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Steer in the Right Direction with Ease! - Power Steering Install

CPP's New Power Steering Kit for '57-60 F-100s
By Grant Peterson
Photography by Grant Peterson
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
A tasty spread of parts from... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
A tasty spread of parts from CPP, ididit, and Lecarra. CPP supplies the power steering box, hose kit, pitman arm, drag link, and floor plate/bottom column support, while the tilt column, knobs, and column drop are from ididit. Lecarra makes the beautiful cut-down 15-inch '40 Ford steering wheel and adapter for GM splined shafts.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Jeff gets started on dismantling... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Jeff gets started on dismantling the "Armstrong" steering. Don't forget a steering wheel puller, because no matter how tuff you think you might be, you'll probably wind up hurting yourself one way or the other and have to buy a puller anyway, so let's all work smarter, not harder.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Once the wheel was off and... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Once the wheel was off and the column drop unbolted, Abel worked on removing the pitman arm. When the cross-bolt is out, the pitman arm may come off by hand depending on how rusty it is. Ours wasn't bad, but a puller could be used here, too.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
With the old box out and the... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
With the old box out and the frame cleaned up, it is time to mark the one new hole you need to mount the Toyota power steering box. Surprisingly, the two rearward original holes line up with the new box's mount. CPP supplies a paper template with the new bolt pattern on it, and with a light on the inside of the frame it's easy to line up with the two original holes like Abel and Jeff are doing here.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
The light shines through the... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
The light shines through the holes in the frame, so it's a snap to get in the right spot. When it's right, tape it in place.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
With a center or transfer... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
With a center or transfer punch, mark the center of the new front hole according to the template and drill it out to 3/8 inch.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
The pitman arm hole needs... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
The pitman arm hole needs to be opened up just a hair. You can do this with a drum sander or even a file if need be; just check that the box fits without any interference.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Who doesn't like getting the... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Who doesn't like getting the grinder out? The top edge of the framerail above the pitman arm hole also needs a shave to clear the new box. Again, keep trying until it fits.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Here's CPP's machined solid... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Here's CPP's machined solid steel mount for the Toyota box. It bolts to the box with the four provided bolts before going into the frame.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
The new box goes in pretty... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
The new box goes in pretty much just like the old one, except you don't have to jimmy a steering shaft back into place since the ididit column will go directly into the rag joint on the steering box. You might also notice the Toyota box's diminutive size; that's why it works so well, and why they're getting hard to find today. The 4x4 guys have been scooping them up for years. CPP is working on manufacturing their own soon.
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
When the box is back in the... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
When the box is back in the chassis, the center of the rotation had to be found so the pitman arm could be installed in the 6 o'clock position, which would leave equal rotation to turn left or right. with that taken care of, we put the impact gun on the pitman arm nut and installed the new drag link. Don't forget to put the cotter pins in the castle nuts after they're tightened down!
Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Everything worked out pretty... 
   
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Ford F100 Power Steering Install
Everything worked out pretty nicely when it was all connected to the steering arm, which was previously heated up and bent down the same amount of drop the CPP dropped axle has to keep the steering geometry correct and avoid bumpsteer.

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