Steering Pieces

[Ottoparts]

Thank you John for looking. I wouldn't consider it hijacking when there's a chance to learn something new.

[hiball3985]

Thanks John. Luckily I don't need one now but would have saved it for the future..

[Ottoparts]

Here are the brackets. My stock one which is not only has messed up threads, but is both bent and twisted. New replacement and thirdly the 59 bracket. A lot more beefier and all three have the same eyebolt size and separation.

[hiball3985]

Thank you for posting that. I'm going to keep my eye out for the cast bracket.

[lalessi1]

X2!

[KULTULZ]

B8A 3351-A -

[terry_208]

As near as I can tell, by measuring, the 62 and 57 bracket share the same dimensions. 

[SkylinerRon]

The ball bearing kits were aftermarket. Said to reduce steering effort.

Ron.

[djfordmanjack]

Great info here as usual, thanx a lot !

[gasman826]

PIC '64 Galaxie PS idler arm with aftermarket bearing kit that I used on '57 Raunch Wagon.

[cokefirst]

I would like some thoughts on the idler arms with the bearings over the bushings.  I was told by one front end guy that the bushing is preferred because the bushing uses the memory f the rubber that does not turn with the arm and it helps bring the steering back to center.  Another old time front end shop said the one with the bearings are better than the bushing set up.  Is this like the discussion of which oil is best for your engine? 

[gasman826]

The original, OEM bushing would likely be fine if you could find one that wasn't 60 years old.  I installed two aftermarket replacement bushings and both had 'memory'.  After making a turn, the steering would pull or drift in the direction of the last turn.  Turn a little in the opposite direction to 'center' the idler arm and the car went straight down the road.  I installed the bearing kit...end of problems.  This was a PS system not manual steering.

[59meteor]

Only the factory power steering equipped 57-59 Ford cars used rubber bushings in the idler arms. Manual steering cars have threaded, greasable bushing nuts and the idler arm itself. The threads are what the idler arm pivots on, similar to the upper control arm pivots of 58 & 59 Fords, as well as 65 thru 73 Mustangs and Cougars, 62 thru 71 Fairlanes/Comets/ Torinos, 60 thru 70 Falcons, etc. I have to wonder if the ball bearing style offer much easier operation, since the threaded style has very little drag.
As long as the threaded style is kept greased, they are pretty much trouble free. And new idler arms are quite inexpensive, and readily available.