What is the best power steering kit to purchase for a 53'? Can anyone recommend to me someone and let me know how much they paid. Thanks in advance....

 

Probably one of the easiest and still utilize the stock steering wheel would be replacing the stock bopx with a Toyota 4 wheel drive box from a late 80's 4x4 truck. It requires a bracket to mount and then the accompanying pump, hoses, and a pitman arm to convert from Toy to Ford. Cost depends on hoe inexpensively you can get the Toy box. But would believe it could be done purchasing the box, bracket and pitman arm for around $500 or so.

I believe some of the other folks have done this.

Other alternatives are grafting on a new IFS (see posts for IFS suggestions)

Best of luck

Bubba

 

Hi, a few weeks ago I installed the toy PS. I'am very pleased how well it works. You will also need to in stall a new stronger tie rod with ends. I have few pictures you can look at. Bob

 

Hej Bubba! I wonder why the Power steering from nearly all ford cars from the fifties and some early sixties (cylinder type) isn`t used on pickup trucks? I have some ideas to use that type on my 59, but there must be some problem with that type because no one else seems to use it. What do you think about it Bubba? Idiotic idea or possible? Wernerman

 

It seems that Power Steering conversions are a popular topic here, and it seems like folks here really know their stuff, so at the risk of being rude and butting in, I'd like to ask similar questions.

I've got a '59 F-100 that I'd like to put PS on, and though I've read lots of emails and other stuff for the Toyota box, everyone seems to be doing this on mid-fiftys trucks and not for later ones. Is there a problem(s) with putting the Toyota box on this year? I realize that I'll need a bracket, a new Pitman arm and some mods to the column, but what else might be coming my way?

Also, any suggestions as to a PS pump to hunt for? Or maybe I should ask what kind of psi the Toyota box can handle?

Thanks in advance.
Pete

 

Wernerman,
I am considering the Ram assist for my '59. The reason most people don't go that route is originals are hard to find and a new kit is $700+. For a DIY the hardest piece to come up with is the control valve/drag link. The rest could be scrounged and adapted from a mustang, granada, etc. It is also a somewhat more complicated system, not as 'clean' an install, and more prone to leaks. I have a car with this type of system.
You can adapt the Toyota box to the 57-60 in a fashion very similiar to the 53-56. Some kits substitute the '53-56 F100/Toyota adapted pitman arm and drag link. Call Bob's, etc.
FYI. If you want to keep the original column and look, adapting the Toyota box eliminates the stock horn wire going down through the steering shaft.

 

Hej igen bhabben. Yes I have noticed that these cylindersystems are very dirty and full with oil. But I think this is easy tho fix . New rubber rings an such things will make them as new. What is the full name of FYI? About ideas. Have you seen that some industrial lifters have full hydraulic steering ? The" steering box" is just a control valve with no mecanic arms to the wheels. Just hydraulic all the way. Something like that added to an existing steering system would be an idea. Don`t you think? About Toyota box. They are not easy to find By them new maybe but to expensive. Any similar box will probably fit. But how to do with the pitman arm. I hope the Toyotaarm isn`t welded . Maybe drilled and used together with some distans adapter ring? How is the ford original column bolted to original steering box? Do I have to cut it off?Wernerman

 

Wernerman,
Sorry about using acronyms.
DIY -Do It Yourself.
FYI -For Your Information.
In a nutshell, that is what the original 'power assist' is. The control valve at the drag link/pitman arm attachment point controls the ram.
Yes the Toyota boxes are getting harder to find and more expensive. Send me an email and I'll give you some alternatives. Yes, neither the F100 or Toyota pitman arm will work as is. Some folks sell pitman arms that are welded, others sell ones that are custom fabbed. Adapting the original column requires some work. Yes you have to cut it. The steering shaft is hollow, and extends as one piece into the old steering box. Search the archives as there have been more than one way to couple the old f100 shaft to the Toyota box. I think people have used the Toyota coupler and/or a Borgeson joint. You also need some sort of lower column bearing to support the steering shaft within the column, even just a plastic one like the 70's F100's used. And you lose the factory horn setup because the wire ran entirely through the steering shaft and box out the bottom.
Hope this helps,
Brett

 

Hej igen Brett. I have spent some hours on junkyards looking for steering boxes possible to use. There are many types who seems to fit with not so much work. I also found a 80 F-250. This ugly thing maby can be the donor. Have you seen someone using this steering box? Wernerman

 

I won't pretend to be an expert on this subject. Not by a long shot. In our suspension thread summaries we have learned a few bits of info possibly relevent to this topic though.

