

This is the kit you want
https://www.borgeson.com/Pumps-Brac...-Kit/GM-P-S-Pump-Pressure-Valve-Shim-Kit.html

 

I always called it novocaine steering. Can't feel a thing.

 

Like Mcruff says, you really want to reduce the pressure not add a restrictor. A restrictor reduces flow but not pressure. Be restricting flow, you can outrun the pump when trying to change direction quickly. At on-center driving down the road, you don't need much power steering fluid flow, so a restrictor won't help much.

Four factor that affect steering effort with power steering:

• Reduce the pump pressure so a given demand form the valve in the steering gear produces less steering force.
• Change the torsion bars in the steering gear so less there is less demand for steering force.
• Change the steering ratio so more (or less force) is required to turn the wheels.
• Target 6-7 degrees of caster. This increases the natural sell aligning torque of the steering.

 

I have Mcruffs shims in mine, I'm at 6 degrees caster.
I went ahead & orderdd the Borgesom kit, stay tuned!

 

I had this issue back around 1977 when I first went to Saginaw steering. My solution was eliminating the pump on my engine, and disconnect and loop the hose. I simply used a power box with the two lines looped to each other on the box. Drove it that way for another 25+ years. Perfect feel; easy steering without the over-boosted feel.
-Donny

 

Try swapping out your pump with one from a rack and pinion. Standard pumps put out around 3gpm at 1200psi, where R&P pumps put out around 2gpm at 850psi.

 

Pressure builds by restricting flow, like a dam builds water level by restricting flow.

This seems like a pulley issue. Remember we drive at a higher rpm than the cars that we pull parts from.

 

So manual steering with a power box? That may work ok some places but when you are in the rocks, I don't think that will be one of those places. And in that situation, the PS fluid gets plenty warm without any added restriction. The bypass kit is certainly the most efficient way to address this. If you reduce the speed via different pulleys, your PS assist in the rocks at low rpm is going to go away or be greatly diminished.

 

Not a pulley issue per se, my steering pump did the same thing at idle speed. Shim it like GM did and forget it. I found this out years ago from a website that showed how they originally rebuilt the pumps and adjusted the pressure for rat rods and kit cars that were lighter steering.

 

More correctly pressure builds by "resistance" to flow. A restrictor is a type of resistance but it does not do work and simply generates heat. You want the work you are trying to do be your resistance to flow. I.E. steering the vehicle. From the factory, there is a bypass valve that shunts excess pressure back into the reservoir. Adjusting this bypass to a lower fixed pressure like Mcruff says is the proper way to do it. A pump factory set to a lower pressure like ITLKSEZ notes is also a proper solution.

A restrictor won't reduce static pressure at all and can lead to a lack of power steering when trying to steer quickly because there isn't enough fluid flow to keep up. The pressure drops based on how quickly you steer since the restrictor can only flow a certain amount at a given pressure. It can be annoying while autocrossing or trying to change direction in the rocks. Adjusting flow is not the right solution to the problem.

 

No idea what it came from, I think I bought it from a member on here years ago.