Well I have been using the FR gear for about 4 years now. When I first got it there was 0 free play but was very stiff. After a few hundred miles it freed up quite a bit (very acceptable for non rack MS) but free play ended up being about +- 7/8 of an inch or 1.75" from one side of the freeplay zone then past center and to the other side...that's a conservative number too actual free play is probably +- 1/8 less or 1.5" end to end

The FR is a good box I would have been super happy if free play was 3/4" end to end but as it stands now you don't really notice it unless you go out of your way to pay attention to it (a lot like breathing) and the box its self has performed flawless.

-Gun

 

If you pay attention to craigslist, classifieds, and ebay, I bet you can find a p/s box core for under $100.

 

If you perform the same adjustment scheme Ford outlined for the OE box, it'll probabl;y tighten up a bit.

 

Yeah I was considering that...

 

Ok I have started the search on Craigslist for a 16:1 sterring box. So when I am looking at steering boxes on ebay/craigslist i only see amnual and powersteering boxes, so what am I looking for or what did the 16:1 boxes come on only GT's.

Devious Fred said I could use a powersteering box? I dont want a P/S box right. It has hoses in and out right? Sorry to sound stupid? Oak

 

Hi, no it's a non-integral box, no hoses going to/from it, looks just like a manual box from the outside. Here's a chart to tell you which boxes are which ratio, just ask the seller for the tag # on the box to make sure. In ~'68 they switched to a short output shaft for collapseable column, also note that mid '67 they changed from a 1" sector shaft to a 1.125" sector shaft to match your pitman to. You'll probably want to look for a '65-5/67 box:
http://www.stangerssite.com/steeringboxtagdecoder.html

Randy's site is a weatlh of info./knowlegde, he's rebuilt all my PS parts flawlessly.
Jon

 

Oak, actually you will want a PS box. The only cars that came with a 16:1 were GTs and PS cars. Finding a GT box aside from being nearly impossible will cost you an arm and a leg. Finding a PS box will be much easier and affordable. The PS on these cars has little to nothing to do with the steering boxes but rather a hydraulic ram mounted on the drag link. The PS box bolts right in and is actually hard to tell apart from a MS box without the tags.

Fred

 

Ok now I get it, I thought the PS boxes had hydraulics in them so I will start to search for 5/6 PS box! Thanks Oak

 

Ok I dont have my old box out yet, I found a PS box on the internet, the guy wants to sell me the shaft with the box and told me it was really a big deal to seperate the shaft from the box. I have never taken one out and thought i was going to simply take the box off the frame and leave the shaft?

Is this guy just tryin to get me for more cash w the shaft or is it true ?
He wants 100 bucks for everything and I found a place 50 miles form me to rebuild it for 175.
I want to offer him 50 bucks at the most? Thanks Oak

 

No..yeah that's true...you dont separate the box from the shaft...even the FR box comes with the the shaft installed....you think thats bad wait until you have to remove the driver side engine mount, the mount perch, then jack up the engine and remove the oil pan to get the damn thing installed.