Complete Toyota kit will rebuilt pump is about $600 and No limit lists that it works from 53-60. Brett, how much is the ram assist system complete and driving down the road.

Regarding salvage yard conversions, Helo driver is asking the right questions IMO. You have to know what you are mixing and matching in terms of preferred pressure for the pump and box. Or the steering will feel "wrong" and the seals may begin to fail from heat build. The specifications are not easy to find either.

Regarding converting a 60s car PS system. Wernerman, I suspect you are correct. A 60s Ford car is just way too obviously. There almost has to be a significant conversion problem somewhere. And this isn't a good area for experiments. Unless perhaps the issue is just cost and availability of the donor parts?

 

I've replied on this subject before concerning the ram type system. I bought a kit in about '80, and after receiving it ( and having to go to Ford with the supplied part numbers for the ram and control valve ) I discovered the parts were the same as were under the '69 Cougar I had at the time ( it's what I used to figure out how to plumb the hydraulic lines ). It consisted of the stock drag link being cut off and threaded 3/4-20 to accept the control valve. The pitman arm supplied was just a stock one with the ball removed and a taper added to accept the other end of the control valve. The ram was attached to a bracket held by the rear u-bolt on the driver's side spring and a bracket clamped to the tie rod. The end effect is very reduced steering effort, but the built in bump steer on these trucks causes the control valve to act and steer the truck without you turning the wheel, causing the truck to steer itself and you having to constantly correct it. There's also very little road feel to the steering. You cannot drive one handed as any small movement on your part starts a left and right weaving that would probably have the cops looking your way. The original cost of the KIT was about $200 but it wasn't clear that it only consisted of two hoses, the modified pitman arm and drag link, and two crude brackets and one longer u-bolt. The total cost was about $600 dollars back then,as I had to go to Ford and buy the ram @ $175 and the control valve @ $225 ( not knowing I could have used salvage yard parts until later ). Fortunately I already had a power steering pump and brackets on the 351W I was installing, so there was no cost involved there. I had a constant leak that I fought because of the control valve being machined too deep on one of the ports for the hydraulic line ( a $225 part that should never have passed inspection and placed in a box for sale ), but due to Ford's policy on special order parts, once it comes in it's yours regardless of condition received, so I fought this the leak the whole time I had the truck and apparently the guy who has it now still is. I can't personally recommend this setup after experiencing it first hand, and have talked to ohers who have done it also, but it is a way to get power steering on one of these trucks without the hassle of having to deal with a new steering box and column.

 

'fenders,
The kits I've seen are over $700, and are complete minus the pump (too many variables). Add the cost of a pump, set of brackets, and belt. To calculate labor hours, figure time necessary to swap drag link, tie rod assembly, hang and assemble ram. Wild card is hanging the PS pump. Tie rod swap requires some sort of front end toe in alignment.
Adios,
Brett
PS. 54_5star-thanks for info. I now have additions for my scrounge list.

 

