THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

Power steering is next on my very short wish list for a 710K. I haven't been able to find any posts detailing what needs to be done, although there are mentions of people on this forum that have done the conversion successfully. Could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks for your time.

I'm pretty sure the conversion used Sweet Power Steering components. You can probably start your search on his (Randy Sweet) website.

Most of the power steering installations I've seen involve a pulley-driven hydraulic pump and hoses.

There was an interesting post on the german pinze site where an owner installed an electronic power steering setup and was very pleased. He ordered it from this site: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/ ... p5J3KqWb1w

Although they do not list a setup for a Pinze, it would appear that they made at least one and perhaps just dod not add pinze to their list of available setups. There is not a lot of technical information there and they list several "installers" in Europe, but they also say that one can install it yourself.

Interested if true

If you have hard steering in a 4x4 Pinz all you have to do is air up the tires and check the alignment . Just be carefull, the TD's (equipped with P.S.) used a reinforced/boxed nose frame, the gas models do not. Basically you have to modify the nose piece to mount the ram without it tearing itself apart during use. Look at a few set ups before you begin, it will save you time and money.
Always balance out cost with practical needs.

Thanks to everyone. And Jim, I think you just convinced me of thinking it over again. I'm not sure if I want to modify the nose, so I guess I won't. My steering is excellent, it's just that power steering would be good on my wrists in hard rocky trails . Maybe I'll wait ten years or so and $$$ and get a 716. Meanwhile, it will be wriststraps and Aleve and friends.

Jim,Electric power steering does not use a ram,it's basically a big,adjustable power window motor controlling a thru shaft. It's a common retrofit in Hot Rods now days.They are so common you can get them for a Yamaha Rhino and come on many quads. They mount between the steering wheel and the gear box. Strangely enough,this is my next adventure in the Pinz/Volvo world. There is a Pinz running around in Colorado using this system,I don't know a name,I think 4X4 Pinz knows who. Side note, Jim,Gotta get out more!!
Mark

Guys, this is the reply I got from EZ Power Steering, in case anyone is interested:

"Thank you for the interest in our power steering system. We have indeed converted a few Pinzgauer vehicles to power steering. We sell an electric power steering set for this vehicle for 1325 Euro Excluding VAT. Delivery charges are 40 Euro within Europe. The only problem with the Pinzgauer is that it has a one piece steering column, which means EZ Power Steering supplies the upper half and you have to find a workshop that can ensures that the connection between the original steering shaft and our adapter is a safe one. Alternatively you can send us your steering column and we can prepare everything with splines so you only have to reinstall the new column and make the electric connection. Delivery time is 10 days.
If you need any further information or pictures please let me know.

Best regards,

Roger Reijngoud"

Thanks again to all,
Javier Rojas

$1750 sounds pretty reasonable to me if I were to go the PS route, but for now I'll enjoy the crude brutality of my Pinz as designed and put the money towards other creature comforts and toys. Thanks for sharing the follow up.

I've test driven the Pinz in Colorado with PS. We have 2 club members that worked through the details - try RMPinzgauers for help. I am told that the machining to match the electric unit to the Pinz took some time, skill & $$.

Contact: Doug or Pat

I went the TD way on a some of my Pinzgauers.

These Pictures show the power steering setup of my my race 712M.

Here you can see a grey arm sticking out of the front frame section.
This is where the hydraulic ram is attached to.




And here you can see the steering valve attached to the steering column. In this case it is a TD part.
I had to modify the original steering box input shaft to a short splined input with a seal on top.




Sorry for the crappy pictures. Meanwhile I did invest in a camera so that there is no more cell phone pictures to come.


Actual cost of the project not counting the machine work, welding and tube bending that
I did myself was about 1700 USD. The most expensive part of it was the TD steering valve even though I got it
for a fraction of the factory price. Don't even bother asking Steyr about the price of that part unless you have
applied lots of Valium or something equivalent before.

Richard