More on power steering problems

Question:

Your answer to Jerry Smith (“Adjusting steering wheel play,” regarding a 1966 F-100 in the January issue) did an excellent job of going through the basics of power steering diagnosis and repair. Ford introduced its integral power steering gear on the 1965 full size cars and in the middle of 1966 one of their genius engineers decided to do away with the lower sector shaft bushing and allow the steel sector shaft to run directly on the cast iron of the case. The result was just what you might expect, sector shafts flopping back and forth. Ford’s repair for this is a bushing and seal kit, part #D7AZ3E501-A. It is still available from Ford. The bushing, which is really a steel ring, is inserted into the sector bore until it finds virgin metal.

Alternate approaches would be looking for a late 1979 gear (150/130 two wheel drive) with tag #spa cc or cn. (Ford went back to installing a bushing on the late 1979 cars and trucks) or, of course,

disassembling the old gear and having a machine shop put in a new bushing.

By the way, the ’69-’79 truck gears will not interchange with the car gears. The case and sector shaft is much longer than the car gear in order for the gear to work with the truck steering geometry.

Answer:

Thank you for the additional insight.