power steering and solid axle

If I stay with a solid axle in my 46 Ford, what power steering options are available?

 

My friend Dale has a GM power steering gear box and a pump on the engine in his 40 Ford and works great.

 

Try a straight axle Toyota 4x4 steering box. I've a bracket to put one in a 53F-100.

 

Call No Limit Engineering i can't remember their ph# but the have a web site.Just type in the name on a search engine and should come up.But a while back Classic truck did a article with them on putting a power rack on to a solid axle.They make and sell the kits very simple and clean.
I mounted a manual rack on my 34' with a Super Bell axle a few years ago and it turned out slick.
Just an idea.

 

gm box &pump worked on mine

 

any of you guys using a GM box got some close up pictures and info on what box to use and how you mounted it?

 

I've had them with and without power steering. I had a '40 with a Saginaw unit that was marginally OK. I also had a couple of Mustang II units that were outright dangerous.

I prefer without P/S for better road feel and handling. I don't use it and don't need it on my '47 Ford Sedan Delivery. Still have the stock box and straight axle with P185/60R15 radial tires. No problems for me, my wife or anyone else that's driven it.

A power steering unit with too much assist removes all road feel and feedback through the steering to the driver.

One of the biggest mistakes most folks make is replacing the large diameter stock steering wheel with one of those smaller replacement custom steering wheels.

The decrease in diameter means ya' loose your mechanical advantage when turning the wheel, especially at parking lot speeds. Then they say, "Oh, I need power steering now". When in fact, they just need to replace the steering wheel.

There must be some weak armed folks out there today. My 86 year old 5' tall mother and alot of other women used to drive those old cars with no power steering and didn't complain. AND, I don't want to hear about radial tires increasing steering efforts. This is BS, it's not significant enough to even talk about.

I'd invest in some barbells instead of power steering .

 

there are many options for that car...the 605 , 700, 600 gears will all work and have brackets and pitman arms made for them...the 700/800 is nice because it has a slower ratio at the center (comfy feeling on the hwy) and a quicker ratio on the outsde(for parking lot manuvers)..hope that helps...if I can be of more help call me at Borgeson...I promise I wont try to sell ...I just want to help if I can...BC

 

I used a box fron an 85 olds 88 and a bracket that I got from speedway motors,The thing works good,I,m happy with it.I can get a picture if I get your e-mail addy.
I used a g.m. tilt wheel on mine and the rag joint is all g.m. too.
I have close to 10,000 miles on it now.
russ

 

i used a s-10 box mounted to the frame,cut around hole and stuck the splines out to accept the pittman arm it is a traditional steer set up works good

 

I did a one for a customer a few years ago that used a 605 in a 32 Ford, cross steer style and other than being a little bulky compared to a Vega box it worked fine.

 

Thanks for the help. I have a box out of a 83 Hurst Olds. Am not that familiar with the boxs to know what number it is but I think it is the slow ratio box. Would this work like you describe. Who makes the brackets and pitman arms?