I have manuel steering in it at the moment. I bought a power steering pump, gear box, brackets, and hoses. Is there anything else that I would need to complete the upgrade? I don't want to install anything befor I get all the parts because this is my daily driver. I also picked up a power brake booster and master cylinder. Will I need to install a proportioning valve to make the brakes work right?

 

CommrclDiver Welcome to FTE and the 67-72 forum

Your subject is one of the most covered here, take a little time and read our archives, I think you will find your answers.

John

 

There are just so many of them!!! I am offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and my internet connection is so slow. If anyone has specific info on the exact parts I need to complete the install, I would greatly appreciate a private message. Thanks.

 

i made the same swap on a my 72. found out the hard way the steering column on manual steering was longer than that of a truck w/ ps. i had to replace my column w/ one out of a 71 truck with ps.

 

You'll need the lower column mount bracket (bolts to firewall) with that shorter column plus a left motor perch from a PS equipped FE truck equipped with a Saginaw PS box and a crank pulley for the added PS pump drive. You can butcher up your original mount but why? There are 3 holes on the crossmember for the 2 holes on the perch, use the forward 2 which moves the perch forward for the longer PS box vs the 2 back holes for manual box. Don't forget to get the pitman arm with your PS box, hope you have the 2 bolt cover Saginaw box and not a Bendix 4 bolt cover box which is hard to locate, expensive to rebuild, leaks and twitchy at speed. Hence only used a few years by Ford and on trucks only. Get home safe, this is a easy swap with the proper parts at hand. Good time to replace the rag joint, a quality one like Ford's not a cheapo import from a local auto parts store.
Install a PS cooler while your building this thing up.
I would rebuild PS box and pump to avoid removing again later should you start leaking, bet it will leak when it's winter time wet and cold never seems to fail during the warm summer. Good luck, take your time.

 

Man thinks for all the info, Bro. You don't know how helpful that was.

 

When you change columns this is a good time to replace those tin can cheapo
column bearings. Depending on years of columns the wire color code will be different down low under the dash for your neutral safety switch and turn signal wires. Were at in the pond are ya? I got my NAUI card back in 72, still have dad's tank manufactured back in 51. Old school twin hose diver here.

 

I am also doing a convertion on a 1972 F100 from manual to power steering. The current column is for a manual gear box has the 3-speed shifter on the column. I have a new pump, brackets, gearbox, and 2 v-groove pulleys. The best I can tell, I already have the correct perch. I have two questions: One, can I use the pitman arm from my manual gear box on the PS gear box? I have not able to find information that says these are different or not. Two, I am looking at purchasing a PS steering column, 3 speed on the column, from a 1978 truck with PS. Can someone give me an idea what is involved in making this swap? Is there a column from a different year that will swap out easier?

thanks,
rtw

 

Does this mean that I will need to replace the steering column on my 72 highboy to install power steering?

 

RTW; the pitman arm is different you need the one off the newer Ford /Saginaw box. Your truck with 3 on tree adds a different twist on things.
Me thinking here (danger i'm thinking), if you can not locate a shorter steering column off a Saginaw truck w/ 3 speed why not use the Ford /Saginaw shorter steering shaft, cut a section out of your original 3 speed column, cut the same amount out of the shifter tubes then weld everything up?
Plan "B" you can install a Bendix PS box as it's a direct bolt in with your old column but then that box is a POS be warned.
I yanked my Bendix PS out at 69K miles due to leaking problems, high dollar seal kits plus too twitchy at speed for me vs installing a Ford box, i'm a automatic truck.

 

No your original column is just fine.The 4X4's mounted the steering box forward of the axle and used a short shaft to connect it to the column.

 

I got myself a 78 f150 cab only and a 71 chassis f100. the f100 now has a good engine and frame, drums that I'm giong to try to replace the front with the the 78 discs. I'd really like to know if anyone has somehow hooked up a 73-79 ps to a 71 chassis? We have a pump on the 390 now (f100) that used to run a hydralic lift for a plow. I dont think the bolts will line up but wonder if I could mount it on there an make it work. My plan it to put the cab of the 78 on the other chassis. It now has a 75 cab that is shot. talk about a mix up. But in the end I'll have a powerful truck and a real solid body.

Any help is appreciated.

 

i've got a 69 f100 with a 240 i6 i bought a bendix box out of a 76 f250 camper special . I got the pump and brackets off of an 84 f100 with a 300 i6 , the gear box and pump and brackets was a direct bolt on. On the other hand the lines dont work , you can bend the old ones if your careful and they will work. The problem i have is my truck being a 3 on the tree the column gets in a bind . i cut the column and moved the mounting bracket down 2.5 inches and when its bolted to the stock location under the dash it puts too much angle on it . i need some kind of way to get a shorter column with out the straight shaft. anybody got a seggestion?

 

I suspect you may have a Saginaw box not a Bendix.The box can be identified by the number of bolts in the top cover.If it has 2 bolts it's a Saginaw if it has 4 bolts it's a Bendix.The Bendix has the same shaft length as a manual box but a Saginaw has a longer shaft and requires a shorter column.From what I've learned Ford never made a column for a Saginaw box/ 3 on the tree combination for a 67-72 truck.You might try finding a column from a 73-79 with 3 on the tree.By 73 Ford was using only Saginaw p/s boxes and the manual boxes had a longer shaft.73-79 columns are very close in length to your original.Hope this helps.

 

I used to think that, until I got my 70 parts truck. Unfortunately, the column is trashed from the cab support rotting out, but it is a bona-fide three on the tree with Ford/Saginaw power steering.
This is the first I have ever seen, and the first I have seen definite proof of being in existence, although there were rumors of one floating around a few years back.
The truck is quite odd, it's a 70 F100 Ranger, had a 360, three speed column shift, 5900lbs gvw but big bearing 9", power steering, and manual drum brakes. Back then, it was commonplace to order portions of packages- my 69 F250 was a Camper Special cab and chassis with the big brakes, automatic, and heavy suspension, but a 300-6, manual steering, and manual drum brakes. Everything I can find on it says that it came with a 10' cab-over camper, but that was taken off and a bed put on it at the dealership or very soon after. Maybe an ordering error?