72 Highboy, Added 78 Power Steering

[Tpdaniels]

I started this morning on the switchover on my 72 F-250 4X4 to add Power Steering. I got the power steering from a 78 F-250 4x4 in Missouri last week. I used http://www.Car-Parts.com and found the whole setup in 15 minutes. I am using a pump and brackets from a FE engine to power it. I had read several places that this is "ALMOST DIRECT BOLTON" and for the most part it is if you have lots of mechanical skills and a fully stocked shop or access to one. You definitely need a welder, torch set, grinder with cut off blades and air impact wrenches to make things easier. The most important thing is make sure you have the skills to use all these tools. You just have to cut out a notch in the front cross member, box in the frame and shorten the 78 steering shaft by about three inches for it to work. You don't have to change anything about the steering unit, arm or drag link if you get the ones from the 78/79 truck. I made pictures of everything I did today, the parts I fabricated to box in the frame and how to install them. Pictures are below to help see what I did. Before you start, don't even try it without removing the left fender, inner fender liner and radiator. You also have to remove the headlight trim covers, there is one fender bolt hidden behind it. I used grade 8 bolts, washers and nuts to bolt all this together,
4 - 1/2" X 4" bolts, 8 - 1/2 washers and 4 - 1/2 lock-washers.

Be sure and check your steering column bearings, My lower one is bad and while everything is out of the way it, much easier to fix now. These bearings are still available from Ford, my local dealer will have it tomorrow.

It may be next week before I get to finish everything, I will post more info and pictures when I get to work on it again.

If you have any questions, Just ask and I will try to help you.

Get to this point before you start working on the steering



Top lip cut off and new mounting hules drilled



5" channel and reinforcing plate



5" channel and reinforcing plate, reverse side showing spacer blocks



Pump mounted and bolted, inside frame, notch cut in crossmember



Pump mounted and bolted, outside frame



Pump mounted and bolted, inside frame, also shows drag ling for steering



My mess at the end of today, and yes my welder is mounted on a modified grocery cart

[Doug Comer]

Done this mod a couple times. Is your radiator gonna fit?
Doug

[Doug Comer]

My bad, didn't look close enough to the pics . You will love it when your done. Looks good.
Doug

[Tpdaniels]

I started this morning on the switchover on my 72 F-250 4X4 to add Power Steering. I got the power steering from a 78 F-250 4x4 in Missouri last week. I used http://www.Car-Parts.com and found the whole setup in 15 minutes. I am using a pump and brackets from a FE engine to power it. I had read several places that this is "ALMOST DIRECT BOLTON" and for the most part it is if you have lots of mechanical skills and a fully stocked shop or access to one. You definitely need a welder, torch set, grinder with cut off blades and air impact wrenches to make things easier. The most important thing is make sure you have the skills to use all these tools. You just have to cut out a notch in the front cross member, box in the frame and shorten the 78 steering shaft by about three inches for it to work. You don't have to change anything about the steering unit, arm or drag link if you get the ones from the 78/79 truck. I made pictures of everything I did today, the parts I fabricated to box in the frame and how to install them. Pictures are below to help see what I did. Before you start, don't even try it without removing the left fender, inner fender liner and radiator. You also have to remove the headlight trim covers, there is one fender bolt hidden behind it. I used grade 8 bolts, washers and nuts to bolt all this together,
4 - 1/2" X 4" bolts, 8 - 1/2 washers and 4 - 1/2 lock-washers.

Be sure and check your steering column bearings, My lower one is bad and while everything is out of the way it, mush easier to fix now. These bearings are still available from Ford, my local dealer will have it tomorrow.

It may be next week before I get to finish everything, I will post more info and pictures when I get to work on it again.

If you have any questions, Just ask and I will try to help you.]

I got it all finished yesterday and cannot believe the way it drives, anyone who has one should make this a priority to change. I plan to write more detailed instructions of what all I did so that if anyone needs to know what all it takes to do they will be well informed. I found all kinds of information scattered on this and other forums but none that was in detail from start to finish.

This is finished picture. next I am going to completely remove the front end and redo everything cosmetically to look like new

[1971ford]

Looks good to me.

First thought of the manual steering in my highboy was it wasn't that bad. Wasn't too hard to turn the wheel or anything and pretty much the same as power steering when up to speed but now I have realized that it's also about how fast you can turn the wheel. I have had to do multiple 3 pointers in the highboy that i used to do in my PS '71 f250 because i forgot to turn the wheel 10 more times

I'm going to have to do this!

[Tpdaniels]

Looks good to me.

First thought of the manual steering in my highboy was it wasn't that bad. Wasn't too hard to turn the wheel or anything and pretty much the same as power steering when up to speed but now I have realized that it's also about how fast you can turn the wheel. I have had to do multiple 3 pointers in the highboy that i used to do in my PS '71 f250 because i forgot to turn the wheel 10 more times

I'm going to have to do this!

I have spent hours reading about what all you have been doing to your trucks, I wish you were near me I would hire you in a flash to work on mine. good luck with your future, anyone with your talent can make a very good living in restoration.

Make sure to get everything off of the doner truck, I live in NC and found mine in MO. they sent me the steering shaft, gear box, pitman arm and drag link from the 78 4X4. They also sent me the Pump and mounting bracket from a 72 360 FE motor to power it with, the only thing I had to have made was the high pressure hose. The trick is where to mount the gearbox so that it just clears the radiator and that puts the pitman arm at the exact place it has to be so that you can use the drag link from the 78 truck. I have not put the inner fender back on yet but I can see that I will have to trim the bottom off at the front to clear.

Looking forward to see what you do next.

[1968 royal ranger]

pictures and details would be great mike