Larger steering wheel

[Timoun]

Has anyone installed a larger diameter steering wheel on their Patrol? I'd like to go at least 17" with a plain old-fashioned black wheel from some other vehicle.

Thanks

[bosque]

Nope!

[Swerve]

The wheels are quite big as they are, can I ask why you want a bigger wheel ? easier turning of the steering. You could always cheat by increasing your tyre pressures

[RiverPatrol]

I don't remember hearing of anyone changing steering wheels, even in Oz. The steering wheels aren't even interchangeable from pre '69 and post '69 Patrols.

[miller]

You can buy a boss on Aussie eBay to change wheels but you must be a skinny bugger to want to go with a larger wheel

I have a 60's wheel in my '72 but was only possible because I swapped the whole steering box and column.

[Timoun]

Well, at about 200 pounds at 5' 11" I might not qualify as skinny. But I'm old enough to remember when most cars and trucks had 18 or 19 inch steering wheels, and the 17 inch wheels on my early model jeeps seemed small. Since the bench seat in my Patrol isn't stock, there's room for a bigger wheel. I've switched a few wheels on various vehicles over the years and haven't had any problems, so I'm sure a visit to a wrecking yard will get me something that works. I just wondered if anyone else had mounted a bigger wheel and what kind they used. Thanks again for your reply.

[Esteban]

Timoun, with your extraordinary abilities to modify things, have you consider going with a power steering?

My brother did one years ago. The original steering box remains. A power cylinder goes in place of the steering damper, and a control valve attached to the pitman arm controls the hydraulic flow to the piston so the drag ling will move in either direction. He used components of, what we believe, were from a 63-64 Corvette. At least the Control Valve. I've included some pictures that are better than words.

Power Steering 1.jpg

The system requires the following mods:
- The pitman's arm (minor)
- The main steering linkage bar has to be modified (cut and weld) to allow the control valve and the power piston end to be attached.
- A chassis welded bracket for the power piston rod end.
- The power steering pump on the engine compartment.
- The crankshaft pulley was also modified to allow an additional belt

Power Steering 2.jpg

The pitman requires a minor modification since the hole for attaching the control valve stud is different. My brother used two pitmans, the original and one that the control valve stud fitted in. Cut the two and welded together the corresponding parts. He did a good job since you can't tell in the picture.

Power Steering 3.jpg

This picture shows the original drag link modified so the control valve and the power cylinder are attached.

[Coyote Patrol]

Nice pictures Esteban, that power steering is referred to as power steering assist.

[RiverPatrol]

This will be a great project to follow! please keep us posted with your wrecking yard search results.

[Timoun]

Great pictures. That looks like a nice power steering installation. I've never cared much for power steering, though. Doesn't fit my philosophy of what isn't there can't go wrong. Except for a few parallel-parking situations when somebody boxed me in, I've never wished my Patrol required any less steering effort. I just want a bigger wheel as personal preference... still building my "perfect" vehicle. For example, I didn't like the style of the wheel on a Toyota J45 I once had, and mounted one from a 1948 G.M.C. two-ton truck. At the moment, though, my priority is replacing the top leaf spring on the right front side. Two years ago some cow yakking on her phone ran a red light in her SUV while I was making a left turn on a green arrow and slammed into my right front wheel, shearing the spring assembly's center bolt and ramming the right side of the front axle back six inches. Besides bending the front drive shaft (which put a monster dent in the engine oil pan) it also broke the transfer case where it mounts to the transmission, so I had to get a another case and switch all the internals to that. No problem there, but the top spring leaf on the right front side was also bent, and cracked. I straightened it as best I could and patched the crack with a bolted-on clamp, but the right leaf is still about a half an inch shorter than the left side, which of course messes up the front-end alignment. I put an ad in the parts wanted forum for either another front leaf spring assembly or just a good top leaf, but so far no replies. I may have to go wrecking yard shopping for a top leaf from some other vehicle if no one here has one to sell. If I find one that matches the Patrol's stock top leaf, I'll mention it in the parts interchange. But until that's fixed, the larger steering wheel will have to wait.