power steering question

[zigs]

Going to add power steering to my 68 Dart this fall , I would like some input .
Who uses what Federal or Saginaw .? when changing steering box from manual to power will the Pitman arm need to be changed ? This is on a 400 block . Any input will help.

 

[Bruzilla]

Can't help on the box, but my car had a Saginaw when it had the 360 and now has a Federal that came with the 440. They are about the same to me, but my Federal was leaking for a bit and I noticed replacing them is more expensive than a Saginaw.

 

[moper]

I just put it on a 383 in a '68 Barracuda. I would get a new pitman arm and use the Federal pump and bracket. Watch the pulley size on the pump and use the shortest belt that will fit - too large a pump pulley, or too long of a belt and the belt will rub on the water pump pulley. The early PS box has a smaller flare fitting that will fit with the early hose. Later boxes have the larger flare and need the larger hose. However, the fittings themselves interchange so the important thing is the flare fitting matching the hose. IMO the smaller flare fitting hose fits better (especially with any factory type manifolds).

 

[eagleone1983]

Both the Federal and Saginaw have rebuild kits. I rebuilt my Federal pump, wasn't too much of a chore. The hardest part was trying to get the pulley off. Having said that I don't think you can buy new caps for Federal pumps and my cap is garbage so it leaks a little bit from the cap.

 

[Yatzee]

Going to add power steering to my 68 Dart this fall , I would like some input .
Who uses what Federal or Saginaw .? when changing steering box from manual to power will the Pitman arm need to be changed ? This is on a 400 block . Any input will help.

Go Saginaw as they're highly reliable, cheap to replace, easier to modify and there are more mounting bracket options for Saginaw than Federal. Get your PS steering box installed first before determining if the Pitman needs replacing. It's easy to measure the length and observe the angle before ordering a new one if necessary.

 

[furyus]

I did this on my 340 Dart. I used the Saginaw box. The pressure can be reduced for better feel. I think the pitman arm is the same. I think later boxes have larger splines. Not 100 %on that. Will need a coupler for a ps box. They are different from ms.

 

[5.7 hemi]

I'm doing the same thing on my 69' Dart GT 383 4spd. I have the Saginaw pump and will be using the new Borgenson power steering box. I also have TTI headers, so everything will work together. The pitman arm changed size from 1.125 to 1.250 (1 1/8 to 1 1/4) in 72 or 73. So yours should be the smaller one.

 

[5.7 hemi]

Saginaw pump..,

 

[zigs]

Can't help on the box, but my car had a Saginaw when it had the 360 and now has a Federal that came with the 440. They are about the same to me, but my Federal was leaking for a bit and I noticed replacing them is more expensive than a Saginaw.

How about hose fitment. Which seems to plumb better

 

[zigs]

I did this on my 340 Dart. I used the Saginaw box. The pressure can be reduced for better feel. I think the pitman arm is the same. I think later boxes have larger splines. Not 100 %on that. Will need a coupler for a ps box. They are different from ms.[/QUOTE
73 was the change over

Go Saginaw as they're highly reliable, cheap to replace, easier to modify and there are more mounting bracket options for Saginaw than Federal. Get your PS steering box installed first before determining if the Pitman needs replacing. It's easy to measure the length and observe the angle before ordering a new one if necessary.

Yes already thought about that . It all pretty much centers around the gear box. My concern on the box swap was the out put shaft being the same manual or power ,in my case "68" to "68" which they should be.

 

[zigs]

I'm doing the same thing on my 69' Dart GT 383 4spd. I have the Saginaw pump and will be using the new Borgenson power steering box. I also have TTI headers, so everything will work together. The pitman arm changed size from 1.125 to 1.250 (1 1/8 to 1 1/4) in 72 or 73. So yours should be the smaller one.

I'm using Shumuacher header

 

[5.7 hemi]

Haven't done the hoses yet, still need to order the box.

 

[zigs]

Haven't done the hoses yet, still need to order the box.

I like the Federal pump but I think I'm going to go Saginaw just for the fact of availability and cost. I will start with the box first and build around it.