converting power to manual steering problems

Hi guys i have a 1977 maverick originally a 250 straight 6 c4 car. i recently convereted it to 5.0 with a t5 transmission and i wanted to convert it to manual steering so i located a manual steering maverick in the junk yard and got the box. someone already took the center link. i installed it in my car with the power steering fluid thing still there but the ram and the pump and lines are no longer there. ever since i installed this the alignment on the car has been terrible ive noticed that the passenger side tire is always turned more right compared to the drivers side. i did the home alignment thing with the string just to get it some what better so i can at least drive it to the alignment shop without crashing, every time i get the wheels as straight as possible i back up the car and drive it foward and the tire goes back to the way it was or facing in towards the drivers side wheel. i have no idea what to do at this point. did using the center link with the power steering fluid valve cause this? or is it just alignment problems. the car had originally 29k miles on it so i have a hard time believing my front end is shot but i could be wrong. any help will be greatly appreciated thanks!

Nick

 

You CAN NOT drive the car with the slave cylinder and control valve hooked up to your steering....but no fluid or pump attached to it. Very dangerous. Get the correct center link to do the job.

 

the slave cylinder or ram is disconnected the only thing that is left from the power steering is the control valve. i have seen a conversion kit to replace the control valve to just a bolt for manual steering. do they reproduce the maverick center link? or will one from a 68-70 mustang fit?

 

The control valve can be pretty loose on it's own, and could separate, I wouldn't drive it like that. Post in the wanted section, manual Center links are not reproduced.

 

I have all the parts you need. Email me DIRECTLY (see below) if I can help.

 

Did they stop making them since I did my swap ? "Rare Parts" was the vendor for the manual steering link when I did mine. Bought it though the local AutoZone.

 

i was able to locate a manual steering center link and tie rod ends all in good shape plus a sway bar included in the deal paid $50 in my opinion not too bad of a deal.... i installed the new steering link and tie rod ends that ere on the center link along with the idler arm that came on the center link. the steering is alot better no play at all but i am still having what seems to be alignment problems my passenger side wheel is still turned to the right. and the tie rods i installed were off a perfectly aligned car.. do i just get it aligned or is there something else wrong? the tires still squeel and it pulls terribly to the right

 

The tie rod measurement will vary from year to year, the '77 center link I installed on my '72 had the tires way off... Assuming there isn't a suspension issue in the RF, then string it to get it close and take it to a alignment shop...

Note if the steering wheel isn't straight after setting toe in, set it straight and adj tie rods on each side till wheels are straight, repeat as necessary... If it still pulls to the right with toe close, there is a caster issue that will require adj the strut rod(s)...

 

Maybe there is a problem with the first thing you put on..

 

Just because they came off of an aligned car, does not mean they will be aligned on your car. The adjustments needed to attain a specification are different between each and every car. If they weren't, then we would not need adjustable steering and suspension components.

I would just go get it aligned at a shop and then you would be done with it. You will be happy driving it before you know it.

 

currently my car has 18 inch crager wheels on it.. can that effect the alignment shop from being able to align it? should i put my 14 inch magnums on so it can be up to stock specs? but installing the 70 center link and getting rid of the power steering center link made the steering so much better theres no play and a clunking noise that was there before when steering also disappeared?

 

You may want to call ahead because some shops cant do alignments for certain reasons like year or wheel size. And some take it in and actually don't know what they are doing.

 

That is good advice. You also want to have the wheel/tire combo your using on the car when it's aligned.

 

might I suggest that you get the "stock alignment specs." and take them with you. everyone doesn't have access to these on their newer lineup equipment. I don't think the height of the 18 inch crager wheels will make a difference...the with does.

 

I have just done this swap but I am also doing a disc brake swap so I have not been able to "drive" mine as of yet. But I feel pretty confident about the alignment being decent. It will have to be done by a pro.

In reading the one thing that stands out to me is if you are on the center of the shaft on the steering box? So do you have the manual pitman arm? Without any thing hooked up to the steering box, play around with the steering wheel until you feel pretty sure that it is in the middle (driving straight down the road) make sure the MANUAL pitman arm is pointing straight forward and bolt on . Bolt the idler arm to the frame and then all of the tie rod ends etc. dont tighten the tie rod sleeves.Turn the tie rod sleeve until the spindles/wheels look as straight as possible.

You may have done all of this and I am just repeating what you already know/have done. Also sometimes when doing this I have heard to loosen up the "strut rods" The long rods that are attached to the front crossmember. Sometimes they can "bind" and cause problems if they are tightened when in the car is off the ground and binds when the car is on the ground( if that makes any sense).

Is the sleeve completely adjusted out/in? May have to take off and thread each rod in all of the way and then thread back out until spindle/wheel is straight.

So did the car drive ok before doing all of this?

Please keep posting and I hope it is something simple.

Jerry D