I have a 90 ranger with the 2.3l with no power steering. Is it easy to do? What parts do I need and from what vehicle?

 

You need to get to a salvage yard, locate an '89 - '92 Ranger with power steering. Start removing the steering gear then everything down to the steering rods as well as the pump, hoses, and mounting hardware. The hardware needs to come off a 2.3 Lima 4cyl engine.

It maybe easier and no more expensive to buy the whole steering column. If you have an automation transmission you will need a column with shift lever on it. If your transmission is a manual one, you're ''OK" with the column you now have.

A good repair manual would be helpful in doing the work.

 

The transmission is a manual. Are there mechanical gear boxes out there for these trucks?

 

You need a power steering gearbox obviously, the pump and bracket from a 2.3 ranger, and the hoses. I looked high and low for the exact right bracket for our '90 Ranger but could only find newer and older versions and the older ones won't work at all, so I had to make a newer one work by modifying the alternator mounting slightly and fabricating a second bracket for it. I don't have any pics of it at the moment but I can take some in the next day or two and post them up.

 

That would help a lot thank you

 

OK here we go...

First pic shows the bracket with it's idler wheel. the bracket is from a late '90s B2300 if I remember correctly. As already mentioned the mustang brackets are no good because they don't clear the power steering gearbox.


This next pic shows where I removed part of that bracket to clear the alternator.



This pic shows the two small mods needed to mount the Ranger alternator. Circled on the left is a spacer cut down from a longer spacer, on the right you can see where i opened up the slot in the alternator to fit over the bracket ear.


This next pic shows the custom bracket I made for the other side of the alternator which also doubles as the belt tensioner. I salvaged these bracket pieces from other scrapyard vehicles.



This last pic shows the power steering gearbox which was from an '80's vintage Ranger and which connects to the existing Ranger steering shaft no problem. Hoses are new but stock for a '90 Ranger.