1955-57 Ford Sunliner Fairlane Power Steering Borgeson

[dennislbrooks]

Borgeson Power Steering Conversion Kit - about $1400

I am not usually a Ford guy as I was not raised on them but occasionally, I work on them for a friend. I could not find much and Borgeson only provided minimal instructions for put their aftermarket power steering on a 1995 Sunliner. For reusing the 55 column with column shift they more or less said good luck.

The new Borgeson steering box mounts using the same 3 frame holes as the oe manual box and reuses the oe pitman arm.

I have many pics and will update this post. The oe column has been pushed in 2 inches to allow for heavier drivers and alo the use of another oe Ford steering wheel of less diameter and 2-inch dish - 57 T-Bird.

The bracket for the bottom end of the shifter tube has 2 functions.
1) Hold securely the tube up into the steering column top and hold steady for the shifts.
2) Hold momentary park start switch also changing from the oe neutral only start switch.

This bracket took much of the time pondering.

The oe steering tube required near 10 inches removed. The shaft around 9. and the shift tube about 2 inches. I did place a removable bushing in the bottom end of the steering column tube. The coupler was welded on after assembly making the shaft only removable from the bottom as the coupler is too big to go thru the top. It is weld on to the cut oe shaft. The bottom is 36 splines for the Borgeson.

I still have to figure out the oe horn wire. More coming and probably more pics.

[dennislbrooks]

pics

[dennislbrooks]

pics - I will turn others around later.

[dennislbrooks]

12v would have been nice but the convertible top motors slowed this process. The Generator is a 6-volt alternator. And argh still positive ground.

These are the belts I used for the alternator and the power steering.

Gates 7445 for the PS

Goodyear 17435 for the Alt.

And I have not figured out how to use the OE horn button.

[dennislbrooks]

If you retain the oe exhaust manifold, you will fight to get the 40 thousandths clearance I have here.

[dennislbrooks]

more pics

[dennislbrooks]

I did finally get 3/16-inch clearance with all the grinding above and adding 3/16-inch shims to the bottom front and back holes of the Borgeson mounting plate. What this did is tipped the top slightly toward the left tire.

[dennislbrooks]

Last pic. I started and bled the power steering. Things seem to be fine. May be some tweaking later.