Manual Steering

I've read several threads on converting from power to manual but no one has talked about this adapter that I've found

http://www.autokrafters.com/v4/go.g...d=687&yearId=1976&&ACESSearch=1&product=31391

Anyone have an opinion? It's pricey but cheaper than buying the drag link and pitman arm new. Sure would be a whole lot easier to do as well

This is going in a 76 Mav

 

I had a 74 power steering car, All you need to do is remove all the power stuff and change to a manual pitman arm... But if you don't change the steering box its a little hard to turn sitting still.... The manual box makes steering easier... I drove my 74 grabber for 5 years after I got used to non power it was great.... The power box is less turns lock to lock....

 

You mean you changed the pitman arm and the center link right? The issue is the control valve is on the center link and without hydraulic pressure to it there will be a lot of slop in the steering.

Not concerned about being hard to turn but I am worried about slop at 115 MPH.

I had entertained the idea of taking the control valve off, taking it apart and making it solid somehow but then I found that adapter. It's pricey so I was looking for someone who has used it to comment on it's quality and functionality.

 

I just pulled the valve off just left two mounting holes . The center link worked fine for me.. the car is raced now with same center link in it...

 

This HAS been addressed several times on here.

Several options...

There is a kit that locks up the valve. Weak point is the ball joint in the valve.

The powervalve adapter.

Convert to complete manual setup with or without the power box.

 

Hello, my 72 Mav has one and it work great. I have 215/65/16 on my car . It is good as get for the money. It is a litter harder parking compare to when it had power steering. But to me it worth not spending the money to rebuild the power steering or converting to a true manual steering set up. On the road it feel great. I would do it again.

 

I went full manual conversion, and there is pretty much no play anymore. Also, no puddles of steering fluid on garage floor, and no griming hoses in the engine bay.

I tried it with the power box and manual box, and did a write-up about the difference in the steering. http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?t=28363&highlight=power+manual+steering

 

Thanks for the info all.

Looks like the adapter is the way to go and the idea of gutting that valve not a particularly good one. I know a few guys running Mustangs with out doing any kind of conversion but they have lots of slop in the steering and it appears just a mtter of time before they break the valve.

 

Someone on here had one, and they didn't like it. Or maybe it was the price.....

 

I would imagine you can get a manual setup for under that price. I sold my setup to jayman for like 80 bucks. But now i wish i would have kept it

 

i paid only $100 for complete manual setup. Wasn't too big a deal to swap it out, either.

 

I bought a whole car for $100, and it was manual steering.

 

ok ok I'll go to the "classic" junk yard tomorrow geez

With the motor out this is the time to do a steering box swap if I'm gunna. Heck the column is already disconnected and removed from the car and the ram is off so I'm most of the way there

hopefully I can find a good deal on the swap parts. I know there are 8 or 10 mavs there and I need a v8 cross member anyway.

 

......
I used that adapter valve in your link (http://www.autokrafters.com/v4/go.gn...&product=31391)
...it sucked...it had more slop than the stock wiggly valve. I changed to manual from a ...69.5...:Handshake

 

Well I got the whole set up from the wreckers for 135. Imagine that! It was actually cheaper to do it right.

Thanks to gageman for the offer on his parts but I didn't see it until just now.