Power steering install, progress

[willowbilly3]

I got all the hard stuff done. All I need is a belt and the new turn signal canceller to finish it up. I am also reolacing the brake booster and need to install it yet too. I had a white steering wheel I wanted to use but my column and old wheel were blue for some reason. I took the little column bracket cover with me to match up some paint. The closest I could come was propane cylinder paint. I decided to experiment with an old crappy steering wheel first and see how it holds up. The paint looked a little darker or yellowish when I compared in the store but it actually came out just a shade lighter. Not bad though.
All this hand wrenching really makes me want to get my air tools out.
Here is a picture of the painted column. That ugly black insterment panel needs to go, but the a/c comes first.

[oldschoolrods]

Lookin pretty good, I'm liking the white steering wheel. How hard was the p/s swap? And where are you planning to relocate the booster? And last on the question list this is the 72 in your avatar correct?

[willowbilly3]

No the 72 in my avitar I left behind in Alaska. I haven't seen it in 2 years. This install is on the 69 crewcab. It really isn't too tough if you know what you are getting into and have everything you need. All I lacked was a turn signal cancellor that needed replaced and I decided to do it now. I did end up taking apart 3 other steering columns to get enough good parts. Most of them have the lower bearing shot. I ended up taking out an upper to use down there. Where it really gets dicey is that Ford changed the length of the columns and shafts several times. If you can get a whole, good steering column that is the easiest way to go but I have always changed just the shaft. Also there are a couple different configurations on the wires in the connector. I think Keith covers it pretty good in the tutorial, except for all the different shaft lengths which can be dizzying. There is one year that is by itself in that respect, 70 I think. And also if you use a shaft from a 71 or newer (which I did today) with the earlier steering wheel you will need to saw off about half of the threaded portion as it is too long and the horn button won't go on.
I am replacing my old brake booster which was getting bad. It was the huge size with the raised bracket and a cantilever thing in the back. I am going with a more normal sized one that the rod pushes directly in.
One small problem I had was all the rocks and crud up inside the frame. I spent about 1/2 hour trying to get the lower bolt into the new steering box before I realized I needed to dig the crud out of there with a coat hanger.

[willowbilly3]

I see what you thought was relocating was just a typo. Should have said replacing.

[oldschoolrods]

Ah ok, understand. I'd kill to have a salvage yard back home have a 67-72 in it. Or a 73-79 for that matter. I havent had time to cruise the salvage yards out here yet, but I think the next nice day we get I may do some junkyard hunting. I'll have to cruise the swap meets over the summer, I was working on a deal for a 79 4x4 parts truck but it kinda fell through.

[willowbilly3]

Don't expect to find much 67-72 stuff at the swap meets, or even Ford stuff in general. You can find small Block Ford and Mustang stuff but not much for the old pickups. But don't let that discourage you from going.

[oldschoolrods]

You know come to think of it I didn't see to much the last swap meet I was at. Basicly the only things I've scored were the shop manuals, points & condenser, a set of 16" hubcaps off an econoline. There was one vendor that was selling some nice dress up goodies for FE's. I passed on a set of new chrome valve covers for $30. I'm kind of kicking myself now but, eh what are you gonna do.

[4x4x4crewcab]

Looks good -----COOL P/S I would think I died and went to heaven

but the a/c comes first.

Where will the under dash box mount. That shifter looks to close to the dash in the photo

[willowbilly3]

I have a very slim underdash that follows the contour of the dash. I haven't tried setting it in yet but maybe I will tomorrow. If I need to heat and bend the shifter, I will.. All I need now is the drier and new hoses. And a Sanden compressor if I decide to run one instead of the York. Also the 71 parts truck out at the junkyard has a real nice factory unit I am tempted to get and use. I just hate how much room those use up and if I get it all installed and it don't work would be a bummer. Not a big deal with the under dash, just find another one.

[shrektruck]

Looks good WB.
Did you look at appliance paint? That's what I used for my steering wheel. Seems to hold up real well and the nasty 70's avocado green matched the interior pretty good.

[willowbilly3]

The only appliance paint I could find looked too yellow so I went with this stuff. I had never seen it before but it is called propane cylinder paint and it is much thicker than regular spray paint and not quite as shiney, although not a flat or satin either. About the same luster that the steering columns have stock.
Years ago I used to find some appliance white spray paint that was almost an exact match for wimbleton white but I can't find it anymore.

[willowbilly3]

More updates, the stupid parts: This is how things go. I go to get a belt and it takes 5 trips to the parts store because I have what appears to be a 1970 car engine and it has a bigger fan pulley, so the P/S belt has to go around the fan too. Well, while I have the fan pulley off painting it I decide I should just go ahead and put on the clutch fan I have so I spend 1/2 hour finding studs and everything, only to discover the clutch fan has a bigger bolt pattern. Install brake booster and master cyl. Paint old fan and reinstall. So I go to finish up inside the cab and the brake push rod was on the wrong side of the pedal. I remove the brakelight switch to get some extra room, not quite enough, maybe if I bend the brakelight bumper tab thing out of the way, almost got it, bend that sucker just a bit more-snap. No problem, I'll get one off the junker, take out bolt and discover it is welded on too, use cresent wrench to bend it back and forth for a few minutes to break it off, go chisel and grind off the extra. Chisel off the broken part in the truck, reinstall brake light switch. On to the inner mast to firewall seal, forgot to change it out for the power steering one and the holes don't line up, just forget that until winter when the cold air is coming in and deal with it when it is 20 degrees and I can't feel my fingers. Go to put my vintage Warner trailer brake handle back on the column and it hits the steering wheel now. Take out screws that secure handle so I can bend it in the vise and strip one out, spend 1/2 hour finding a small screw and nut to match. Scratch new paint on column in the whole process.
Also during the couse of the day I decide I might as well put the a/c bracket on but I have already put the fan on and 2 bolts are behind the fan pulley, forget that. Besides I have misplaced one of my idler brackets, spent 1/2 hour looking for it, forget what I was even doing and go to the house for a while.
Tomorrow I tackle changing out the cancellor and getting the horn contact to work. And test drive then center the steering wheel, which usually takes at least 2 or 3 times of pulling the wheel. God I love old trucks

[cobraF100]

I'm glad I'm not the only one making mistakes......

[FORDification]

well, I gotta give you credit for perseverence! I'd have quit before the list got half that long!

[oldschoolrods]

wow it sounds like someone has a case of what i like to call "oldschoolrods disease"