Hi, my car currently has the power rack in it with the lines looped which seems fairly easy to turn but I picked up a manual ford fox body rack for 40 bucks an plan to use it some day, prob when i do the five lug conversion. its a bare rack, will all my stuff off my rack transfer over? it's an 84 4 cyl car with a v 8 conversion, but I dont know how much suspension has been upgraded. any info appreciated!
manual steering
- Thread starter lang williams
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Wallzy
New Member
Manual racks have different tie rod ends and require a different steering shaft.
The steering shaft can be had new from Flaming River for about $75. If you're reeeeeeeeeeaally lucky, you might be able to score one from an older (like '84 or older) Foxbody, but the chances of that are slim to none.
Don't bother with used tie rod ends, of course. Score some new ones from a parts store. Have them look for those for an older Mustang ('79 to around '84) when manual steering was still available from the factory - most likely on the four-cylinder models.
Also, just curious, but what are you doing (or have already done) with regard to the routing of your serpentine belt with the power steering pump being gone? Do you still have the A/C compressor there to loop over on the driver's side, or are you running one of those funky alternator tensioner brackets to bypass everything else? Just curious, as I'm considering going manual later on (funds permitting), since my power rack and P/S pump are both drooling fluid...
The steering shaft can be had new from Flaming River for about $75. If you're reeeeeeeeeeaally lucky, you might be able to score one from an older (like '84 or older) Foxbody, but the chances of that are slim to none.
Don't bother with used tie rod ends, of course. Score some new ones from a parts store. Have them look for those for an older Mustang ('79 to around '84) when manual steering was still available from the factory - most likely on the four-cylinder models.
Also, just curious, but what are you doing (or have already done) with regard to the routing of your serpentine belt with the power steering pump being gone? Do you still have the A/C compressor there to loop over on the driver's side, or are you running one of those funky alternator tensioner brackets to bypass everything else? Just curious, as I'm considering going manual later on (funds permitting), since my power rack and P/S pump are both drooling fluid...
rd
Founding Member
For the manual rack swap, you need a new rag joint connector. The rack shaft is smaller than the power rack input shaft. It may be a different length also.
I did the same thing on my 82 using a Ford manual rack and it worked fine.
My manual rack came with all the tie rods, inner and outer, and they fit fine, so I did not have to swap them. I think the power inner tie rods fit on the manual rack but I am not sure. All I did was bolt the outer ends into the spindles, and they fit fine.
Otherwise the hardest part was rigging up an idler pulley for the ps belt.
I have 2 cars with manual steering, and I don't mind a bit.
I did the same thing on my 82 using a Ford manual rack and it worked fine.
My manual rack came with all the tie rods, inner and outer, and they fit fine, so I did not have to swap them. I think the power inner tie rods fit on the manual rack but I am not sure. All I did was bolt the outer ends into the spindles, and they fit fine.
Otherwise the hardest part was rigging up an idler pulley for the ps belt.
I have 2 cars with manual steering, and I don't mind a bit.
i got a a/c p/s delete bracket off ebay for about $26.00 delivered. bolted it on tonight an bolted the tensioner to that. summit has a bracket but i didnt feel like driving an hour down there or paying their 10 dollar "handling fee". looks like i'm stuck cleaning up the stock alt bracket an prob gonna paint it black until i can get a march alt bracket. i kinda hate the thought of spending $75 for the steering shaft when I picked up the rack for $40. i do know of a brand new flaming river set up (ball joints/tie rods/steering shaft) thats never been installed, asking price $175.
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