I think I want to try manual steering. I have a G body with an Olds V8, originally had air conditioning but it's gone. I can get a used S10 steering gear for cheap and I understand swapping the gearboxes is simple, but what about that pulley? Removing it would just leave one v-belt for the alternator and water pump, is that sufficient? And if so, what length v-belt would you get since eliminating the power steering pulley would leave a bit of slack? Thanks guys

 

Literally millions of cars have been built over the years with only an alternator or generator and one belt. Why do you think this is an issue? And FYI, there is ALWAYS a side load on the water pump shaft, no matter how many belts you have. Whether that load is towards the alternator or towards the crank pulley is irrelevant for a bearing.

 

Of more concern than the belt would be which pitman arm to use. Does the Chevy S10 use the same pitman arm as a G body Cutlass? If not you can always find the correct pitman arm or mate 2 ends together. That's what Oldsguy and I did on his 69 Delta 88 when we used a manual steering gear box from a Pontiac Ventura. Now that was Armstrong steering, a G body Cutlass... meh!

 

If you need an upper body workout, why not just join a gym?

 

From what I've read it looks like the Pitman arm will swap out. Has to be from a first gen S10. I'll measure before I buy for sure.

 

Honestly? I've got a pile of mismatched power steering components from an engine swap, and rather than changing out pulleys and hunting down the right hoses and adapters I figured I'd spend a few bucks at the salvage yard to not have to worry about it. If the steering is too tight I can always switch it back.

 

I don't know about S10s, but the pitman arm for the 1980-88 A/G-body cars with manual steering is P/N 7837644. That is the same P/N as the arm used on 1980-87 Olds and Buick A/G-body cars with power steering and Buick V6 motors. The V8 cars are different, but the V6 power and manual are the same.