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A ratty ratsun


Trashy

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I thought I read some where that you could use a 720 steering box because it mounts to the outside of the frame on the driveside , so you just put it on the inside of the 521 frame...

I was trying to find where I saw it...

You can mount just about anything you want, but you will have to start welding things on to make it work, the 521 pitman arm will not fit on the 720 steering gear shaft, so you would have to cut the 720 arm off a few inches from the shaft and weld the 521 arm on at the proper angle.

There are guys in Australia that might eventually find you a RHD 521 steering gear, but it will be expensive to have shipped here.

I kinda did something to my work truck that might possibly work for you, I wanted power steering for my 521, so what I did is I put a 521 idler arm where the 521 steering gear is and connected center link and tie rod end up to it, now I had a complete steering assembly with no way to steer it, so then what I did was I had a custom center link made with a tie rod connection on the passenger side right at the center link tie rod, then I mounted a 720 steering gear on the outside of the frame as far forward as I could get it, the front idler arm bolt and the back steering gear bolt are a shared bolt, I had to weld an upper mount bolt connection, and the front mount bolt I just drilled a hole thru the frame, I had issues later because of this, then I used the stock center link to make the connection from the pitman arm and the custom center link, I then had power steering, it's not the tightest steering setup, but I got used to it.

I originally didn't have a custom center link, I originally used a steering arm from the wheel spindle, I drilled a hole big enough to slide the center link thru it, then I made 3 other arms that also slid on the centerlink, I then put a bar across them all and welded them together, I didn't weld them to the centerlink as the centerlink has to spin for alignment, so then I basically had a ladder bar to support the tierod connection to the centerlink on the passenger side as when I first turned the wheel, the centerlink bent instead of turning the pass side wheel, that is why I needed the ladder bar for support.

You can see photos on how I did it in this thread on the first page, on page 6 you can see what happened to the frame because of me adding power steering and not doing it the way it should be done, I do haul a lot of weight in this truck all the time.

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/29737-waynos-521-work-truck/

I have thought about putting the 720 steering gear on the passenger side as far forward as I could and having a RHD, but I don't have an extra 521 frame anymore to mock it up on to see if it is even possible, this is why I like the 720 frame, all my builds are setting on 720 frames now except for the work truck, that is why I was looking for a RHD 720 power steering gear for my 520 ute build, nothing would have to be fabricated to make it work as it is sitting on a 720 frame right now.

I did this way back in the early 2000s(2003?), I don't have photos of any of this conversion from back then as I did it as I didn't belong to any forums, I was making this shit up as I went back then.

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There may be engine interference with an inside mounted box.

 

What about something like this - https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fla-fr1513-36/overview/year/1966/make/chevrolet/model/corvette Make your own bracket and mount it so the output is right up against the frame. You'd probably have to buy a blank pitman arm and drill and taper it yourself though.

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