Anybody Change to a Saginaw PS Pump for their 351C Car?

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4mm

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S. TX
My Car
1971 Mustang 351C 4V Fastback
I am thinking of changing the oem PS pump for a Saginaw PS pump. I hear they are a better pump and you get better road feel. I was also contemplating on sending the steering box to Lee Engineering so they can work their magic on it. Lee Engineering also had a pump specific to their borgeson boxes but I don't like the look of them. They are extra capacity and they have a tall filler neck.

Anybody done any changes similar to this and what were your experiences? Hard to install? Good results?

Thanks in advance.

 
Decided to get the OEM ps pump reworked by Lee Engineering. I'll also be sending in the steering box so they can be matched.

 
Please let us know how it works. I am contemplating the same. Also, what steering ratio are you going with?

 
I believe I am going with 12:1. I am going to remove the box soon and send it in. The pump should be on its way back soon.

I had a 69 Camaro with a Lee box, best steering improvement I ever made. I had a Steeriods rack n pinion set up before but didn't like the long turning radius. The Lee box provided great feedback.

 
The 429 I dropped in my hardtop did not have PS or even a PS bracket so I went with buying a Saginaw pump from RockAuto.com for about $50 give or take. I believe I got the right pump by searching 70's Ford Van's or early 70's Lincoln's as these were some of the few Ford's that had these style pumps. The important thing to note is your car is not set up for hydroboost and these pumps come with or without hydroboost so make sure you get one without. If you want cheap PS brackets, find a 70s van or early 70s Lincoln in the junkyard and pull it off. Otherwise CVF racing sells lightweight aluminum brackets for about $90. I will let you know how the pump works out when I hook it up this week!

 
Hello afeng79,

Wow, the 429 engine power steering pump brackets are some major pieces for the 1971 - 1973 Mustangs. Here is the FMC illustration of the brackets.

hwegy8.jpg


Source: Ford Master Parts Catalog, Copyright May 1975, Page 11

mustang7173

 
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Sorry to Hijack....

If it is an early Saginaw pump, the pressure hose should bolt up the same? I think they changed to metric on later models?

Is it as simple as buying a Saginaw pump and 351W bracket off ebay? (I have a 351W in my car)

 
Please let us know how it works. I am contemplating the same. Also, what steering ratio are you going with?

I believe I am going with 12:1. I am going to remove the box soon and send it in. The pump should be on its way back soon.

I had a 69 Camaro with a Lee box, best steering improvement I ever made. I had a Steeriods rack n pinion set up before but didn't like the long turning radius. The Lee box provided great feedback.
Well Lee engineering has closed its doors due to Tom having health issues. I did re get my pump reworked by them but I never managed to get a chance to send in my gear box.

I know Turn One does great work but they are very expensive. Any other alternatives you guys recommend?

 
Most of you already know the 71-3 Mustangs with variable-ratio power steering used the General Motors Saginaw box. I would think the pump is Saginaw too but not sure? Here is a related article from Hemmings Motor News:

http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2007/09/01/hmn_feature21.html

Here is more info from the Ford Facts Book used by the salesmen to help show the spec and features of these cars:

MANUAL STEERING

Mustang's manual steering system is a parallelogram link­ age type with a cross link and idler arm. This system offers more positive control of the car under all driving condi­tions with a minimum of steering effort. Features of the manual steering system include:

Cross-link bar positioned to improve directional sta­bility and reduce oversteer.

The steering shaft control assembly is driven by re­ circulating ball bearings in a closed channel for re­duced friction. The "Magic-Circle" steering gear is filled with a life-time lubricant which never needs changing under normal circumstances. See page C-22 for steering specifications.

POWER STEERING

A new power steering system is optional on all 1971 Mustang models. The system utilizes the standard manual steering linkage and Ford's "Better Idea", "Fluidic Con­ trol" power steering pump that supplies extra power when you need it and "coasts" at high speeds. Functioning through a unique, patented "fluidic" control, the pump forces the maximum amount of fluid through the system at low speeds for easier parking. At highway speeds, it reduces the fluid flow to provide a good "feel" of the road and save on engine horsepower. Other features of the unit include:

Power unit integral with recirculating ball steering gear.

Integral control valve provides instant response to wheel movement.

A torsion bar element is used in the steering shaft to provide a precise feel of the road.

An overall steering ratio of 21.8:1 provides fast re­sponsive steering.

3.9 turns of the steering wheel lock-to-lock is 12% faster than manual steering.

VARIABLE RATIO STEERING GEAR-a variable

ratio steering gear is provided when power steering is ordered on a vehicle equipped with the competition suspension. With variable ratio steering, a special gear is used that gives a rapidly reducing ratio as the wheel is turned beyond center. This gives the driver the benefits of quick ratio steering without the steering being super-sensitive. Quicker, more responsive steering and handling is a result of this steering/suspension combination.

POWER STEERING

A new power steering system is optional on all 1971 Mustang models. The system utilizes Ford's "Better Idea," "Fluidic Control" power steering pump that supplies extra power when you need it for parking, and reduces power flow at highway speeds to provide a good "feel" of the road and save on engine horsepower.

The power steering option includes a variable ratio gear on models equipped with competition suspension. ]

STEERING SPECIFICATIONS

Linkage . . . . . . . . . . . . Parallelogram with cross-link

Gear Type . . . . . . . . . . . . Recirculating Ball and Nut

Overall Steering Ratio

-Manual 27.7:1

-Power 22.1 :1

Steering Wheel Turns (lock to lock)

-Manual 4.46

-Power 3.94

-Power Variable Ratio 3.17

Turning Diameter (curb to curb) 39.8

Steering Wheel Diameter 15.0

Constant Ratio Power Steering except with competition suspension. Variable Ratio included with competition suspension @ 15.7: 1 overall steering ratio.

Ray

 
Hello 4mm,

I went to http://www.powersteering.com/ and had the 12.7:1 Fast Ratio Steering Gearbox Conversion Service option installed. As recommended by http://www.powersteering.com/, I purchased a new P/S pump and new hoses.

http://www.powersteering.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/PowerSteering0408.pdf

mustang7173
Thanks for the info guys, it's been very helpful.

Mustang 7173, have you installed the parts and was it a noticeable improvement? Did you rebuild your oem pump or go with the saginaw style? Do you have any issue with the steering returning back to center? I apologize for all the questions.

TIA.

 
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4mm - I mentioned in my PM to you that the Saginaw bracket from a 351M/400 may work. In retrospect, this may not be the case, as I don't recall either the 351C or the 400/351M having bosses on the front of the block; thus, the brackets must fit into the heads - which may present its own set of difficulties.

For instance, this is the '79+ (for Lincoln, anyway) aluminum bracket, which relies partially on the A/C bracket for additional support - and it also bolts through to the head (which on the 351C would be lower and closer inboard to the crank):

photo-vi.jpg


Making that thing work would be difficult. I don't have a photo or recall exactly how the stamped-steel '78 type fit.

Alternately, this fellow was able to modify a 460 Saginaw pump mount to work:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/ford/398971-351-cleveland-power-steering.html

-Kurt

 
That will work! Do you have the complete KRC pulley kit or just the PS kit? I can't tell if you have a 351C or Windsor.

 
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