89-95 Toyota 2WD pickup - do you need A/C and P/S? Power steering delete tips & my experience

This video relates my experiences owning a Toyota Pickup that doesn't have power steering nor air conditioning. If you are considering removing either of those two accessories from your 22RE motor, this video may be of some interest to you. Enjoy.

[@CraigArndt]

Beautiful pickup. I like the feel of the road without power steering, it’s a big difference.

[@ray5961]

Thanks! Yes, I agree - much better feel to the road.

[@cbh148]

My buddy just picked up a nice bone stock '94 2wd regular cab 22re 5 speed pickup last weekend and he let me drive it to diagnose a check engine light issue. This was my first time driving a 2wd Toyota pickup, and I couldn't believe how nice it drives. So much more pep than my '94 4wd Xtracab 22re 5 speed, or my regeared '88 Xtracab 22re 5 speed. Even just mild turns in the roads into and out of the neighborhood felt like a surefooted execution of well-thought-out driving dynamics compared to my 4x4 pickups. It does not have the optional power steering or passenger mirror. Don't know how different, if any, the steering gearbox is between power & manual, but it was hardly a nuisance when getting it in/out of my driveway.

[@ray5961]

Yeah, the 2WD is where it's at if you ask me. They are about 800 or so lbs lighter and so much less complex to deal with. Mine handles amazingly well with the larger tires and forged rims. Without the power steering pump, the steering really feels connected to the road. I love my little truck; driving it is as fun at driving my 458 Italia used to be.

[@tedbastwock3810]

I don't think I've ever driven a real car or truck that didn't have ps, but I can say that what you describe is exactly my experience driving an off-highway only utility vehicle. p.s. those headers are tight af, so clean

[@ray5961]

Yeah, the only other cars I have driven that didn't have P/S was I think my Datsun 510's. Maybe my R5 Turbo II, but can't remember for sure. We just did the P/S delete on my friend's truck and he's in love. And yeah, those LCE headers are super nice. I was thinking it would be slick to media blast those and Cerakote them white or bronze or something.

[@demenziobarela9836]

Beautiful engine nice work making it look so clean

[@ray5961]

Thanks man!

[@lesklower7281]

I live in Australia firstly and l own a 1997 Toyota hilux with has air conditioning it works well but the high pressure hose on the power steering was leaking and in N,S.W we have yearly regestration inspections and they will knock you back on any oil or fluid keaks so l just removed it never researched it l just pulled it out and l have owned many vehicles without power steering infact l owned a Toyota light ace van it didn't need power steering because the radiator was inline with the center of the front wheels but the air conditioning is staying you can live without power steering you can after all it was an add on and l notice your ute has no quarter windows (vents ) my hilux has them and air con also have the 22R engine

[@josuerodriguez5866]

I have to say how meticulous you are with your pickup. I give you major props for the attention to detail within your engine bay. I couldn't help notice your oil catch can bracket. Did you custom make it or bought it like that? Either way, your truck looks sick. Keep it up my brotha. I'm definitely a fan.

[@ray5961]

Thanks man! I really appreciate that. On the catch can bracket, yes I made that myself. If you check my video from a couple days ago ("at last my love has come along"), I actually show it in more detail near the end of the video and mention how I made it, etc. It's using 10mm thick ABS - here's the direct link to the time stamp I'm referring to: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmqQmIhsqdmdi7s

[@josuerodriguez5866]

@@ray5961 Thank you my friend for the idea. I'm definitely using your vision into completing my '92 pickup. You rock! 🤟🏼

[@alexv4046]

My truck came with neither. Parking lots can be a pain and Sometimes I wish I had ac on those hot days. Makes changing the belt a breeze though.

[@ray5961]

Yeah, adjusting / changing the alternator and/or its belt is worth it :)

[@raultopete5728]

Beautiful Engine Bay.

[@ray5961]

Thanks!

[@lexannaamnell6593]

My original 84 came stock without power steering, I never had an issue with it even with 40-in tires. Especially if you are rolling it's really not that hard to turn... On that note my current driver does have power steering but I have been considering on ditching but I don't know the best way about doing it

[@ray5961]

