http://www.mustang-unl.com/itemdy01.asp?T1=MSA6566+01&Category=Suspension+%26+Steering&subCategory=Steering+Components&CatKey=EMUSTANG this is the link to the $65 dollar part.
Since it was asked, my first impression was "wow". It felt like a different car, the steering was *so* much tighter. Manual steering requires a different driving style, turn before you stop, some anticipation, rather than turning the wheels with the car stopped. No big deal, and I never parallel parked the car anyway, so... Besides, who wants girly arms?
ps vs ms Hi - newbie here- just got a 74 w/manual steering and was considering going to power rack and pinion. Now I see lots of posts here of people going the other way. Is the ratio different in a ps box vs a manual box? Does everyone here with manual run a standard manual box , or is there a better box out there to use if I decide to stay w/manual steering? Thanks, Steve
The PS box is lower ratio, like 16:1 vs 22:1 for manual. Makes for more turning effort, but quicker response. I prefer it to the stock manual cars I've driven. I don't think the PS and manual boxes are interchangable, at least not easily. I think the teeth are a bit different where the pitman matches to it.
Don't mean to correct you, But I am pretty sure the ps and manual boxes ARE interchangeable. I have both here, just swapped from power to manual. You have to change out he center link and lose the power ram. Many guys have swapped to manual from PS and kept the PS box for quicker response. I have 225 wide tires and it was too much work (42% more work, to be exact I brag because I did the calculations...see thread http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=28363 for details). I replaced the PS box with the manual.
steering swap Ok thanks for the info..so if I have a non- p/s car, I could switch to a p/s box and not have to make any other changes? And this would result in quicker , more responsive turning or harder turning ?
Quicker, more responsive and harder all in one. Scooper, no prob, I was going by what I read on one of these forums. I had been told the pitman was a bit different. I know the pitman and centerlink are different for the manual to power, I thought the pitman would not match to the steering box. I used the control valve eliminator rather than swap everything over. There is nothing to go bad on a power steering centerlink, so I didn't see the reason for spending the extra cash, as well as I was told the pitman was different.
74, I have heard similar, but didn't see it in person. I admit I did NOT use my PS box on my manual center link, but also did not see (just by looking) any reason why it wouldn't work. The two boxes looked identical and the pitman appeared the same (without measuring with vernier calipers, which I will do, if asked). I drove for a very short time on the PS system with the power ram removed (using the PS valve as a manual converter) but got wind of the fact that the power valve is just a small ball-joint that could POP out at any time (without the reinforcement of the ram), so I test drove it just long enough to take some steering wheel torque measurements, then went to a complete manual setup. Yes, it is harder to turn, but it is TIGHT. No swimming from side to side, and no play in the steering AT ALL. I can live with it...