Thanks for your help all of you. 54_5star, yes I know that the steering is very sensibel with this type also on cars. I talked to an older man who had a new Ford 61 car and he says that it was to sensibel even as brand new. Wery strange to drive, he says. (The police actualy did stop him several times and made alco tests). By the way, when axle moves up and down, isn`t there a problem with the control valve and pitman arm? How did they solve the problem that the arm between control valve and pitman arm moves up and down when axle moves? ***** in the ends or no directly contact at all with control valve? Doesn`t the control valve move a little when axel moves? What length was it on that taper used on your one? How was it designed? Is it possible to design it so that it not vill move control valve before turning the steering wheel lets say 2 or 3 inches or even more?This is used on modern cars (progressiv PS). Maybe it could work about the same even if function in`t the same on those new progressive PS systems? I know the changing to P S is a serious and dangerous job. I have been looking for many different ways to do it and there is no need for me to rush on and maybe make my truck worse to drive than before. Brett? If I choose the way changing the steering box, do you think the pitman arm has to be placed just like original? Some steering boxes have their pitman arm placed (almost) horizontal. If there is distanse enough between frame and spring it shouldn`t cause trouble I think? How much difference in the length of pitman arm can be acceptable? What`s your opinion about all this? Pleace talk again. Wernerman

 

Wernerman,
The factory setup uses the least pieces while keeping the pitman arm tucked in tightest to the frame. I assume you are talking about keeping the same fore and aft drag link motion. I guess it would make not make that much difference which plane the pitman arm pivoted in. Have you looked to see if there is clearance for the other way? I haven't, but let's say you use some sort of box that has the steering pitman shaft sticking straight down. The pitman arm when centered would have to stick straight out to the left between the bottom of the frame and the top of the leaf spring, and travel in a horizontal arc. It would probably not matter that when centered it would be sticking out into the wheelwell the greatest distance, because turning left would push the arm ahead and in out of the way of the backside of the tire. Which points out it would have to be a 'backwards' box; clockwise in gives you couterclockwise out.
One thing for sure, you'd have to mock this all up and check for interference before committing yourself. Just thinking about it makes me think it would have worse bump steer than the original setup.
Holler if I misunderstood you. If you were talking about converting from fore-and-aft drag link to cross drag link, well that's not advised. The frame is not braced for this cross load, and the steering box at lock tends to spread the frame rails.
Adios,
Brett

 

Wernerman,
Here's another take on converting to a cross drag link setup. I took a look at my '59 F100, my '75 F100, and my '71 Jeepster. 60's Jeepsters had a gemmer steering box behind the front axle with fore-and-aft drag link just like our 50's F100's. Because this wasn't a great setup Kaiser changed the 70's Jeepsters over to a saginaw steering box ahead of the front axle with a cross-drag link setup. My '71 Jeepster'll go 70+mph tracking straight as an arrow with no sawing motion necessary for correction. There are cross steer conversions for 50's f100's out there. I believe that they place a power steering box behind the front axle in the original location, with the pitman shaft sticking down and the pitman arm moving horizontally. A drag link runs across and attaches to the tie rod on the opposite side.
Another way of doing this is to place the power steering box ahead of front axle, right behind the front crossmember. Flipping the original steering arms side to side will put the tie rod ahead of the front axle. The common complaint with cross steering conversion is that the frame is not braced for cross loads. I think it would be easier to brace the frame to take this cross load if the box was up front right behind the front crossmember. The reason I say this, is that if you are swapping in a cross mounted later engine, it would be best to install a crossmember engine mount kit. Most people box a section of the frame for this. Combined with the power steering box swap, you would box the frame from the front crossmember back to behind the new engine crossmember. I would think that the having the steering box mounted in between the two crossmembers and the boxed frame rails it would be able to take the power steering loads. If paranoid, you could box it forward past the front spring hangers, and back past the rear spring hangers. I took a good look at the frame on my '75 F100, and it is interesting what a small section of the frame was boxed combined with the engine crossmember.
Here's another possibility once you eliminate the fore-and-aft drag link and spindle steering arm. I've been told that '73-up disc brake f100 spindles will fit on the 50's solid axle. I don't remember if this is true for just the '57-64's, or all of them, but the king pin is the right diameter, but taller on the later spindle, so you have to machine a spacer to make up the difference when mounted on the earlier axle. What the later spindle gives you, is the ability to place the entire '73-up F100 disk brake assembly on your 50's solid axle. If you have moved the tie rod assembly ahead of the front axle, just swap the spindles side to side. Another possibility I haven't looked at is using E100 van spindles, as they are a front steer setup.
Anyway, more food for thought,
Good Luck!
Brett