Yeah, I don't miss it at all. The pickup I'm working on for my buddy.. we just pulled the P/S and A/C out. As far as how you go about it, basically you have to disconnect everything associated with the P/S - this means the bracket stuff around the distributor area, etc. All the pulley stuff. It's pretty straightforward as far as removal goes. There is a vacuum modulator thing on the intake plenum, remove the hoses and plug that. Remove the reservoir on the left fender well. All those hoses run down to the steering box; they also loop up front to that little long U thing which bolts ahead of the radiator on the left side. It's a messy job due to all the hydraulic fluid, but remove all that stuff. You are gonna need the long U thing up front, so be super careful with it. Due to how the recirculating ball system in the steering box works, you cannot just plug the two holes in the steering box. Also, those aren't NPT plugs.. they are straight threaded holes... those two plugs in there now thread straight in and out.. what is accomplishing the hydraulic seal is a double bubble flare fitting on the end of those tubes. If you try to get fancy and just plug up those two ports on the steering box, you are gonna hydraulically look the recirculating ball system within the steering box and basically you won't be able to steer your truck and/or it will periodically lock itself - not good while driving down the highway, as you can imagine. So you need a route to allow the fluid to cycle around in a big loop basically. You can drain some fluid out, but you need to leave at least 1/2 or so in. What you are gonna have to do is make a bypass loop out of that long U part which used to hang out up by the radiator. Cut it down (better to go long than short).. slide on the two original fittings that threaded into the steering box on the U.. then make two double bubble flares. Here's the tool I use for that: www.amazon.com/Ridgid-33927-345-DL-Flare-Tool/dp/B001HWSE76/ - make sure to use some of the rest of the straight pipe to practice.. you only get one shot at making that U and it has to seal 100% - luckily the radius of that U is perfect for making that bypass loop. If you start bending fresh pipe, you're gonna end up with a crazy loop unless you are darn good at bending pipe. Once the P/S is gone and you have that "kinda like a circle track race car" bypass loop installed on the steering box, then you can ditch the steering damper under there on the steering link. From there, you should be good to go. It's a job the first time you do it.

[@michaelmattson1081]

I have a 2wd 1990 ...yours is clean and well cared for...like the header exhaust...do you know why the 2wd doesnt have a knock sensor? Thanks for the video😛

[@ray5961]

Mine does and there is wiring for it. However, I believe someone installed a 4x4 motor into the truck also. I'm not sure if they came from the factory with them or not. Here is some information to check out (sometimes people do relocate them, especially on motors which have been modified) old.lcengineering.com/LCTechPages/engtech14.html

[@dustinn5490]

Can you give me some more details on where you found the loop you used for the gear box ports?

[@ray5961]

Hey Dustin - that is something I made, using the long U part which bolts up near the radiator. It's the cooling loop / pipe for the P/S as I remember. I used a hacksaw to cut it to size, then used a large flaring tool to install the ends. It happens to be the exact right radius and was already on the truck due to having P/S.

[@torrmark]

My 94 22RE Pickup doesn’t have power steering and it was fine until I injured my ribs in a bicycle accident, now it is painful to park

[@ray5961]

Nothing worse than fractured / bruised ribs.. omg. I cracked a rib or two when I wrecked my motorcycle and it was hell for months. Get well soon!

[@supersingular]

Nice video, one question though, why would you not have the mechanical fan? It seems much more reliable to me.

[@ray5961]

frees up some HP

[@glenngamboa9224]

U can replace the lower radiator hose directly instead of the loop

[@ray5961]

Hi Glenn - not sure what you are referring to. The loop is the part on top of the steering box.

[@chefrobertcaldas]

ray is there anyway i can talk to you on the phone i need your help im trying to delete the power steering pump but its leaking fluid everywhere and i put plugs in where you put your bening tube thing

[@ray5961]

Hey Robert - you can email me directly using the info in the 'about' tab on the channel. The plugs on the steering box are kinda tricky as I remember. I think they are two different sizes and the threads of the plugs aren't what seals the P/S fluid, it's the flare part of the tubing.. those nuts just press the flare into the nipple thing that is down in the steering box. I had the same issues with leaking.. it was kind of a nightmare. You're gonna need a tubing flaring tool to make that fitting so it seals properly. Also, you cannot just plug those holes and call it good. You have to have a bypass loop like I show in my video so the remaining fluid can still circulate back and forth and round and round. You can drain some of the fluid out as I recall. I think I drained out maybe 1/3 or 1/2 of the fluid, then made that loop and it worked great. If you don't get the flare on the tubes correct, it's bound to leak fluid all over the place. Like I say, those aren't just NPT plugs... those are straight threaded holes which allow the plugs to press down on the flare to accomplish a seal.

[@zakbrown7859]

Hey what belts and how did your route them when the pump is gone?

[@ray5961]

I run the older Dayco Top Cog 15340 belt, but not sure if it's still made. Here's the current info Dayco has na.daycoaftermarket.com/en/product/?daycopart=15340 - any V belt that size is fine. Gates, etc. Once the P/S and A/C are removed, the belt just goes around the front damper, alternator and water pump pulley. You can see how it's setup in some of my other videos which show the motor.

[@autostationfanatic]

I have a 87 22re pickup 4x4 and I'm tired of the power steering pump leaking. It has destroyed 2 alternators so far. I'm planning on deleting the PS. Let me know if you any inputs for me as mine is a 4x4. Thanks in advance.

[@ray5961]

I don't think 4x4 should have a lot of impact, slow long as you aren't doing any sort of serious off road or rock crawling. As long as you are driving on the roads, you probably won't miss it much. What size tires are you running?

