Power Steering Conversion

[MattDoscher]

*Project Update*

All complete! My conversion is all finished. I was waiting on a pressure hose and it finally came today. Here are some pics:

http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/MattD ... t=3&page=1

This was a fun project and is definitely something most of us DIY'ers can do in your home garage. For those contemplating a factory original PS system you can still find NOS or NORS items to complete your project. The majority of the parts in my system is either NOS or NORS. Definitely hit up the fine folks here Joe, JohnO, Ron and Lou for parts and advice and also Dan at Chockostang Classic Mustang.

thanks,
Matt

[Groover]

Just read this from start to finish. An ordeal for sure, but it's so cool that you stuck to it and got it the way you wanted it... and now a word of advice. Check on that cylinder-to-frame bracket every once in a while (the one installed with the crush nuts). That PS cylinder puts a LOT of force on that thing and after a while it may wobble that bracket loose.

Here's what happens when it does (scroll down until you see the gaping holes in my frame).

http://www.cometcentral.com/forum/viewt ... &start=420

Of course of if your frame is stout and those crush nuts really bit in there, then maybe not, but better safe than sorry.

Safe driving.

[poboyjo65]

Groover it wasn't that your frame was weak. it is a common thing. there is a video on youtube of a camera on that bracket during use. it is flexing like crazy & after watching it you know it is only a matter of time before it fatigues the frame until it fails. mustangs ,falcons comets they all did it.

So Matt for the record did the 64 have the same center link as the 65?

[MattDoscher]

Check on that cylinder-to-frame bracket every once in a while (the one installed with the crush nuts).

Thanks, good idea. The reproduction crush nuts I got from NPD would not fully tighten/crush into the frame rail holes. I turned the bolt as much as I could even w/ a pipe wrench acting as a cheater bar to crush the inserts and those inserts still moved however once the bracket was bolted down and with the 3rd bolt through the frame everything should be pretty well snug.

So Matt for the record did the 64 have the same center link as the 65?

I am using a NOS C4DZ-3304-B centerlink advertised for a '64/'65 Falcon. No issues w/ fit or function.

Matt

[comethead]

Congrats Matt!! The PS system looks great! Nothing like a newly refurbished stock system.
Thumbs up on sticking to it and getting all the correct parts!

Joe

[Comechero65]

Congrats on getting the ps installed. Hope you welded those crush nuts in the frame that the bracket bolts to. The video John mentioned of the bracket failure was for the drop down bracket. Apparently the stock bracket was ok and didn't suffer the same problem. I would still make sure it is solid and keep an eye on it. Never had a problem with mine on the mustang so it must have been ok.

For a short time I had ford ps on mine and had even re-enforced the bracket to make it stronger. But that got removed when I installed the electric steering.
Ron

[poboyjo65]

Yea Ron I guess I had that mixed up. But we all get mixed up sometimes. I just re read this whole thread, Ron I think you were mixed up for most of the thread on what he was trying to do. It was funny! I think you thought he was going to or from V8 stuff or something. But I'm glad Matt that you found all the parts & got it fixed like you wanted .

[Comechero65]

I wasn't confused I don't think, I took it as he was installing ps for the first time. Or converting from manual steering to power steering.
Ron

[MattDoscher]

I took it as he was installing ps for the first time. Or converting from manual steering to power steering.

Yes both. The car never had PS.

Hope you welded those crush nuts in the frame that the bracket bolts to

I didn't. I got them as tight as I could w/ the hardware kit provided by NPD even had to use a pipe wrench as a cheater bar and the inserts were still loose. When I take the car to the shop to get it aligned I may ask them to tack weld the inserts for reliability.

[Comechero65]

I didn't. I got them as tight as I could w/ the hardware kit provided by NPD even had to use a pipe wrench as a cheater bar and the inserts were still loose. When I take the car to the shop to get it aligned I may ask them to tack weld the inserts for reliability.

I know the crush nuts are hard to get tight. The factory probably had an air operated tool to install the crush nuts but few of us have access to a tool like that. So using a bolt and washer is the way we have to install them. You want that nut to be absolutely tight so it can't loosen over time. That's why I suggested welding them in place.
When I installed the bracket on mine I welded extensions to the bracket then added extra bolts to make sure it never could move or get loose. I still didn't trust the flimsy design. The crush nuts were already on mine so I didn't weld them. Then I removed all that stuff as I didn't need them anymore.
Ron

[MattDoscher]

Thanks Ron!

Matt

[poboyjo65]

I wasn't confused I don't think, I took it as he was installing ps for the first time. Or converting from manual steering to power steering.
Ron

Ron that is right but if you go back & read the whole thing you'll see that for most of the thread we were trying to figure out if 6 cyl ps centerlinks were the same for both 64 & 65's. you said quite a few times that they were not the same, that they were different.So you were either confused about what was being discussed or wrong . we figured out that the centerlinks are the same for both 64 & 65.

[Comechero65]

John, So are you saying the centerlink is the same between a 64 and a 65? AFAIK they are not the same. With the 65 ford moved the connection between the tierod inner end and the centerlink was moved inboard approx 3". that was part of the change to reduce bumpsteer. I wish I could find a link to the article written by Dick Harrington on the FCA Tech Articles page where he showed pics and detailed the differences.

I assumed the 6 got the same change as the v8 but after looking at some diagrams it would appear the change only applied to v8's and the 6 cyl falcon/comet and also the mustang 6 cyl from 64 1/2 to 66 still had the old centerlink which didn't get the change.

So you are right on that detail. I stand corrected. Even more good reason for upgrading to the v8 steering.
Ron

[poboyjo65]

John, So are you saying the centerlink is the same between a 64 and a 65? AFAIK they are not the same. With the 65 ford moved the connection between the tierod inner end and the centerlink was moved inboard approx 3". that was part of the change to reduce bumpsteer. I wish I could find a link to the article written by Dick Harrington on the FCA Tech Articles page where he showed pics and detailed the differences.

I assumed the 6 got the same change as the v8 but after looking at some diagrams it would appear the change only applied to v8's and the 6 cyl falcon/comet and also the mustang 6 cyl from 64 1/2 to 66 still had the old centerlink which didn't get the change.

So you are right on that detail. I stand corrected. Even more good reason for upgrading to the v8 steering.
Ron

Detail? that is what this thread was about ,6 cyl ps , never about v8 stuff. & yes I'm saying 64 & 65 6 cyl ps centerlinks are the same, which I think you finally agree with me. he didn't want v8 parts,he has a 6 cyl . If you read back you'll see we were all talking about 6 cyl cars, & never about v8's, that was all you. he had a chance to buy parts from Joe's 64 6 cyl ps falcon to put on his 65 car. then he found a NOS centerlink that specified it was for both 64 & 65 6 cyl ps cars. he used the new c-link & parts from joes 64 ps c-link on his 65 car. But I'm glad I finally got you to realize we weren't talking about V8's & that 6 cyl steering parts didn't get upgraded in 65. this has been a confusing thread but we all learn something here.

[Comechero65]

Well I did learn something as a rsult of this discussion. In my mind i couldn't fathom that ford would have upgraded the v8 steering in 65 and left the 6 the same. What's even more surprising is the 6 stayed the same up through 66 on the mustang. I don't know if that was a cost saving thing or they had left over parts they needed to get rid of.
Oh well not a day goes by i don't learn something new. When we stop learning we are most likely dead. That's why we have these discussions. No harm no foul.
Ron