no power steering
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no power steering
my 77 decided to quit giving me help in the steering department. It squeaked like crazy since I bought it and would need to add fluid every week or so. The last time I put it in, the next morning all of the fluid was running down the driveway. I know there is a bad leak, but haven't got around to finding it.
i'm not a fan of power steering, did these trucks come without it? I would like to take the power steering out and put manual steering in, but I don't want to fab anything up or have to bench 450 lbs. to steer the truck. I drove it to work today without any power assist and it was tiring to muscle it through every turn.
i'm not a fan of power steering, did these trucks come without it? I would like to take the power steering out and put manual steering in, but I don't want to fab anything up or have to bench 450 lbs. to steer the truck. I drove it to work today without any power assist and it was tiring to muscle it through every turn.
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Early 77 or late 77 1/2? (3 drive shafts or 2?) Might be able to put something in from an older truck. I don't remeber the 77's having the option for manual steering, why do you want to get away from powersteering????
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Originally Posted by 79_250RangerLariat
Early 77 or late 77 1/2? (3 drive shafts or 2?) Might be able to put something in from an older truck. I don't remeber the 77's having the option for manual steering, why do you want to get away from powersteering????
I was looking at it here at work and found the hose coming off the pump on the bottom split and is the culprit. So a couple bucks, 5 minutes, and some new fluid should take care of it.
I like manual steering better than power. I had manual steering in my 1962 buick special and liked the feel. I would want power steering for a daily driver, but the truck is my hauler/beater/rebuild toy so I could care less how hard it is to drive, as long as it's gets me where I am going. After I rebuild it, I will worry about making it drivable everyday.
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From: NE OK
like big tires, ya gotta love power steering...
i thoroughly enjoy my 77 HiBoy F250 and especially with the big tires. but, the power assist that came on it is a real bitch to maintain and only does about half what power steering should. on the other hand, my 79 F250 has the REAL THING for power steering, and guess what??? when my 77 HiBoy began having problems with the front axle i found a replacement front axle at the salvage under a 79F250 which i am putting under my 77 HiBoy to update the power assist to the REAL THING power steering.
life is good with power steering and monster tires.
life is good with power steering and monster tires.
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From: Hartland, MI
2wd trucks with manual steering are not bad at all and he is right less to break and less to leak. A truck designed for power steering will be MUCH harder to turn when the pump quits than a truck designed for manual. Steering boxes are different and it requires a longer shaft coming out of steering column for 2wd trucks. its an easy swap. I did it on a truck I used to drag race.
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I have seen advertisements on ebay for swapping manual steering to power. The ad stated (basically) the opposite of what zwinstead stated above. The mounting on my brother's '72 looked the same as his (mine now) '75. I have seen many manual boxes in the junkyard on the '68 to '72 era trucks. Everything (except steering shaft length) looked identical.
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Originally Posted by gene2no
I have seen advertisements on ebay for swapping manual steering to power. The ad stated (basically) the opposite of what zwinstead stated above. The mounting on my brother's '72 looked the same as his (mine now) '75. I have seen many manual boxes in the junkyard on the '68 to '72 era trucks. Everything (except steering shaft length) looked identical.
I fixed the problem and have steering again, but i'm still thinking about swapping if it is easy enough.
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Originally Posted by 73Custom
Is this a 2wd or 4x4 - the steering is very different.
Marty
Marty
I just use it to haul stuff and to get to work once or twice a week.
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For a 2wd you will need:
manual steering box with pitman arm
manual steering column (power column is shorter)
With these parts it will bolt right up and should be a very simple swap. The parts can come from any 73-79 F100-F350 2wd.
Marty
manual steering box with pitman arm
manual steering column (power column is shorter)
With these parts it will bolt right up and should be a very simple swap. The parts can come from any 73-79 F100-F350 2wd.
Marty
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From: Hartland, MI
You dont even need the actual column. You just need the shaft that the steering wheel hooks to. It won't matter a bit that the shaft sticks out of the column further. I know as I did this on one of my trucks.
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I'll give a hint on the care and feeding of manual steering gearboxes, for which I paid dearly in the stupid tax. Make sure your kingpins are not binding, and replace them if they are. Then remember to lube them frequently. I broke not one but TWO gearboxes before I figured out what was going on. They were going for 75 bucks at the boneyard at the time. But it was aggravating trying to replace the gearbox in a parking lot 35 miles away from home. AARGGH!!!
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