Now i know this has been up hear several time and i did search about and thread that was hear not to long ago about a kit from mustang unlimited for switch from ps to ms. with just swaping out the insides of a your control valve. I read over this post and a few others and just had some questions to anyone who has done this and drives there car with this setup. 1. In all what parts do i need and part # if possible. Is it just MSA6566 01"item # from mustang unlimited web page". or is there other pieces i will need to make or buy? 2. Will this kit affect my headers in any way im guessing if anything there will just be more room? 3. How hard is it to install? 4. How hard is it to steer, i have had cars with ms before but none this old or large, my last one was VW Jetta that had ms and it was pretty easy... not as fun for several point turns but not bad. The reason im asking it because i replaced everything already once before in this car new control valve, new hoses, new pump, new ball joints pretty much everything and anything with any realations to steering and its still sloppy and now it appears i got a fualty pump because it leaking im hoping to be able to just get rid of this headache of a ps system and trade in for a problem free slightly harder to steer ms setup. http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=23358&highlight=power+steering this is the tread that got my intrest
I would fix the power-setup ... I hadn't driven my Grabber since FFW in April but since it hasn't rained here in North GA for like 3 weeks I've driven my Yellow car almost daily. Since the Yellow Mav is power steering it really made me notice what a difference the P/S made when I jumped in the manual steering Grabber today and drove it for 60 miles or so round trip to a car show. Now ... the Grabber is a show car and I hate the clutter of the P/S components ... but there is no way I'd remove it from the Yellow Mav ... it really makes for an enjoyable ride.
Dan, does the grabber have the m/s or p/s gear box and what size tires and rims you got on the front? ...frank...
Power steering on these cars was crap even when new. No road feel what so ever. Remove it and save some agrivation. I have manual steering with a power steering box and wide tires and its dosent seem difficult to me.
mavaholic, Did that take some of the wander out of the wheel? when the mav was my only vehicle i didnt really notice it, but compared to my highboy (manual) and my wifes subaru it seems to wander a little. considering yanking mine too.
I didn't say it was difficult ... but definitely noticable. Yellow Mav I can drive around all day with 1 finger ... Grabber is one hand all the time ... Two hands when making a sharp turn from a stop ... like pulling out of a parking spot or trying to back up into a car show spot .... A daily driver is definitely worth having power steering.
Im not worried about the difficult to turn so much. Its more what parts i need and how hard, anything i need to look out for, what i need to do ect. This is also not my daily driver, its mostly a weekend driver. As the VW gets like 4 times the mile per gallon.
I just did this conversion on Saturday. I used an adapter that replaces the power steering control valve with a dummy. Here are the steps I had to use. 1. Identify whether or not your water pump is being driven off of the power steering v-belt. Mine was, so I had to use a different set of brackets on the alternator to align the alternator, crank pulley and water pump pulley. If this is the case, the bolts that hold the alternator bracket may allow a water leak behind the timing cover into the oil pan when they are removed to install the new bracket. I would suggest doing an oil change after you change the brakets, just to be on the safe side. 2. Drain and remove the power steering pump and lines. 3. Remove the power steering hydraulic cylinder. 4. Remove the roll pin that holds the power steering control valve from turning on the end of the center link, the stud from the steering box, then remove the control valve. 5. Screw the replacement "dummy" valve back into place. Attach to the steering box. Lube the "dummy" valve. You are done. The part I used was part number #649 from Mustangs Plus. 800-999-4289 http://www.mustangsplus.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MPFMP&Category_Code=adapter I paid $129.95 several months ago. This removed all the "slop" from the steering of my "beater" 72 Grabber. Total time involved was about an hour using only hand tools and a BFH to pop the tapered studs loose. (steering arm and cylinder end)
Another thing to consider is the diameter of the steering wheel. A lot of custom ones are smaller diameter than stock so that will make it more difficult to turn. My biggest beef with the ps set up on these cars is the lack of road feel (none) and they do feel drifty in my opinion. When I first put a V8 in mine way back, the donor car had ps so I put it in too. 2 weeks later I put the manual linkage back in.
this is a problem like 5-6 times a year... like dennis said... size does matter...(steering wheel also). ...frank...
I think Dan has a pretty big wheel in that Grabber. At least stock size. My car was always a PITA to steer parking lots when I had that Grant GT wheel that came with my Grabber on there. After I put the sport wheel in there the car was all around easier to drive. Sure wish there was some sort of rack and pinion available for these cars.
Jayman You are just the person I want to talk to... When you swapped out the power to manual, and drove it the very first time, what was your gut reaction...how did it feel? I think your answer will make or break the decision for many of us.
