Power Steering Conversion
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,221
Likes: 6
From: Cow Town, CA
any junk yard that has a 68 to 79 2wd truck with power steering sells a kit.
you can take the parts off of any of these trucks and put it on yours, also if you have drums in the front you can get discs to replace them....if you do a search on power steering in THIS section of this website you will get more information then you could ever use or want. and welcome to the site!
you can take the parts off of any of these trucks and put it on yours, also if you have drums in the front you can get discs to replace them....if you do a search on power steering in THIS section of this website you will get more information then you could ever use or want. and welcome to the site!
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 784
From: Simi Valley, CA
Ach du Lieber!
1969 F100/250 2WD's AFTER Serial Number G30,001, all 1970 and later F100/250's use Ford P/S.
1969 F100/250 2WD's BEFORE Serial Number G30,001, and 1966/68 F100/250 2WD's use the awful Bendix P/S.
I never heard of a junkyard selling P/S kits.
They sell parts from junkers, you just need to know what works.
FTE members jowilker or garbz2 know all the ins and outs of installing P/S in these trucks.
These two members are the ones to contact.
1968/72 F250 2WD's offered dual piston power disc brakes as an option.
Find one of those, swap everything over. Make sure to get the disc brake proportioning valve, as discs use a different one than drums use.
If your F250 has 12 x 2 1/2" drum brakes, the disc spindles are the same as drum spindles.
If your F250 has 12 1/8" x 2" drum brakes, the spindles are not the same as discs.
NOTE: Ford changed the P/S pumps in 1978. 1969/77 P/S hoses and brackets will not work with 1978 and later P/S pumps.
1969 F100/250 2WD's AFTER Serial Number G30,001, all 1970 and later F100/250's use Ford P/S.
1969 F100/250 2WD's BEFORE Serial Number G30,001, and 1966/68 F100/250 2WD's use the awful Bendix P/S.
I never heard of a junkyard selling P/S kits.
They sell parts from junkers, you just need to know what works.
FTE members jowilker or garbz2 know all the ins and outs of installing P/S in these trucks.
These two members are the ones to contact.
1968/72 F250 2WD's offered dual piston power disc brakes as an option.
Find one of those, swap everything over. Make sure to get the disc brake proportioning valve, as discs use a different one than drums use.
If your F250 has 12 x 2 1/2" drum brakes, the disc spindles are the same as drum spindles.
If your F250 has 12 1/8" x 2" drum brakes, the spindles are not the same as discs.
NOTE: Ford changed the P/S pumps in 1978. 1969/77 P/S hoses and brackets will not work with 1978 and later P/S pumps.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,221
Likes: 6
From: Cow Town, CA
ok they are not kits per say but they will sell everything needed, hard parts that is. yes those two people do know a lot more then me. you might need some rubber parts (belts, bushing, hoses...) from a local parts store (or other new old stock parts sellers) to get everything up and running.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 920
Likes: 0
From: Westminster, Colorado
I assume you are talking the stock power steering?
If so, plan to pay to rebuild both the Valve and the Cylinder.....as they are very rarely "found" in usable condition....I actually had to locate 2 cylinders in order to build one good one my first time around...and even with all that, they had to custom machine and new piston for it.....oh, and the weld time for the cylinder...hard to soft metal, takes about 1 week to complete, as they can only weld a bit at a time before it must cool.
NPD sells "rebuilt" units for both....but be ready for more delays and hassles....if the Valve was removed by the previous owner using a "pickle fork" it can damage the housing, leading to a rebuilt valve that does not work properly....(they rarely have more than one in stock at a time...I had to wait 3 weeks for a replacement for my defective unit) Also...really high core charges....both units sell for about $225, but the cores are $300 for one and $400 for the other.....You can get the hoses from a local NAPA.
If so, plan to pay to rebuild both the Valve and the Cylinder.....as they are very rarely "found" in usable condition....I actually had to locate 2 cylinders in order to build one good one my first time around...and even with all that, they had to custom machine and new piston for it.....oh, and the weld time for the cylinder...hard to soft metal, takes about 1 week to complete, as they can only weld a bit at a time before it must cool.
NPD sells "rebuilt" units for both....but be ready for more delays and hassles....if the Valve was removed by the previous owner using a "pickle fork" it can damage the housing, leading to a rebuilt valve that does not work properly....(they rarely have more than one in stock at a time...I had to wait 3 weeks for a replacement for my defective unit) Also...really high core charges....both units sell for about $225, but the cores are $300 for one and $400 for the other.....You can get the hoses from a local NAPA.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Cascade, ID
interesting...
