Bendex P/S question
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Northern Virginia
Bendex P/S question
Hello fellow old Ford guys,
I have a 65 that I put a Bendex P/S unit in from a truck in your era.The top seal on it was leaking so I got a seal kit from Dennis Carpenter.I had a machine shop install the seal kit and he said all of the shafts looked good and the kit went in pretty well.The top seal is leaking still.He recommended that I drive it a bit and work the wheel back and forth to "seat" the seal before I pull it.Make sense to y'all?I hate to go to the newer Ford set up because the unit works well and I don't want to go thru the whole shortening of the steering shaft routine.I have a cooler on the system because I hear they are prone to overheating.Is this unit worth messing with or should I chuck it now?I dont want to have to replace the seals every few thousand miles.Would love to hear stories about these units lasting forever!
Thanx,
Joe
I have a 65 that I put a Bendex P/S unit in from a truck in your era.The top seal on it was leaking so I got a seal kit from Dennis Carpenter.I had a machine shop install the seal kit and he said all of the shafts looked good and the kit went in pretty well.The top seal is leaking still.He recommended that I drive it a bit and work the wheel back and forth to "seat" the seal before I pull it.Make sense to y'all?I hate to go to the newer Ford set up because the unit works well and I don't want to go thru the whole shortening of the steering shaft routine.I have a cooler on the system because I hear they are prone to overheating.Is this unit worth messing with or should I chuck it now?I dont want to have to replace the seals every few thousand miles.Would love to hear stories about these units lasting forever!
Thanx,
Joe
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Never heard of a seal needing to be "seated". Sounds to me like the guy was trying to get you out of his hair for a while. Nobody likes to do something twice when they're only going to get paid for it once.
I resealed my Ford box in the truck and it stopped leaking immediately.
I resealed my Ford box in the truck and it stopped leaking immediately.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: "Islander"
Back up minute.
Top seal, you mean the input shaft seal which is prone to leak even when everything is in good condition. I know as I had a Bendix with 69K original miles in a 68 CS, went hog wild and even installed new custom bushings and two seal kits with two custom made seals made later. That input seal design shouldn't work just by design alone, what were they thinking? Total waste of $650 as i'm stubburn. They are a short production box that makes heat, leaks and too twitchy at speeds over 50 mph. Later Ford box is common, cheaper on parts and seals, not twitchy. Just have to change out the steering column, left motor perch, box, pitman arm and firewall support bracket. Well worth your efforts as I pulled that Bendix out 5 times, now it's a good core deposit.
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Top seal, you mean the input shaft seal which is prone to leak even when everything is in good condition. I know as I had a Bendix with 69K original miles in a 68 CS, went hog wild and even installed new custom bushings and two seal kits with two custom made seals made later. That input seal design shouldn't work just by design alone, what were they thinking? Total waste of $650 as i'm stubburn. They are a short production box that makes heat, leaks and too twitchy at speeds over 50 mph. Later Ford box is common, cheaper on parts and seals, not twitchy. Just have to change out the steering column, left motor perch, box, pitman arm and firewall support bracket. Well worth your efforts as I pulled that Bendix out 5 times, now it's a good core deposit.
.....=o&o>.....
Last edited by "Beemer Nut"; Sep 23, 2006 at 08:11 PM.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: East Central Florida
I agree with Beemer. . . . 
Bendix systems run full time at High PSI and are known for having problems, leaking is among them. They run at high temps, under high PSI and they run full pressure 100% of the time. Their poor record of reliability, "tip toe effect" at highway speeds, and constant nit pickey service problems are why Henry went to the Saginaw style, part time, slipper powered, P/S System, & why so many people convert to them instead of pouring more money & faith into the old Bendix/ Armstrong style set up.
Bendix pumps are great for lifting & powering snow plows or smaller roll back carriers though. . . .
FBp
Bendix systems run full time at High PSI and are known for having problems, leaking is among them. They run at high temps, under high PSI and they run full pressure 100% of the time. Their poor record of reliability, "tip toe effect" at highway speeds, and constant nit pickey service problems are why Henry went to the Saginaw style, part time, slipper powered, P/S System, & why so many people convert to them instead of pouring more money & faith into the old Bendix/ Armstrong style set up.
Bendix pumps are great for lifting & powering snow plows or smaller roll back carriers though. . . .
FBp
Post Fiend
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From: "Islander"
There is a demand for the Bendix PS with older Ford trucks of the 50's- 60's where they can replace a manual box with a direct bolt in. Rebuilders want $250 core charge these days. No matter what PS you have I would run a oil cooler like what's on the newer Super Duty trucks app 2002 and newer under the bumper and hard pipe it except the short flexable jumper to the pump return. This is what I added.
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Senior User
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From: Northern Virginia
Thanx for the replies.I run an external cooler on the unit,hopefully that will help.I have headers and a 352 and I am worried about clearance issues on the Saginaw unit as well as the other mods that would have to be made.The truck is a weekly driver/project truck so once the unit is repaired it will last for quite a while.Guess I'll bring it by the machine shop while it is on the truck so he can have a look see at the leak.Thanx again,many of the same faces here as in the slick 60,s forum.
