I am looking into possibly retrofitting power steering on my 81 hatch offroader.I have a front locker but it made it almost impossible to turn. I tried to test drive the offroader and I got it into the other lane of our two car garage.I had to make like a 10 pt turn to get it back where I was working on it, because once the wheel got turned it went to full lock and I couldnt turn the wheel the other way.So I would like to see if powersteering might be able to make it turn before resorting to an open front diff.

 

from what ive gathered to do the swap I need the EA81 powersteering crossmember,the lines,and the steering extension.With my EJ22 what do I do for a powersteering pump?

You should be able to hybrid the EA81 lines to the EJ22 pump. I know MilesFox did this with an EA82 Rack and EJ pump.

 

Have the hard lines run out of the EJ pump, then meet them up to Rubber line which would run to the Steering rack (Hose clamps will hold) that is how my EA81 is from the dealer.

 

I am looking into possibly retrofitting power steering on my 81 hatch offroader.I have a front locker but it made it almost impossible to turn. I tried to test drive the offroader and I got it into the other lane of our two car garage.I had to make like a 10 pt turn to get it back where I was working on it, because once the wheel got turned it went to full lock and I couldnt turn the wheel the other way.So I would like to see if powersteering might be able to make it turn before resorting to an open front diff.

 

from what ive gathered to do the swap I need the EA81 powersteering crossmember,the lines,and the steering extension.With my EJ22 what do I do for a powersteering pump?

I have that on mine. I used the ej22 pump and lines down to the passenger side of the crossmember, then the ea81 rack and its hard lines and bracket that run across the crossmember. I think I had to have an end changed.

could I use a EA82 powersteering crossmember?

 

and is it even necessarily to get the ps cross member?I will be heading up to get parts in my sisters car(because driving my 17mpg cummins wont be fun up there) but I am worried that a crossmember may not fit in her car.

I think the PS crossmember has a little notch right under the oil pan, so the hard lines can run under the motor, out of the way. There might also be an extra hole in it.

 

I am not 100% sure about the EA82 crossmember, mainly how the Control arms would attach. There may be no concern there, but figured I would bring that up.

I already have EA82 front suspension.

EA82 crossmember is wider than the EA81 where they bolt to the framerails. Member on here modified one to fit his EA81, so it can be done. Another Member swapped one into his BRAT, but I don't recall who that was.

 

One could also modify the liftblocks for a lifted rig to accomodate the width differences. Which I beleive is how the other one was done.

 

You would have to swap in the lower control arms, (and I believe the radius arms) as they are different in shape and length EA81 vs EA82.

Strut top position would have to be moved outwards to correct for the longer EA82 lower arms, or cut/reweld lower arms.