Bandeirante Power Steering Conversion
Replaced a janky jury-rigged power steering setup with a proper hydraulic system on the Toyota Bandeirante. Now it drives like an actual car.
The Before: Janky Setup
When I got the truck, it already had power steering - sort of. Someone had installed a pump from (we think) a Chevy Opala or Omega. Problem was, that pump is oriented differently, so it ended up mounted on the front bumper.
Yes, the front bumper. Right where I want to put a winch someday.
The steering itself worked okay - actually about 5-10% lighter than the new setup. But the steering lock was terrible. Simple turns became 3-point turns. Parking was a 5-point affair. Not great.
Enter the Master Wizard
There’s a guy in Brazil named Junior Cordeiro, known as the “Mestre dos Magos da Direção Hidráulica” (Master Wizard of Hydraulic Steering). He travels the country in his RV doing power steering installs and selling DIY kits.
He happened to be near me, so I got him to pay a visit.
The Kit
JC’s standard Bandeirante kit uses:
- F350 pump - drives the hydraulic fluid
- Original Bandeirante steering box (setor) and steering arms - proper parts meant for the truck
- Custom hoses - ordered from a local hydraulics shop based on his specs
- Simple fluid reservoir
Everything is designed to use the original mounting points. Plug and play, mostly.
The Install
Took about a week with JC sticking around for a few days to help and guide the process. He sent reference videos and instructions for all the hoses and materials I needed.
The Easy Parts
Most of the kit was straightforward - bolt to existing mounts, connect hoses, fill with fluid.
The Not-So-Easy Parts
Removing the old setup: Had to angle grinder away the front pump mount from the bumper. Good riddance.
Pulley swap: The aluminum pulley that came with it was squeaking like hell. Replaced it with a cast iron pulley from a Mercedes 1113 truck. Had to take it to a machinist to adjust the main shaft hole to fit, but once that was done it worked flawlessly.
Classic Brazilian car building - Ford pump, Toyota truck, Mercedes pulley. Though the Mercedes pulley isn’t as random as it sounds - the Bandeirante runs a Mercedes OM-364 diesel anyway, so it’s keeping it in the family.
The Result
Night and day difference:
- Full steering lock - turns like a regular car, no more 5-point parking
- Better alignment - straighter, more predictable
- More stable on the road - less wandering
- Bumper freed up - ready for the future winch
The old setup was marginally lighter to steer, but the improved range and stability more than make up for it.
And it all fits nicely with the custom Henkell steering wheel I had made. Proper steering feel through a proper wheel.
Next Up
Horn Fix
The horn needs fixing. Basic stuff.
Custom Steering Hub (Cubo)
The current hub that connects the steering wheel to the column is a cheap one that bends out of shape. Plan is to have a custom aluminum one machined that will:
- Actually hold its shape
- Support a quick release setup - pop the wheel off easily
- Tie into the Bandeirante Mobile Office setup - removing the wheel frees up cabin space when parked as a workspace
Related
- Toyota Bandeirante - Main project page
- Cars - Car hobby hub