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My 1950 f1
This is an article from Street Rod Pickups, Sep/Oct 1994.
It Couldn't Get Any Easier Than This!
Power steering is a neat, high-tech touch for any early pickup, but for
1953-56 Ford F-100's it's a downright necessity! Times were very different
when these trucks were designed and introduced to the American journeyman.
A truck was...well...a TRUCK. Only men drove them, for the most part,
and REAL MEN didn't mind a little extra steering effort-or the increasing
vagueness of direction as the truck got older. But, in 1992, things are
different. It's not that we've all turned into sissies or anything, but
it's nice to have power-assist in our hobby truck and, though once common,
few of us will put up with play in the steering wheel anymore. It's not
safe, and let's face it, chasing the truck down the road with the steering
wheel just isn't any fun. While all older trucks were guilty, F-100's
were particularly difficult to steer and developed looseness in the steering
box almost as soon as they were driven off the lot. Forty years of use
hasn't improved the situation and most veteran Ford haulers are badly
in need of a new steering box. So, why not a nice, new power-assisted
unit that'll bolt right into place? Thanks to Bob's F-100 Parts (5650
Arrow Highway, Montclair, CA 91763 714-946-3433) the conversion to power
steering is almost as easy as removing and replacing the stock steering
box. For $395 plus tax and shipping, Bob's can provide a complete power
steering set-up including box and mounting bracket, ready to bolt into
your F-100 by drilling only 3 new holes-two in the frame and one in the
bracket. The box itself is a sturdy unit from a Toyota 4x4-plenty stout
for an F-100-which will plumb into just about any power steering pump
and work just fine. The best part of this swap is that the box will accept
the stock F-100
pitman arm with no modifications-only a bit of grinding to allow the pinch
bolt to be installed. And, the Toyota box uses GM steering column splines,
so a late GM column will bolt right up. Or, by cutting the original Ford
column and welding on a Borgeson Universal Company (187 Commercial Blvd.,
Torrington, CT 06790 - 203-482-8283) splined bushing (Part No.
U15N-730R, 3/4-inch plain on one end with 7-30 splines on the other),
you could retain the stock wheel, column and shifter. A better way, on
which allows easier removal and involves no welding, is to use a Borgeson
Universal joint-Part No. U15N-7DDx730-instead of the weld-on bushing.
This joint is splined to the Toyota steering box on one end, and is fitted
with what Borgeson calls a "Double D" slip fit on the other
end. It will be necessary to grind two flat areas about an inch long on
either side of the F-100 steering shaft (.550 inch between the flats on
the 3/4 inch shaft) to allow the joint to slip into place. It's best,
according to Borgeson, to get the joint first, then modify the shaft to
achieve a tight interference fit. Having
owned more than one nose-dragger F-100 with wide front tires and stock
steering, we'd vote for this easy-to-install set-up in a New York minute.
How 'bout you?
Webmaster's comments
What they didn't mention there is that you can also make the swap on a 1948-52. The bracket and box go in the same way, but you have to get a 53-56 pitman arm. Then you proceed as described in the article. The guy I know who did this on his '50 bought the bracket from Bob's for $50 and the box (1979-1984 Toyota 4x4) from a junkyard. My original source said 80-87 boxes worked. This is apparently incorrect.
July 1999: I got an email from a reader who has done this swap and he says that the stock pitman arm will NOT work with the Toyota box but that you can buy a pitman arm made just for the Toyota swap. Here is the entire email message.
December, 2001: Clarification on compatible boxes for the kit from Bob's. According to Bob's only 1979 to early 1984 will work with their kits. Late 84 and up are different and will not work.
This is a picture of the Toyota power steering box installed on a 50 F1.
Looks a lot like the stock box, doesn't it?
Photo courtesy Wayne Heller
