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I got my remanufactured steering box from RockAuto in the mail today. If I can get the whine out of my pump, I will do the Saginaw conversion. Good luck todd jo
well I have a 79 short box with the 400 engine need help with steering column.
I was wondering if there is a rebuild kit for the stock 1979 f150. My column is a tilt and I'm trying to keep it a tilt and I have been getting the run around so I'm trying out the forum for the first time.
I found this thread while looking for power steering install threads. Does this issue only pertain to 4WD 1978 and 1979?
Here is the power steering gear box I just got...... It came from a 1981 2WD .... and I want to install it on my 1978 2WD..
Do all the "back and forth" lines have anything to do with the "bleeding the system" issues?
Since this is a 1981 gear box, do I need to get a 1981 pump to go with it?
Can I use.."The Ford method" from the above posts to get the air out of my system when I do my install?
I found this thread while looking for power steering install threads. Does this issue only pertain to 4WD 1978 and 1979?
Here is the power steering gear box I just got...... It came from a 1981 2WD .... and I want to install it on my 1978 2WD..
Do all the "back and forth" lines have anything to do with the "bleeding the system" issues?
Since this is a 1981 gear box, do I need to get a 1981 pump to go with it?
Can I use.."The Ford method" from the above posts to get the air out of my system when I do my install?
Mike
If you have a Miti-vac vacuum hand pump tester, you can just buy the adapter or figure some way to get it hooked up to the pump. A few pumps and it will all be done quickly.
Just want to say thank you to earthquake86. I bought a '79 F150 earlier this summer with power steering issues. Gear box leaked, so I replaced with a good used unit. Had issues, so installed a new pump. Still had issues bleeding the "ford way" listed somewhere else above to no avail. I'd recommend anyone needing to bleed the system stand the gear up on the frame before trying anything else. I thought I could never win, but this was the only way I could get it to work...wish I would've just put the extra work in to do it this way the first time instead of weeks of banging my head against the wall...
Did you disconnect tie rod pitman arm? Disconnect steering shaft? Or just unbolt box only? I think I'll have to try this unfortunately.
Pretty much everything except the fluid lines. Disconnect the input shaft, the pitman arm from the output shaft (I tried leaving it on but it gets in the way when trying to cycle from lock to lock) and of course the three bolts holding it to the frame. Also take the two bolts that hold the return line/cooling loop on the front of the frame to get enough flex to stand the gear box up. It's a bit scary seeing the hard line bend that much, but mine didn't break or kink.
It sounds like a lot of work, but to get it working correctly, it's worth the effort.
Any tips on how to remove the high pressure line from the top of the gear box? Mine is starting to crack at the rubber part and Im concerned it could leak.
I have a 2wd 65 but a 79 power steering setup. I bought a 91956 high pressure power steering line. It is nearly buried below the master cylinder and brake lines and difficult to get to. I think it is a 16mm nut.
Has anyone done this? Is it really torqued down? It didnt seem to move, but I didnt have much leverage either.
In case you've been as upset about your steering as I have, I wanted to share how I finally fixed my power steering.
First, I'll share some background on the subject. Ever since I put my truck on a 4WD frame, the power steering has not worked. ...at all. In six months I put TEN power steering pumps on my truck, FIVE gear boxes, and FOUR sets of hoses. No matter what I did, I could NOT get the power steering to work.
Now, Ford obviously realized their mistake, because 1978 and 1979 are the only two years that have this particular problem. The system gets air bound and it's just about impossible to bleed the air back out. ....and here's why. If you look where the lines go in on most gear boxes, you'll see that they go in on the top, right next to the input shaft. (The highest point in the gear box.) Now look at the '78-'79 gear box. The lines go in on the BOTTOM, a good 2 inches from the input shaft. So if you fill the reservoir, only HALF the gear box gets full of fluid. I battled this problem for MONTHS. I didn't realize what my problem was until I walked around the junk yard to look at other trucks. Then I came up with a solution. ....and it WORKED!!!!
I unbolted the gear box from the frame and stood it up straight up and down on the frame with both lines still hooked up. I leaned the gear box to one side so the lines were now the absolute highest HIGHEST point in the gear box. Then I started the truck. The reservoir instantly sucked in 3/4 of a quart of fluid. I worked the input shaft back and forth about 20 times with the engine running. Then I topped off the fluid again. Then I cracked the pressure line loose and worked it back and forth about 10 times like that. Then I tightened the pressure line and shut the truck off. Then I turned the gear box to full lock and let it sit like that for about an hour. After an hour, I turned the gear box full lock in the other direction and let it sit like that for another hour. Then I topped off the fluid again.
When I was all done bleeding it, I bolted the box back on to the frame without touching the lines. I fired it up and went for a ride. PERFECT steering. No whine at all and it steers freely.
In case you've had problems like mine, this is how you fix it. After 30 years of turning wrenches, I HAVE NEVER had a truck kick my butt like this one. I hope this information helps someone else.
This is absolutely the only way to get the air out! I tried all of the other methods and still had air in the system (strawberry frappe). Numerous other attempts to no avail. This method and about one additional quart of fluid to displace the trapped air and you are good to go!
So I’m going through the power steering plight. I’m rather certain that the standard bleeding is not going to work. My next step is to take the steering box off as suggested. I really really don’t want to so I’m posing this question one more time in hopes that some body convinces me to do it instead. Can I just drill a small hole in the top of my steering box, tap it, & throw a screw in?
sometimes you have to start over a few times. I did on my 86.
It didn't take too long, I just kept it up on the jack and kept restarting the procedure.
I'd hate to have to remove that box again.
So I’m going through the power steering plight. I’m rather certain that the standard bleeding is not going to work. My next step is to take the steering box off as suggested. I really really don’t want to so I’m posing this question one more time in hopes that some body convinces me to do it instead. Can I just drill a small hole in the top of my steering box, tap it, & throw a screw in?
Like I said before, the simple way to get it bled is to put vacuum to it.
09-25-2017, 01:48 PM
