Adapted Manual Steering

I put a manual rack in my 86 Mustang that I got from a Fairmont.It bolted in with the exception of having to change the rack bushings to the newer style.The steering shaft is the same on manual and power steering cars.The difference is the input shaft on manual racks is a lot smaller that the input shaft on a power rack.At the bottom of the steering shaft is a rag joint and in between the rag joint and the rack is the steering coupler, the piece that is in the link.A manual steering coupler has a different size of splined opening than a power steering coupler.When you buy a rack from a place like Autozone it won't have the coupler.If you get one from a car at the wreckers then you just need to grab the coupler piece and you can attach the manual rack to the steering shaft that is in your car.I am not sure whether 85 Mustangs had the option of a manual rack, but they were available in the 78-83 Fairmonts/Zephyrs and I also see them at the wreckers in the 79-82 Mustangs occasionally but I don't ever recall seeing one in a car after that although they could be around.

I just used the tie rods that were on the rack and re-used my old rack bushings but I am cheap.I am just looking at one of my Mustang catalogs and it appears that the outer tie rods are the same for manual/power racks and that you order them by the year of your car as they have them grouped 79-81,82-89,90-93.So I guess you could re-use the ones you have if they are in good shape.I am guessing the rack comes with the inner tie rods, if not you probably have to order them for the year of the rack.The two bolts that hold the rag joint to the steering coupler are a PITA to get at as you have to hold the one side while you turn the other and access is limited.I have removed them from both the top and the bottom and I don't think either way was much easier than the other.Watch out when re-installing the rack bushing bolts as earlier cars had much larger bolts and needed a high torque value than later ones and I have heard of people trying to torque the later bolts to the earlier value and breaking them.