I thought this should be posted in the Brakes, Steering, Suspension forum, but it's pretty dead over there, not many questions get answered. I thought about posting in the bumpside forum but since my motor was not offered in those trucks I figured I was just asking to be ignored. I've looked at a lot of threads in this forum and found that there is a lot of working knowledge here, as opposed to book knowledge, so I'm gonna take a shot here.

I just bought this truck, '71 highboy, it's got a 460 from a 76 truck, model unknown. The power steering was installed at the same time as the motor, supposedly from the same truck. I've found several half-a$$ed things on this truck, but nothing really major except maybe this PS install. I've never messed with suspension and steering at all so I took a bunch of pictures. Even with my inexperience, I can see this job is in need of correction.

Here is the box. I don't know what type it is. I obviously haven't cleaned the truck up since I bought it. In this picture you can also see where they just rolled up the edge of the inner fender to make clearance for the steering shaft.



You can see here where the left tire rubs the nut on the pitman arm when I make a hard right. This is what clued me into the fact that something was wrong. (duh).



This is where I thought the box should be mounted, inside of the frame rail. Also, I thought there was supposed to be some kind of backing plate or the frame boxed in to give added strength. You can see that none of that was done here.



Here's another thing that bugs me. What do you think of this nasty looking weld on the steering shaft? Is it always necessary to cut and weld for these conversions, or is there a stock shaft that will work?



Here a shot of the pump just to complete the picture. Stock Ford PS pump I reckon.



Also while we're on the subject, I've got an annoying squeaky rattling squeak that seems to come from inside my steering column. Are there some bushings in there that might need attention, or what could be causing this?

So as far as can tell it's a 2WD box, but y'all probably already knew that.

 

i got to say, THAT AIN"T RITE!!!

i think that you are rite that someone really butchered that steering.
i also think you are rite that the steering box should be inside the frame instead of outside like it is.
as for why they just have to weld the steering components, i think the answer to that one is if you don't make it scary borderline unsafe, it ain't a true fabrication job.

hang tight, the more knowledgeable 70's steering guys will be around sooner or later.

i seem to remember something about a mud run/drinking session going on this weekend.

 

Yeah, I figured most of these guys have better things to do on a Saturday than to sit around the house like me... and you!

The more I look at this truck, the more stuff I find that I don't like. All the axle vents are clogged and there's no tubes routed from them and the motor mounts look suspect to me. Maybe I should just quit looking...

 

hey, i resemble that remark!!

i have plenty of things to do. i spent 5 hours this morning setting op my fathers new car. had to switch all the fire radios and warning lights over from the crown vic.
since he turned 80 a few years ago he has become the radio command at the main firehouse. it keeps him busy.

i just came in for a bite of lunch.
then it is back outside to fabricate a set of security camera mounts.

 

that looks like a chevy ps pump

 

Saginaw pump Joe. common upgrade in ford trucks over the old marginal pump ford used.

 

Not surprised. It's got a GM branded A/C compressor too.

 

Yeah, so I was looking at this thread here, and my PS box looks nothing like the one in the sketch, which is said to be off a 2WD F250. So, I don't know what I got. I guess I'll get me some Gunk and a wire brush tomorrow and see if I can ID this thing.

 

Ill try to get some pics of the steering set up in my 77 tomorrow and post them up i dont run PS but i dont drive it on the Hwy, either way it did have power steering originally and it still has the factory setup

 

Pump is Saginaw pump. Used mainly in chevs but econoline vans had them too. Good pumps!

As for that steering shaft I might ditch that and make a solid piece one out of some 3/4 round bar. For steering box connection I use a splined ujoint that welds to the round bar. There are bolts under your steering column under that little 6" cover that allows you to loosen column and in slotted holes slide column towards seat away from box. If you decide to use the new splined ujoint connection which is way better, make your measurement for steering shaft with the colum closest to bottom towards box so when you need to service it you loosen steering colum bolts and slide it up and out to get splined joint off steering box.

Also I used a 2wd steering box from 70's ford trucks and plated,welded and drilled 3 holes to run box on the inside of frame. Alot of guys have done this

 

Thanks I appreciate that, I'm sure it will help me out a lot.

Good points, I'll remember that. Fortunately for me I've got a friend that's got a MIG welder. When I weld the plate to the inside of the frame rail will any other kind of reinforcement be needed? The article I read in the link above did not mention that any was needed. I figure I either have something other than a Ford 2WD box, or the PO switched up the input and output shafts of it when he installed it. Is this even possible? Take a look at the diagram from the article:



Then compare it to the one on my truck:



Nah, they're not even the same. On mine the output shaft is on the opposite side from the mounting holes. Even if the input/output shafts could be switched up and they had done that, the one in the diagram shows both the input and the output shafts running perpendicular to the mounting holes. Oh well, I'm sure it can be made to work.

 

Norton72 has a good print. That is how I did Old Blue and some other trucks. I have some part# of the joints we use to make a new steering shaft. Also I will try to post pictures today.

 

all kinda old blue's and Ol' Blue's on this site lol

 

That looks to me like a mid 70's Dodge steering box, pump looks e-series van by the adjuster bracket, that looks very Ford.
72-77 DODGE 4X4 TRUCK POWER STEERING GEARBOX GEAR BOX | eBay

 

Yep, not right. I'm talking about the Fram filter of course.