steering box choices

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Aug 5, 2010 | 02:58 PM

#16

LCAM-01XA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by NavyMIDN08

I've saved more than one power steering pump with that bandaid, some of them are still running now. If its not a regular driver that may be your best bet. I'm seconding this one.

There is plenty of that in the system now, it actually made for a slightly better pedal feel cause of the hydroboost system I got (runs off the PS pump too).

Quote:

As far as box interchangability, there is no easy way I know of to cross reference this, but consider looking at a box from a long car, such as a 4 door lincoln.

That would be the towncar I was referring to, a towncar is a 4-door Lincoln and the largest Ford-made passenger car since the '80s. The boxes do swap with those, it's just the internal adjustments are different...

Quote:

If you're running a smaller pulley on your pump to increase pressure, this may be the reason you're now leaking, you probably blew out a gasket from the additional pressure. If you're intent on keeping this higher pressure pump, you should either look at upgrading pumps, or plan on replacing boxes regularly.

A pump's max pressure is regulated by the relief valve spring, running a smaller pulley only causes pressure to built up to that point sooner (with respect to engine speed) - in other words if I don't mess with the relief valve spring I won't see any higher pressure. That said, I did mess with the relief valve spring, but as it turns out I've only matched the factory-hydroboosted trucks - they need higher output pressure at the pump cause of the hydro unit being before the steering box and causing for some pressure drop even when in bypass mode. To really blow the seals I need a different spring, one I have no intentions of ever installing

And that seal had been dripping for as long as Ive had the truck, so it ain't the pump that cause it...

Aug 6, 2010 | 05:30 PM

#17

TexasGuy001

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LCAM-01XA

I've been suggested the torsion bars/springs inside the boxes are different, however what box got what I have no clue...

That makes sense, but I wonder how to find out what the different options really are?

Aug 6, 2010 | 10:27 PM

#18

LCAM-01XA

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I don't know man. Even if I knew, there's no guarantee the reman companies won't mess it all up - if we look at the power steering pumps for instance it's one giant mess, as there are supposedly at least two pumps that fit both Mk7 and F-series yet do not belong in a Mustang, even tho the Mustang and the Mk7 use identical steering racks that require higher pressure than the steering box used on the F-series... See the inconsistency there?