My 1967 Mustang has the standard "non-power" steering, and I plan on converting that to power steering to make things, well easier.

My questions are this. Since I am going to use the car as a "daily driver", should I worry about "power steering"? Should I consider to do Rack and Pinion steering? I ask because I don't have a $2000 to spend on steering. What are the benefits of rack and pinion?

I saw a part somewhere to add power steering to the car which was about $600, which was what I was planning. Will that be "good enough" for what I am looking for?

Any advice/knowledge that people can give would be entirely appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

The stock power steering is atrocious, so yes, consider R&P powered or not. If your front tires are not too wide and grippy, manual R&P is livable.

 

I looked into R&P, it will reduce the turning radius. This may or may not be a problem for you, depends on how much time you spend in parking lots. The other option is Borgeson, this was on my short list. People who have used it love it and its an easy install.

 

Where would I find the parts for a Borgeson steering?

 

I think you mean the opposite, it will increase the radius. You can't turn as tightly.
And is this Borgeson option?
http://www.borgeson.com/mustang.html
If so, it still has all the extra joints of the stock steering system, which is half of the problem. The other half is the power ram actuator that depends on slop to work correctly. The steering box itself is the least of the problem.

 

I dissagree with most on this subject. The factory power steering works very well if maintained properly. Folks neglect them and don't maintain them and when they start leaking they start cussing them and call them junk. Not true.

If your buget is $600 about the only way to get power steering on the car for that is to check the local Craig's list in your area and see what you can find. Patients is the key to finding a good used unit. Expect to have to rebuild the control valve and replace all the hoses.

You will need the pump and engine brackets, the control valve, center link and ram, the bracket for the ram that attaches to the frame, the hose bracket the keeps the hoses from moving around. It should take you a weekend and then get it aligned on Monday and you will be done.

On a mostly stock car I would not bother with rack and pinion and you can't get that done with the money you want to spend anyway.

 

Well...I went from factory power steering that was up to spec and then upgraded to factory manual steering to get back the road feel that a brand new factory PS setup will not provide. Much of the steering play was gone, but all the linkages contributed to it still.
Since modern cars use R&P I though I'd try it and have no regrets, steering play or lack of road feel.
But hey, I've only tried all three, so what do I know...
By the way, I have parts for factory manaul and power steering for sale

 

TOTALLY CORRECT!!

The Rack systems are great if you enjoy backing up a time or two get in the Local Walmart parking space, or like to cross the centerline when turning out of the drive way--Especially when you child is driving.

Then you have the folks that bash the original, great working system. It is not the system, it is the unknowledge, non capability, poor install that creates the bad feedback. If you have mechanic knowledge it works great. If none, it won't work. Just that D-- simple.

Dan @ Chockostang

 

The only thing wrong with the factory p/s system is the fact that it's overboosted and provides essentially zero feedback to the driver. I like my manual steering because I get great road feel with it. Nothing to do with slop, however, which shouldn't exist in a properly operating p/s system.

Power R&P systems give you increased road feel, but they're expensive and do tend to increase turning radius.

The Borgeson box gets rid of the clunky power steering assist ram and uses hydraulic power to assist the box itself. The downside to this option is that you'd have to replace half of your current steering system with manual steering components. Not as cheap an option as it initially sounds.

 

A properly set-up and adjusted stock Bendix power steering and wheel alignment has sufficient "feedback". The spool valve and external power cylinder is identical to that used on Corvettes (I don't hear complaints about "crappy Corvette power steering"), and very similar to that used on decades of military aircraft flight controls. I personally prefer manual steering, but have driven dozens of Mustangs with PS, and never felt any lack of "feel". Maybe I'm just more sensitive.