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I have manual steering in my 69 right now. I just picked up the gear box,pump and brackets(saginaw gear box), but there was not a column..besides the truck was an automatic anyway. But can I just use a Borgeson u-joint coupler instead of the rag joint? Or do I have to change columns?
The problem is the column and steering shaft length going from manual to power steering with a taller/longer Saginaw box. The Saginaw box is over 2" (closer to 2-3/8") longer, back towards the cab. This would push your existing steering wheel back toward you this distance, inside the truck.
You will either need to shorten your existing column or, get a shorter column that was previously coupled to a Saginaw box.
Did you get the (shorter) power steering column bracket on the engine side of the firewall? You'll also need the bigger column seal that goes on the inside of the firewall.
Longer, manual steering column bracket for engine side of the firewall on the left. Shorter PS bracket for a column coupled to a Saginaw box on the right.
My old '69 F100 manual steering column-to-firewall seal on the left. Larger PS seal on the right for a column coupled to a Saginaw PS gearbox.
The Saginaw PS gearbox will also require the correct PS pitman arm, IF your box didn't come with one on it.
My truck originally came with manual steering. This is the 1978 F150 tilt column (for an automatic transmission w/gear selector on the column) I installed in my '69 F100 Ranger coupled to the Saginaw PS gearbox with a Borgeson stainless steel steering joint (3/4" 36-spline x 3/4" 36-spline).
The funny thing about my steering set up was that I found it in a wrecking yard was on a 69 Ford chassis with a late model Chevy Silverado body on it!!! Every other Ford up to 79 all the steering and brake parts were already stripped from them....So NO i was not able to get a column or seal.
There is a guy local that parts out these trucks and he told me $100 for a column or $350 for everything I need to put PS on my truck...BUT I only paid $120 for my PS and the gear box is a reman + some other stuff. I did get the pitman arm as well.
So, here is what I have...Do they look right? The column is from a 78, 4spd F350
What engine do you have, what did the column come out of and did you get the shorter stamped steel column bracket the goes on the engine side of the firewall?
unfortunately I did not get the metal firewall clamp...it was already gone. I still need to go back and get the engine perch and need to find pulleys for a 3 bolt harmonic balancer.
I saw in the Dentside forum where you posted the column you got came from a '78 model. There will be a mismatch in the connector going from the Dentside steering column to the connectors on your truck's main wiring harness.
The Dentside columns had a large, single connector. The Bumpside columns had two separate connectors that plugged into two connectors on the main wiring harness. You can butcher up your truck's original main wiring harness to connect the later steering column or, you can do what I did, when I installed my '78 tilt column, and not cut ANY of the trucks original wiring.
I made a patch cable that plugged in between the '78 column connector and the two connectors on the main wiring harness of my '69 F100.
Perfect. Thank you once again for all your help. I am sure I will be asking more questions as this progresses. But any and all info you provide is very much appreciated!
unfortunately I did not get the metal firewall clamp...it was already gone. I still need to go back and get the engine perch and need to find pulleys for a 3 bolt harmonic balancer.
OPp
The 4 speed column doesn't use a firewall clamp on the engine side of the firewall. The large inside seal has a steel plate, and screws to the firewall with sheet metal type screws. I put that same column in my 72, and was searching for a "pwr stng" bracket, when I came across a78 f250 with 4 speed which used no bracket. I took a picture on my phone, I'll see if I still have it.
The 4 speed column doesn't use a firewall clamp on the engine side of the firewall. The large inside seal has a steel plate, and screws to the firewall with sheet metal type screws. I put that same column in my 72, and was searching for a "pwr stng" bracket, when I came across a78 f250 with 4 speed which used no bracket. I took a picture on my phone, I'll see if I still have it.
Here's a 78 or 79 F250 I used some parts off of. I was thinking it was a 4 speed. Apparently its not. Notice there is no outside flange. No holes in the inside seal plate for extra bolts either.
