How much difference between manual and power steering

I finally got the manual steering installed, and dropped it back to the ground.

With the power steering hooked up as stock, and the car not moving, it took less than, or close to 1 ft/lb to turn the steering wheel.

With the manual setup but using the power steering gear box (similar to using the manual steering converter setup), it took 33 ft/lbs.

With the manual setup and manual box, only 19 ft/lbs.

That is about 42% easier with the manual gear box.

So, from now on, we have real numbers to describe the difference in how hard it is to turn, and not just "a bit harder".

This is with 215 front tires, but I would bet that the same ratio would apply to different tires, just a bit harder for bigger tires and easier for smaller ones.

 

Did you test ft/lbs with the PS box, but no slave cylinder.
When you turn the steering with the slave in place, quite a bit of the resistance is not only turning the wheels, but also forcing the piston through the cylinder.
You might lose quite a few lbs by removing the slave.
Personally, I don't like the manual box because it feels mushy and floaty, and takes alot of turning the wheel.
Dave

 

This is actually the power system linkages, but with the PS pump and power ram thingy removed. Basically using the power valve as a manual steering convertor.

I tried years ago to just go with the pump disconnected, and it was VERY hard. Hard enough that I thought I was going to break the steering wheel trying to turn it when sitting still in the driveway.

I haven't driven it yet with this setup, but it is MUCH easier to steer, 42% easier, in fact

Am I just a smarta$$ or what?

 

Good info to have, Scott.

Thx for taking the time to quantify the difference and post up the info.

 

I guess this info is helpful if you turn the steering wheel with your feet. How much Hand pounds does it take?

Yes, I know. I'm being a ______________.


Good info, Scott. Ain't never done did seen it spelt out that way afore.

 

I am really impressed at your ingenuity in this venture.
It is good info.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I just enjoy arguing too much.
I tend to forget to give kudos while I am thinking of angles to argue.

 

I just got tired of wondering, and getting vague answers. I have put this project off for about 3 years just because I didn't know how much difference I was going to get, and if it would be worth my effort. I fought back and forth with myself about going the bolt-on manual converter (swap out the power valve) and doing a full manual swap.

At least now there are real numbers to show how much harder, and it is a LOT harder, to turn a manual car with a power gear.

And, by the way, Hawko, a hand is just slightly less than half a foot, so just double the number and you have a close estimate for your hd/lbs

 

Good post! Thanks for taking the effort to quantify with #'s what the difference is.

Just my two cents worth... My first Mav was a 71 with manual everything. My "new" Mav has power everything. I like the unpowered better as you have a better "feel" for the road. The powered steering in the "new" Mav just "floats" across the road. I don't really feel like I'm driving.

Matt

 

The steering box that is used with power-assist, only requires 3 complete turns lock-to-lock. The steering box used for manual steering requires 4 or 5 turns! I prefer the quicker steering. For a drag race car, you don't need it, but for other types of driving, I think it's the way to go...

 

For reference I add the following info from the Ford shop manual.

The difference between the manual and the power boxes is as follows:

Maverick / Comet w/ps
Model SMA-B
Gear ratio 16:1
Turns lock to lock 4

Maverick / Comet manual steering
Model SMA-F1
Gear ratio 22:1
Turns lock to lock 5-1/2

Torino / Montego manual steering (don't know if this box fits the Maverick and Comet)
Model SMA-T
Gear ratio 24:1
Turns lock to lock 6-1/2

 

That's not entirely accurate then, because mine is exactly 3 turns lock-to-lock...

 

you how i modified my powersteering to be manual? i took a grinder and cut that big power valve thinny off completely it was getting in the way of more important things like headers

 

These are the numbers for the gear itself other things like end stops affect the number of turns when installed in the car.

 

That, and all the leaky fluid, and wasted space under the hood is why I swapped.

Mine did too. I think I was hitting headers going one direction, because I couldn't do as sharp a left turn as I could right (I think it was left, it was one of those things I just didn't do too often, but when I needed to, I recognized that it just stopped too early.)

zoomzoom, Be careful with the little rod in the remnant of the power valve, I hear it can pop out pretty easy, but then I hear of guys driving on them for 10-12 years, so I guess it is just luck of the draw. I have an exploded picture of the powervalve in another thread, and it really is a small ball-jointed ball...looks like it could detach with a little force...

 

By the way, I just went out and turned the power box, it went 4-1/4 turns from chock to chock. The manual went about 5-1/2 or so. If i centered it, that is only 2 turns each way on the power box, and 2-1/2 on the manual.

This is the gearbox, out of the car, just turning the ragjoint until it stops...

So apparently the stopping is from inside the gearbox, or those numbers are incorrect, OR the numbers are not measuring what we THINK they are measuring (we must be counting something differently than they did)???