If you wanted to drive to Boise, ID I would give you a complete '72 F250 front end set-up. Power steering and power disc brakes. I don't know if it is worth driving from Washington for though. Probably cheaper to find one over there.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Cascade, ID
Oops
I couldn't tell that from the pic, 
I looked at it 2x and decided it was a 2 wheel. Sorry. I like your dog dish caps, those are cool.
I am currently running a pwr steer set-up off of a '76 HB on my '71. It bolted right on, I had to put new hoses on it but it works fine. I pulled parts off of 2 trucks to get all of the ones I needed though. Luckily my dad has quite the collection of mid '70s Fords. Wish I had more property so that I could have a ig collection too.
I am going to swap on an integral box in the spring when I put my 410 Merc in it (hopefully that soon). The ram works ok, not as good feeling as an integral box though.
I looked at it 2x and decided it was a 2 wheel. Sorry. I like your dog dish caps, those are cool. I am currently running a pwr steer set-up off of a '76 HB on my '71. It bolted right on, I had to put new hoses on it but it works fine. I pulled parts off of 2 trucks to get all of the ones I needed though. Luckily my dad has quite the collection of mid '70s Fords. Wish I had more property so that I could have a ig collection too.
I am going to swap on an integral box in the spring when I put my 410 Merc in it (hopefully that soon). The ram works ok, not as good feeling as an integral box though.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
They never made a power steering box that fits that truck. You could just use the power assist system from a 73-77 highboy, or convert to a conventional steering system.
The power assist system used the same box with a valve built into the drag link, and a hydraulic cylinder on the axle pushing/pulling on the steering linkage.
If it was my truck, I'd probably take the opportunity to put a heavier-duty front axle in with disk brakes, and convert to conventional crossover steering with a modern power steering box.
The power assist system used the same box with a valve built into the drag link, and a hydraulic cylinder on the axle pushing/pulling on the steering linkage.
If it was my truck, I'd probably take the opportunity to put a heavier-duty front axle in with disk brakes, and convert to conventional crossover steering with a modern power steering box.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Cascade, ID
or.....
You could modify the frame to mount a box from a '78-'79 F250 fit on there. It has been done hundreds of times I am sure. The ram assist was the factory set-up. I don't know when it was first offered, but it bolted onto my '71 F250.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,060
Likes: 7
From: Glendale Arizona
I have a ford front steer power box in my 69 F250 Highboy Crew. It is mounted on a custom spacer bracket to the frame, Dunno if the PO made the mount or bought it..The spacer is a flat 1/4 plate with spacers to prevent collapse of the unit when torquing the bolts.
It is vertical on the frame and the Pittman arm sneaks below the frame in between the leafs and does the push pull with a custom drag link. There is a few other odd things on the truck that a PO did that need fixing. This steering box popped off the frame once when all the bolts broke at the same time. PO had nice grade, well Home depot bolts holding it on. I redid all this with grade 8 hardware.
It also used the stock manual box steering shaft.
I will get some numbers off of it and post them.
Some pics too if the dang thing lets me.
Garbz
It is vertical on the frame and the Pittman arm sneaks below the frame in between the leafs and does the push pull with a custom drag link. There is a few other odd things on the truck that a PO did that need fixing. This steering box popped off the frame once when all the bolts broke at the same time. PO had nice grade, well Home depot bolts holding it on. I redid all this with grade 8 hardware.
It also used the stock manual box steering shaft.
I will get some numbers off of it and post them.
Some pics too if the dang thing lets me.
Garbz
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 784
From: Simi Valley, CA
There are two different P/S systems used on 1973/77.5 F250 4WD "High Boys."
1973 and 1974 F250 4WD's before serial numer T80,001 use Garrison P/S.
1974 F250 4WD's after serial number T80,001, all 1975/77.5 F250 4WD's use Bendix P/S.
The ram cylinder and the control valve are unique to each system and will not interchange.
1977.5 = Last "High Boy" assembled before serial number Y20,001.
1973 and 1974 F250 4WD's before serial numer T80,001 use Garrison P/S.
1974 F250 4WD's after serial number T80,001, all 1975/77.5 F250 4WD's use Bendix P/S.
The ram cylinder and the control valve are unique to each system and will not interchange.
1977.5 = Last "High Boy" assembled before serial number Y20,001.
