Asked this on the Ford truck group and didn't get much. I've heard somewhere that you could use a Toyota truck steering gear box to add p/s to my old Ford with a straight axle. Anybody heard this, or have an idea which Toyota box you need to use?
============================== Some of the guys with old Chevies have used boxes from older Toyota four-wheel-drive trucks. These both share the same style of drag-link steering.
If your Ford truck still has the sort of steering used in Ford cars through 1948, which I suspect it does, then you may be able to fit the Toyota FWD box with a minimum of fabrication.
Joe
=============================== You might also try asking on this forum:
Which makes sense since many of the old Toyota 4WD trucks were GM designs or specifications.
Personally, I'd look for a later Ford truck which may have a compatible box, but I think probably the OP has already done that and ruled it out as a way...
Yeah, I've got a complete '84 F-150 donor truck and we were looking at swaping bodies, but the '84 is a long bed and I'd have to shorten the frame as well as fabricate the body mounts. I really didn't want to go to that much work. I did find this place, though:
That looks like a complete kit for $800... Were this my project, I'd give that a *lot* of serious consideration, it is much easier to bolt up something that is complete and in (new) condition, instead of playing around with unknown stuff from the junkyard.
Side question: so the box from the 84 won't fit? Why not? (give some details, possibly someone will know of a box that will work then. INlcude stuff like which side of the frame the box is mounted on, length of output shaft, bolt pattern, etc.)
I do restoration and street rod building for a living. I've been doing this for almost 4 years after working at new car dealerships for over 18 years. One thing I've learned in 4 years is that there is no such thing as a "bolt-on" kit, no matter *what* they say on the package.
Box on the '61 is permanently attached to the steering column, mounted on the inside of the frame, steering shaft extends through a hole in the frame and the pitman arm swings fore and aft. Box on the '84 is separate from the column(no biggie, I've got the column too), mounted on the outside of the frame with the steering shaft extending downward. Pitman arm swings side to side.
Looking at the pics on that site, it looks like the Toyota 4x4 box, used with the column outa the '84 will be the ticket. I'm gonna email them and see if they are willing to sell their special pitman arm(set up for Toyota on the top and the old Ford ball and socket on the bottom)without buying the whole kit. Braces and brackets I can fabricate myself.
Now, I will be using bolt-in kits for the engine mounts and trans crossmember, because these I've used before with good results.
Oh... (Yes, you are totally correct... I guess the amount of fabrication is the question.)
Interesting, to say the least. That description helped me visualize what you are facing. Definately a non-typical setup.
I imagine that they'd have to, as current users may well have to replace pitman arms at some point.
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