My buddy just picked up a 77' Camper Special two wheel drive, 400 4-speed, his Grandfather purchased it brand new, when grandpa ordered it, he chose not to have power steering. BUT he ordered power brakes and AC? Weird if you ask me....I kind of looked at the history, and I think only 6% of camper specials that year were ordered without P-steering??, pretty rare. Anyway I am going to put power steering in it for him. He lives 5 hours away, so I am having him pick up parts before I visit. I found an add on Craigslist for a power steering pump and brackets local to him, plus the seller had a steering box too, both parts were off a 79' f250 2 wheel drive. So my buddy picked those up.

1) Can I use the factory 77' steering column? Or do I need a 79'? (I have a 79' column out of a 4x4 that he can have).
2) Do I need to change the pitman arm or anything?



Any advise is appreciated, thanks.

 

You'll need to change the steering column regardless. Power steering columns are shorter than the manual steering version.
Pitman arms are also different.
Being a manual transmission, you won't have to worry about the different NSS mounting. In '77 the neutral start switch is on the column, in '79 it's on the transmission.

 

Would It be better to find a manual shift truck 77' column vs using my 79' automatic column that has all the automatic tranny guts?? I'm thinking yes.

Can the pitman arm be off any 2 wheel drive pickup?

 

F250 or F350, Regular or Super Cab? If Super Cab, the GVWR also has to be known.

GVWR stamped on the 3rd line-far left of the Warranty Plate, riveted to the left door face below the latch.

 

here's a pic of the manual steering set up.

 

 

With a way to cut and weld, you can make this column fit. I've done a many. Plenty of write-ups out there.

I'd try the pitman arm I had before running around. You just never know. There again, with a way to cut and weld, they make 1 ton Tie Rod End's all day long if the pitman is the wrong angle or length. And if the wrong ball joint size, you can get a tapered reamer for around $60 and have it for the next one. Or for that money, can probably find the pitman you needed. IF!!! the one you got don't work?

Keep us posted!

Also, there's a lot of different vehicles out there with the same spline count as the saginaw PS box pitman arms.

 

Thanks for the ideas...

I've read threads about shortening the steering shaft. I won't have access to a welder when I work on his truck though, and I doubt a metal fab shop would touch it due to liability?? idk....

 

 

You take the steering wheel off and take the column apart and make the cut inside the housing somewhere, like half way up the shaft but more towards the bottom. It's like 3.5" or something like that? And then you sleeve it and weld again. Any fab shop I know would do it in an instant. I wouldn't think an arm's force to turn a wheel would only be like 3-400 pounds at the very very most under a bump-steer condition laying on it up a rocky hill or something?

Just something to think about?

 

 

Yep. Absolutely.

There's a metal brace on the firewall that will have one hole different for PS. If I recall, I'm pretty sure it's only cosmetic.

 

What I would like to do is just change the shafts??

 

His truck is a 4-speed, and I got an auto column...

 

Beats me???

Here's some good reading I recommend. Forgot but the engine towers on driver's side are different as well but I've seen manual ones cut out to accept the PS box.

How to Install Power Steering in a 2WD F100/250/350 - FORDification.com

Been way too long since I did one so not much more help from me. The article should help.