i saw a few pics a little bit ago of a power steering conversion done with a f-150 box running down the outside of the framerail and its got me rethinking my power steering conversion.

i have a box from a 78-9 f250 4x4 sitting up at the house. i know to use this box i will have to notch the crossmember and box the frame and some other little things. i am considering going to a crossover setup on the truck, also. its got about two inches of lift and im running 36's.

i can come by an f150 box pretty cheap, or another box that runs the outside of the framerail. my guess would be to weld some plate on the outside of the frame, mount the box, set up crossover, and done. basically.

i know with the driver side steering link, i couldn't use one of these boxes, but if i go to crossover, wouldn't this be the simpler way to go? seems like less to be able to screw up if theres no cutting and welding involved other than a reinforcement plate.

sorry for being so long winded here, but my question really is, is there any reason i should do all the fab work to get the f250 box in there? or would it be easier to use a box that mounts to the outside of the rail?

the truck isn't apart yet, but its going to be in pieces (again) when the weather warms up. i wana clean the front of the frame, put my built 390 in, and do my power steering conversion all while the front clip is off.

 

Couple ways to do this:

Here is my 73 2wd that was converted to 4wd using the F150 steering box:


Here is my 74 using a Saginaw box:




You have to make sure that regardless of which box you use, that you have enough clearance for the pitman arm. You do not want the spring to strike it during suspension cycles.

 

ok, i got it. these are the pics i was referring to. it looks like the problem i may have using one of the boxes mounting outside the rail will be the clearance with the spring. the 78-9 box looks like it would have and easier time with the pitman arm going between the springs. i've been thinking about the high-steer setup, but im thinking it will be a no-go due to the amount of room that would be required. the saginaw box looks like it would be the easiest to use without much lift. im beginning to think the 78-9 box run to the driver knuckle will be the way to go. i need to get out to the truck to look though.

 

With a small amount of lift, you will run into problems either way. See even the 78/9 box will still have clearance problems when you turn the wheels all the way to the left.
This is true for any box mounted inside of the frame, and the opposite is true for any box mounted outside of the frame.
Having the ability to cycle the suspension is gonna be important.
You cane forget hi-steer without a decent amount of lift. Placing the tie rod above the leaf spring leaves no room for articulation and you will run the tie rod right into the frame.
Besides unless you are gonna run an after market knuckle, this hi-steer set up is not real kind to factory knuckles.
I am assumiing that you have installed a D60 in the truck. This makes x-over steering much easier, and the truth is that ford D60 knuckes are weak, and do not withstand the added stress of hi-steer. X-over is about the limit, and even this has its limits. I see plenty of busted ford knuckles.

 

ok, i really appreciate your wealth of knowledge on these trucks. even stuff you put in other posts has helped alot with things i've got going on. right now, the truck has a d60 front, d60 rear, extremely heavy suspension....not add-a-leaves, but custom packs that add a couple inches. i got rid of the hydro assist because it was sloppy, and turning 36s with a manual box gets old quick. other than that, the truck is stock. i've been waiting on the weather to come around for spring and i was going to pull the front clip so i can clean and paint the frame, do my power conversion, and put the 390 in thats sitting in the corner. i'm not planning on going anymore lift because pa lift laws say my frame is already borderline illegal. right now im still in the planning stages of this part of the build, and want to fully weigh all available options before committing to any one thing. don't want to spend money where i dont need to. at this point, i probably could have bought 2 chevys and lifted them for what i have into this truck, but theres almost none of these around anymore, while theres still some 73-87 chevys running around.

thanks, the info is much appreciated

 

Let me throw a few things out at ya. I believe that much of this will come down to the nickles and dimes. What I mean is that you have to decide what is gonna cost more n the long run. You have the desireable box already, and dependning on what that cost you originally might have to be considered.
Now, is the stock pitman arm going to work for you? What mods will have to be done, and what are the options for pitman arms? The saginaw box above, and my F150 box use stock pitman arms, and you can see that I run shperical rod ends. You might go the same route, or you may run TRE's. Rod ends provide more clearance but are as solid as can be and do transfer some vibration. Not a lot, but there is a noticeable difference.
The F150 box has busted the sector shaft twice, and the saginaw is still going strong.
My other truck with the 78/9 box has TRE's and has been running strong for years. Not a problem ever.
I feel that much consideration has to be payed to exactly the total parts cost might include. Pitman arms are not cheap, so make sure you do your homework with regards to length and angles.
Clearance is tight. My orange truck hits the drag link and pitman arm once in a while.
Measure two and three times to make sure that you were are not gonna run into problems.

 

i have everything for this box, intermediate shaft, rag joint, box, pitman arm, and drag link. it was unbolted as a unit and it has the flatter pitman arm that was designed to run between the spring and frame. the welding isn't a problem, i have a certified welder in the immediate family and that really helps. all i have to buy for the box i have is a piece of plate and some weld rod. its 730am and i just had to deal with a baby so ill cut this short. thanks alot. much appreciated

 

No worries man. There are several pitman arms that are similar to what you described. Since you have all of the components that are associated with the upgrade, it might be less expensive to just use the 78/9 box. I mean you intend to remove the fenders and stuff, and you are gonna pull the engine, so this would give you plenty of access to the x-member. I would probably go this direction if I were to have the truck apart this far.
Its up to you, but I might lean this way.