STEERING SYSTEM |
Buying Used Parts & Cores |
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POWER CYLINDERS: Ford power cylinders were made by Bendix and have an ID code and date code stamped into the metal tube. Use this chart to identify cylinders and to compare appilactions and dimensions for interchange. Many cars have had the cylinder replaced over the years, so just because a cylinder is mounted to a car, doesn't mean it is the correct cylinder. There are several different mounting angles and many different tube, rod and threaded lengths. Make sure the cylinder you want is correct for your application or your steering linkage may not have the travel and geometry it should. |
• First you want to make sure the rod that goes in and out of the cylinder is straight.
These rods are easily bent from running up on things, header drop brackets and driving without the hydraulics working. If possible, with the rod end disconnected from the frame bracket, and the hoses disconnected, pull the rod in and out of the cylinder by hand. There may be a slight drag, but it should go all the way in and out with no really tight spots. A rod that has a little bit of a bow to it may have a slight drag spot to it at some point, but should still move past the tight spot with no problem. If the rod doesn't go full travel, or has a really tight spot in it, then the inner piston is dented or rusted up. If the rod feels rough going in and out, the inner surface is rust pitted. Either of these conditions means the cylinder is not worth rebuilding. • The outer cylinder tube may be dented in one or more places. Shallow dents may not hurt the unit since there is an inner cylinder that houses the piston. As long as the dent isn't deep enough to dent the inner tube, then the rod should move freely past the dented area and be good. If the rod binds about where a deep dent is located, then the inner tube is damaged and the cylinder is no good. • Check the surface of the rod. It has a hard chrome finish that must be smooth to seal properly. You will notice that only part of the rod goes through the seals and into the cylinder. This is the area you must check. Surface damage on the outer section of the rod is only cosmetic and will not affect the operation of the cylinder. • Make sure the working surface of the rod is smooth. There must not be any rust pitting. Scratches in the rod surface are from dirt accumulating on the seals, usually from running the cylinder without a stretch boot, and will also damage the seals. There may be a round or oval area on the rod where the hard chrome finish has been rubbed off. This is from the rod being bent and binding and rubbing in the cylinder. If any of the working surface of the rod is damaged in any of these ways, the rod will not seal properly and is not good for rebuilding. • Check the outer end of the rod where the frame bushings mount. Sometimes the end is slightly bent and can be straightened out. Sometimes the rod is thin and worn away because it did not have a spacer inside the bushings and the rod has rubbed against the frame bracket, as shown here. If the rod end is too thin, it may easily bend and cause the car to steer dangerously. • Check the swivel stud on the other end of the cylinder. It should not have any play in its socket. Make sure the threads are not flattened or damaged on the end because of removal with a hammer. |
Do not worry if the stretch boot on the rod, the frame mount bushings, the swivel
stud boot or the hose tube seats are damaged or missing. All these parts are available
and should be replaced during a proper rebuild. |
FORD PUMPS: The Ford/Thompson style pump was used from 1965 to 1978. It came in many variations including filler neck diameter and angle, pressure hose fitting size and location, return hose nipple style and mounting studs. The front housing bolt pattern is the same on all of them, so most pumps will physically bolt up to any Ford pump bracket. However, not all canister designs will fit every bracket or engine, so it is best to make sure what pump you need. Go to this page for a breakdown of the codes on the ID tag, and go here to see pictures of the common pumps found on early Mustangs. |
• The main problem with a used pump is corrosion from water getting inside. If still
mounted in a car, cut or remove the return hose and see what drains out. If possible, turn the pump upside down and see if any water comes out. If the pump has been exposed to the elements without a filler plug, it probably has water inside and is ruined. • Turn the pulley or pump by hand. If it is locked up, or turns a short way before locking up, the campack inside is probably rusted up and the whole pump may be ruined. The pump should turn over fairly smoothly, but it may have a few spots where it builds a little compression as the fluid moves inside. This is not a problem if it seems smooth and doesn't grind when you turn it. • Make sure the return hose nipple on the back is the style that is needed on your car. Many aftermarket rebuilt and replacement pumps have a different shaped nipple or the nipple is turned in a different direction that the correct pump. This can cause problems when the return hose doesn't fit it correctly or the nipple forces the hose against the engine or exhaust. • If there is no pulley on the pump, check the input shaft where it goes through the front seal. If the shaft is rusted in this area, then it is probably rusted where the seal rides also and this would have to be replaced. • When looking for the brackets to mount the pump to the engine, remember that while certain brackets sets will physically bolt onto a particular engine family, they may not always clear air conditioning compressors and other engine mounted parts. • Many people do not know how to properly tighten the pump belt and usually use a bat or pry bar between the pump can and the mounting bracket to move the pump on the adjustment bracket. This puts a big, deep dent on the side of the pump can towards the engine. This area can be hard to see, depending on the brackets and accessories mounted to the engine. If you are looking for a nice undented can, always check this area for damage. |
If you are looking at a pump with the intention of changing the outer canister, remember
- because of the locations of the pressure fitting and mounting bolt holes
on the back of the pump can, not all cans will interchange. Sometimes internal
pieces must be swapped out also to change out cans. Some cans like the 1965-1966
Galaxie look almost like a Mustang can, but the two holes on the back of
the can are in slightly different locations and they will not interchange. Because all front housing castings have the same bolt pattern and shape, and the input shafts are the same lengths, what determines how the pump sits on the engine in relation to the crankshaft pulley is the mounting brackets and pulley. You can mix and match a lot of brackets and pulleys to fit the pump on your engine, but the pulley may not line up with the crank or water pump pulley. |
EATON PUMPS: The Eaton style pump was used on most Ford passenger cars before 1965, but was used on everything from big Ford trucks to tractors. Because these pumps are usually so old, it is getting hard to find good rebuildable units. None of the internal hard parts are available new, so good parts are hard to find. |
• Remove the reservoir lid and check for rust or water in the pump. If water has
been in the pump for any length of time, then the internals are probably ruined. • Turn the pump over by hand. If it is locked up, or turns a bit before locking up, then it is rusted inside. • If the pump has spent any time in the rain, even if the reservoir was closed and the hoses hooked up, chances are wtaer has gotten on the input shaft where it goes into the front seal and the shaft will be rust pitted in that area and will have to be replaced. |
While most Eaton pumps are physically the same on the outside, there is two different
rear housings that make a difference on what mounting brackets will fit and
what engine they go on. To see the difference between a front-mount pump and
a rear-mount pump, go here for pictures. Usually, on the early Ford Mustang, the V8 cars used a fron-mount
pump and the six-cylinders used a rear-mount pump. |
MISCELLANEOUS PARTS: Many steering linkage parts and mounting brackets are year and model specific, so be sure of what will correctly fit on your car when looking for parts. Many parts and assemblies found at swap meets and on Ebay are listed improperly or deliberately misrepresented. Click on the links below to go to pages showing pictures and information on other parts. |