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I am in the process of collecting parts for a PS conversion for an early (according to power steering serial number break) 1971 F250. I bought a column from a 71 auto/PS and it came with the Bendix PS box still connected to a pump and brackets for our FE motor. It is the older style brackets and a Bendix pump, but he threw them in for the price. It seems to be totally functional and the pump is not making an funny sounds with pretty clean fluid.
Even though I could make this work, I really do not want to do this install more than one time and would like to just go with the Ford(Saginaw made) steering gear box. To do so I need the right pitman arm. If anyone out there has a line on the correct 70-early 71 pitman arm please send it my way. I do have an option on the table for the later 71 style pitman arm but not the linkage and then I would have to buy that new upping the cost.
I can not seem to find one of these anywhere. If you have or know where one is, I'll even pay you pull it for me.
NumberDummy, I understand the Bendix box better now thanks! Would it work/fit if I decided to just use it without changing out any tie rod ends/links? Still fuzzy on this part.
Ideally I'd like to just core this one through my friends NAPA store for the Ford box, I would just need the correct pitman arm then if I am correct? Unless I use the later pitman arm and change out the linkage pieces right?
Although I could upgrade brakes and swap suspensions I'd like to keep this one more original because of the miles and history I have for it.
NumberDummy, I understand the Bendix box better now thanks! Would it work/fit if I decided to just use it without changing out any tie rod ends/links? Still fuzzy on this part.
Ideally I'd like to just core this one through my friends NAPA store for the Ford box, I would just need the correct pitman arm then if I am correct? Unless I use the later pitman arm and change out the linkage pieces right?
Although I could upgrade brakes and swap suspensions I'd like to keep this one more original because of the miles and history I have for it.
But, is it a Bendix box? The last time it was installed was 1969.
ND, great info again. I have that pitman arm on the Bendix box I picked up. So far so good.
1. If I decide to use the Bendix box, it should bolt right up to my frame/tie rods and be usable even though I have a 71 right?
2. Now, if I want to keep my tie rods, etc. and go to the Ford/Saginaw box for the 1969 - EARLY 1971, I would need that box and the C7TA-3590-E pitman arm?
3. If I end up only finding the LATE 1971/72 and up pitman arm, I will need to change out my tie rods, etc? Does this sound correct?
Given its a 45+ year old truck new tie rod ends might not be a bad idea anyhow. If all of this is correct, I have the stuff to install the Bendix setup in hand. I would rather go with the less likely to leak Ford box plus I would like to install headers some time in near future and I think I read the Bendix does not work well with header clearance on the FE motors.
If anyone has a Ford/Saginaw pitman arm, at this point I will take either version!
ND, great info again. I have that pitman arm on the Bendix box I picked up. So far so good.
1. If I decide to use the Bendix box, it should bolt right up to my frame/tie rods and be usable even though I have a 71 right?
2. Now, if I want to keep my tie rods, etc. and go to the Ford/Saginaw box for the 1969 - EARLY 1971, I would need that box and the C7TA-3590-E pitman arm?
3. If I end up only finding the LATE 1971/72 and up pitman arm, I will need to change out my tie rods, etc? Does this sound correct?
Given its a 45+ year old truck new tie rod ends might not be a bad idea anyhow. If all of this is correct, I have the stuff to install the Bendix setup in hand. I would rather go with the less likely to leak Ford box plus I would like to install headers some time in near future and I think I read the Bendix does not work well with header clearance on the FE motors.
If anyone has a Ford/Saginaw pitman arm, at this point I will take either version!
69/71 before ser #M00,001 F100/250 (4X2) with Ford Saginaw gear part number C9TZ3590C. Marked C9TA3590E. Discontinued sometime before Jan 1989. None on my locators.
I think that I have a Bendix pitman Arm. I'll check the part number and post back. I changed to a Saginaw box on my '69 F250 after I could not get the Bendix to stop leaking. Too bad for me because I really liked the "feel" of the Bendix box.
Thanks Ultra and JEFFFAFA. Lots of info back and forth between here and fordification. The column I got was cheap cheap cheap and the guy practically threw in the Bendix box with arm, pump and older style FE brackets so I just took it. It gives me at least a core as my friend said they never care what he puts back on the pallet going back as long as they have a core from him. Bonus knowing the owner.
I may finally have a line on the late 1971 (M00,001) and up. Dang things fly off the trucks around here. I am resigning myself to the purchase of new tie rods and link and using this arm. If I was 2 days sooner I would have had the box and pitman arm for the 69-mid 1971 (mine falls in this category) off one at pick and pull. That's what I get for not checking the web page for 2 days. Although I did score the right firewall bracket for the power steering column. For some reason some not so smart guy gutted the top half of a perfectly good column and left the tube as well as the center shaft. (Barter material!)
As you obviously seem to know, the column support bracket on the engine side of the firewall is shorter for use with a Saginaw PS gearbox than the bracket for a manual/Bendix gearbox.
The shorter Dentside Saginaw-compatible column bracket can be used but, they do slightly differ from the shorter Bumpside brackets.
Longer column support bracket from my '69 F100 manual steering column on the left, shorter power steering column bracket from a Bumpside that had a Saginaw box shown on the right.
Bracket for a Dentside with a Saginaw PS gearbox shown below. Notice the top hole is at the 1:00 o'clock position, as compared to the Bumpside bracket hole that's at the 12:00 o'clock position. If a person was going to use the Dentside bracket, a hole could be drilled at the 12:00 o'clock position and the other hole at 1:00 o'clock could be welded closed or, just leave the unused hole as-is.
I had not thought about the bracket portion before I bought my new column. When I went to pick it up I remembered but this column had been out of the truck and in storage for 15 years. I looked it over and then realized it didn't have the bracket. The guy said the truck had been totaled and he took the column as part of the parts he removed but never even thought about the firewall bracket. I lucked out at the salvage yard near me when they had one last week.
How valuable is the column tube and center shaft on the PS equipped trucks? I know the manual steer/auto trans ones can be cut down to fit. But I figured I should pick it up in case some one doesn't want to cut one down and they could rebuild this one or at least use the tube/shaft and the upper portion of theirs to make a good auto/PS column.
) 1971 F250.