[@autostationfanatic]

@@ray5961 thank you. Tires are Original size

[@ray5961]

@@autostationfanatic Yeah, removing the P/S stuff shouldn't really be missed. The only time I notice it is like say I am backing out in a tight parking lot (like Costco or something) and then I need to turn the wheel clear to the other direction, but people are waiting, so I can't roll forward as I'm doing it. Then (if I have to go full lock the other way while stationary), then I remember "oh yeah, I don't have P/S" haha As long as you aren't running 33's or anything crazy, you should be fine. My tires are 28-29 and wider than stock and I don't really notice it. In fact, when driving normally or on the highway at higher speeds (80-85 MPH), I actually prefer not having the P/S and having a bit more feedback from the road and that feeling of having a more direct link between me and the truck. If you have any more questions, just let me know. Making the loop for the steering box is a little bit trick, I'll tell you that.

[@rommelalba4904]

Is it possible to add a power steering on my 93 Toyota pick up 22re manual? If so what do i need since it didn’t came with?

[@ray5961]

I'm not sure. Does your truck have a steering box that looks like the one in my video with that little loop? I don't know how Toyota approached it when they delivered trucks from the factory without P/S. My contact info is in the about page of my channel if you'd like to send a couple of photos showing how your truck is currently setup; maybe I could take a look and see how it's laid out.

[@adonistorres2819]

Did you ever contact him? I’d like to know if it is possible as well.

[@shamchaudhry3224]

Can I buy your a/c system? My truck didn’t come with a/c & it’s been so hard to find everything I need to install it in my 92 22re

[@ray5961]

Mine did not originally come with A/C. I removed the P/S stuff but never had any A/C stuff outside the wiring harness connections (which I did away with). I feel your pain on hot days.

[@beverlyaustin924]

I currently have an 86 toyota pickup w/o ac or power steering. My truck is NO fun to drive in triple digit heat. And you gotta be Hurcules to steer it😢

[@ray5961]

what size tires are you running? A/C would be nice right? :)

[@jeremiahcreegan4065]

Would you be interested in selling the A/C system or the power steering parts? I have a 1994 2wd pickup I just picked up and would like to get that stuff from you if possible. Thanks

[@ray5961]

I wish I still had it. I ended up tossing the P/S stuff into the trash after a few years.

[@flyprincess69]

If the AC parts are for sale, I’ll take them. My daily is a 93 and I live in temps up to 115 in the summer months.

[@ray5961]

We just removed all the AC stuff from my friends truck he has it for sale if you're interested mostly the compressor and brackets and stuff I don't think The condenser or evaporator are available but I can put you in touch with him if you want to find out more contact me via the email link on the about tab of the channel

[@flyprincess69]

@@ray5961 bummer I really need the evaporator. Hard to find…

[@ray5961]

@@flyprincess69 Well, he has the part that bolts up ahead of the radiator (I was the one who removed that). He also has the part that goes into the dash / HVAC part inside the truck, but it's still in the truck right now. I may be removing that when we upgrade his gauges though. I think the part inside the cabin is the evaporator right? If so, he has that and it should be 100% - the only part he doesn't have is the cooling loop thing that goes up front through the body hole, as we cut that up to make the P/S bypass part. Anyway, let me know if you wanna contact him and then you guys can work it out.

[@davidl.1030]

What steering wheel is that, looks clean as hell.

[@ray5961]

Thanks, yeah I love it. It's a vintage E. Nardi wheel from Italy. I bought it from a guy in Japan that specialized in old steering wheels on eBay.

[@michaelmattson1081]

Did you remove the egr system ?

[@ray5961]

Only when I drive down to Mexico...

[@fernandovelazquez3226]

Where did you get the seats???

[@ray5961]

I bought a kit that recovers them on ebay here www.ebay.com/itm/173804555546 You have to buy stainless steel hog rings and pliers.. then you can recover the original factory seats. It takes a little bit of work, but the end result is super nice.

[@monksotheasin3366]

Do you still have power steering system?

[@ray5961]

No, I removed it and no longer have it.

[@dillmontgomery8432]

I want to put a prius electric power assist steering and a ac

[@ray5961]

Oh that's a cool idea. I'll have to check out how the Prius A/C is setup. I had thought about putting the Toyota MR2 P/S setup into my truck (not sure if I might have mentioned that in this video also), but in the end I just decided I liked how no power steering felt on the road.

[@dillmontgomery8432]

@ray5961 I wonder if my steering gear box is going bad bcuz my truck never came with powersteering and it sucks I wanted to junk yard a pully but the gear box doesn't have the lines to hook up is that normal

[@ray5961]

@@dillmontgomery8432 I'm not sure... I've often wondered what the Toyota steering box looked like if the truck didn't have power steering.. you know like the base model or something? Can you email me a few pics of yours? My address is in the about tab of the channel.

[@baylordarnell6132]

Check out my 1999 Toyota pickup

[@ray5961]

Looking good!