power to manual steering

[RJB]

What else needs changed other than the box, im in the process of starting my power to manual, my power leaks bad and has alot of play. I have a parts
car with manual. Do i have to change the steer wheel or just the shaft? PS i like the way manual looks under the hood, very clean.

 

[johnhinds]

Just need box and pwr to manual coupler or manual steer column, you can just change out the shaft if you can find one.

 

[PettyBlue72]

How do you feel about stick shift?

Every ounce counts! :headbang:

:headbang:

I like power steering in the cars that I used for dating

I've had to work on just about every car I've ever owned because of something leaking with the steering! And that big hunk of cast iron weighs a ton compared to the manual box...and if my wife could drive my Belvedere without bitching about it being hard to steer, anybody can! I'm no Incredible Hulk but I could one hand my 66 into most parking spots. The only time I had to two hand the wheel was when the car wasn't moving at all. Now if you're going with a smaller diameter steering wheel....I can understand wanting ps.

I like 4 spd cars and if my 72 340/727 RR did not have its original motor it would have probably became 440 4 spd but I would still keep the power steering and install a quick ratio power steering box. I would never sacrifice driveability for the tiny gain in performance removing the power steering would give.

 

[Cranky]

Taking weight off the nose of a car is always a plus in driveability. I can't remember the exact weight of a ps unit but it's around about 40 lbs heavier iirc. Throw the battery in the trunk and you got 80 off the front now....then start going with aluminum on the engine and next thing you know, you're lighter up front than a small block by a good bit and last I heard, you can get faster ratio manual boxes or throw on a longer pitman arm on the stocker for an added bit. When I got my 66 Belvedere, it was right at 3400 lbs and it didn't take all that much to get it down to 2950 and that was with the stock ac still on it! My car wasn't a drag car and I drove it daily and it actually handled pretty decent after lowering it a bit, playing with alignment settings, good shocks, wheels and tires and yet it still didn't have sway bars on it. I sure didn't see any negative results having the lowly manual steering on it....and I've had cars with the fast ratio steering so I know what that's all about. It was a 71 340 Cuda but it also weighed in at a hefty 3600 lbs.

 

[johnhinds]

If i go with the fr1506m coupler, how much of the pwr steering column shaft do i need to cut off? I know that coupler is $$$ but by the time you rebuild your old one and buy one of those extensions or even buy another column, it still might be a little cheaper just going the fr1506m route. thanks for the info.