Steering Again

[Iron Man]

O.K. I think I'm set to install power steering on my '68 short bed. I have everything...except "everything from the steering box to the wheel spindle steering arm". Is this a requirement and what all does it constitute? Thanks.

[BobbyFord]

Try this...

http://www.fordification.com/powersteering.htm

[Iron Man]

Believe me, I've read that over and over again. But it does not get specific about what I asked. I've changed several cars from power to manual steering (for racing) changing nothing but the gear box. I do have the steering column, the gear box, the pump, the shoe, etc. Everything except "from the steering box to the wheel spindle steering arm". Are we talking tie rods and drag link or what? Again, my thanks.

[FORDification]

That depends on what year truck the donor power steering box came from. If it's an early-'71 or older, you can keep your existing steering linkage. If the box came from a late-'71 thru '79, then you have to use the steering linkage from the donor truck....or you can use your earlier (existing) linkage, but you'll have to also find an earlier PS Pitman arm that matches the early linkage. Early and late Pitman arms interchange on the PS box, but MS and PS Pitman arms do not.

[Iron Man]

That's what I needed to know. The truck I got the parts off went to the crusher two years ago. It was in a junkyard then and appeared to have been assembled with junkyard parts. The cab and bed were the same color but the doors, hood, and fenders were all different colors. The grill was a '71 and the steering column has 1971 painted on it in junkyard yellow. The engine was a 352 and the front valance has the larger cutouts for the turn indicators. So it looks like it will be trial and error. Is there anyway to tell the early from the late pitman arm? Thanks.

[Iron Man]

Never mind, I found it in the tech & tutorials. I should have looked before asking. The volume of information on this site never ceases to impress me. Thanks.

[fordman]

i thought the cut off date was mid 1970 for the pitman arm size change. if it was 71 then im even better off than i thought i was.

[FORDification]

[fordman]

ijust thought of this. i put a manual box on my 67 temporaily from a 71. i didnt even think about the change over when i did it. i guess i got lucky. it fit right together like it was made for a 67.

[Iron Man]

So if I take the steering linkage off a 1975 Ford half-ton I have access to, it would do the trick? Do I need to switch the tie rod ends off the older linkage on to the newer? Or are the tie rod ends only a problem when putting disc brakes on the older linkage? Thanks again, sorry to be a bother.

[FORDification]

That depends on whether you have the early or late 'PS setup. If you've got the early-'71/older setup, then the '75 pieces won't work. If you've got the late-'71/newer setup, then the '75 pieces will work just fine.

You can't mix and match....it's either all or none. Since you've got access to a '75, I'd get everything steering-related from it....including the PS box (or at least the Pitman arm), the drag link and the tie-rod ends.

[Iron Man]

Sorry, I keep telling half the story or asking half the question. I checked the casting number on the pitman arm I have and it's D2TA-3590-BA, which I read as the late style. A friend has an already parted 1975 half-ton which still has the steering linkage. It was a six-cylinder but the engine, trans, etc. are gone. So, the steering linkage is all I need? The tie rod ends will work with my '69 steering arms? Again, sorry. I just want to get everything I need before I take it apart. Thanks.

[fordman]

i think you have it right . that should be the only piece from the 75 that you need.

[FORDification]

No...you cannot use anything from early-'71/older. Since you have a D2 Pitman arm, you need the COMPLETE steering linkage (all pieces) from a late-'71-'79 F100/F150. This includes the drag link, rod ends and disc brake spindles. You cannot use anything older....and you cannot mix and match early parts with late parts.

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Guys..

I've been following this thread as well as my similar thread on doing a PS conversion on my '68 CS..
I have the complete PS steering package from the '71 CS donor truck (now my bump trailer).
How do I tell if it is the early or late style set up?
I also have another PS box & pump but am not sure what year truck it came out of.
Is there a way to tell ?

Thanks for all yer help,

KaptnKA S