58 ford steering boxes

[1958ford]

is there a difference between manual steering box vs power steering box?

[clusterbuster]

Vastly different. Power steering boxes require a power steering pump to supply power to the internal parts of the box.

[hiball3985]

No difference, Ford did not have a power steering box, they used power assist which is a ram connected to the tie rod assembly.

[1958ford]

 I have a power steering car with a good steering box and am rebuilding a powering steering car that was converted to manual steering.  would like to trade units. are pitman arms the same on both type units? 

[gasman826]

I say won't all, but most Fords require changing the pitman arm, drag link and idler arm when changing from manual to power steering or visa versa.  Definitely, '57-'64 require this combination.  '58-'59 use the same pitman arm but nothing interchanges with '57.

[1958ford]

the main concern is whether the ratios are the same on both units?

[gasman826]

same ratio for '57-'64...part of the reason manuals steer so hard

Most integral steering boxes had different ratios for manual and power steering.

One unusual bit of triva:  MachI and Boss Mustangs used the same ratio for both PS and MS

[1958ford]

thanks for info. thought that was the case, but was not sure.