Joe
Joe
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From: "Islander"
The Ford box will give you more room for the headers, with the Bendix box I only had 3/8" clearance from header to the box. No jumping on it in reverse.
I see a 67 F100 in town red tagged without plates, has a good grill, Bendix PS box, C-6, 9" rear and a FE 2 barrel. Everythine else is pure scrap yard item. Hummm, would like to snag and part out.
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I see a 67 F100 in town red tagged without plates, has a good grill, Bendix PS box, C-6, 9" rear and a FE 2 barrel. Everythine else is pure scrap yard item. Hummm, would like to snag and part out.
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Post Fiend
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From: "Islander"
The red tag stated must move by the 23rd, city towed it this morning and that bendix box was a leaker everywhere even thru the sector adjust nut. I have a low mileage (69K) that's tight and like new inside with two rebuild kits less the input seals, this one leaked twice so I switched to a Ford box. Another reason I didn't like the quick or twitchy steering as I travel a lot between 70 and 85 mph up and down California's central valley.
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Senior User
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From: Northern Virginia
Follow up:The autopsy showed the top seal had torn,possibly on the install.I ordered a neother kit from Dennis Carpenter and the shop installed the new seal.It leaks..again.Beemer.if you have a non leaking box I am interested.I am still searching for a later model f250 donor.I found one with the power disc stuff but no power steering!Since I have the pump installed already on mine could I just change the pittman arm and box to a ford box and use the manual steering column out of the 75 donor truck?I'm at witts end now,I want to start on the body work but want to have a sound non leaking truck first.
Joe
Joe
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From: "Islander"
My $600 "Bendix wall art" box leaked at the input seal hence the switch to a Ford box. What gets me it's mint like new inside from only 69K mile use.
To switch over you need the proper crank pulley with the extra pulley to drive the PS pump, that would be 1/2" smaller than the accessory drive pulley be it single or dual belt for alternator and water pump. Complete steering column, lower column to firewall mount, left motor perch unless you butcher the old one which isn't my style, Ford box with pitman arm and new hoses for the Ford box. Don't waste your time on Bendix, get the Ford box as they are common, better, rebuild kits are cheaper as well they are more reliable. I have the older cast iron pump mounting bracket. I noticed the pump pulley was out of aligment with the crank which seems common on these trucks, ended up with spacers between the pump and mount to correct alignment.
To switch over you need the proper crank pulley with the extra pulley to drive the PS pump, that would be 1/2" smaller than the accessory drive pulley be it single or dual belt for alternator and water pump. Complete steering column, lower column to firewall mount, left motor perch unless you butcher the old one which isn't my style, Ford box with pitman arm and new hoses for the Ford box. Don't waste your time on Bendix, get the Ford box as they are common, better, rebuild kits are cheaper as well they are more reliable. I have the older cast iron pump mounting bracket. I noticed the pump pulley was out of aligment with the crank which seems common on these trucks, ended up with spacers between the pump and mount to correct alignment.
Last edited by "Beemer Nut"; Oct 23, 2006 at 04:57 PM.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
Hmm, on my "to do" list is to take the Bendix box out of my '68 and toss it, then yank the Saginaw and column out of my '72 and put it in the '68, then install the headers. I hadn't heard about a different perch though, and the ones in the '72 are smallblock, not FE perches...but I have torches, and a nearby boneyard so at least I have a choice.
Figured I'd try a late-model pump with it, as I have several of them around.
Figured I'd try a late-model pump with it, as I have several of them around.
Post Fiend
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From: "Islander"
Dan, that's with FE powered trucks between Bendix and Ford box perches.
The Ford perch has a different angle besides you use the forward two bolt holes on the X member vs the rear two for Bendix, there are three holes in the X member. Good choice on converting but hang onto that Bendix as rebuilders want $250 core charge. Seems there is some value in them for converting early 60's trucks to PS as it is the same size as manual boxes so the same column can be used. This is a good time to rebuild donor column and add a cooler. I recall in the past I sent photos of the cooler I added.
The Ford perch has a different angle besides you use the forward two bolt holes on the X member vs the rear two for Bendix, there are three holes in the X member. Good choice on converting but hang onto that Bendix as rebuilders want $250 core charge. Seems there is some value in them for converting early 60's trucks to PS as it is the same size as manual boxes so the same column can be used. This is a good time to rebuild donor column and add a cooler. I recall in the past I sent photos of the cooler I added.
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Senior User
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From: Northern Virginia
Beemer is correct.The bendex box is a direct replacement for the 65 and 66manual boxes,which is what my bendex is in.The 61-64 are solid axle beasts and although the sheet metal is the same the 65 and 66 have most of the same chassis that the 67-72 have.
Joe
Joe