Borgeson Install for Beginners.....Like Me

[Big Secz 26]

WARNING: This thread is for BEGINNERS. If you are a pro and have been wrenching for years, you might as well not even read this. I’m not a pro and started this thread for those like me with limited mechanical experience who is tired of paying someone $80/hr. to work on our cars. If you are a pro and you wish to read, please only leave comments if they are constructive. Like I said I know I am no pro and don’t need someone pointing out my ineptitude.

 

This install is of the Borgeson Power Steering Upgrade Kit supposed to be designed to use with a stock power steering pump.

Day 1: Removal of the Power Steering Control Valve

Special Tools Required:

Tie Rod Separator (AKA Pickle Fork)

Today wasn’t as productive as I would have liked it to have been. I spent the better part of my time assessing the situation before turning a wrench. Not to mention I had to take care of some work issues, I work from home so it makes working on projects difficult at times.

1) The first step is to disconnect all power steering lines from the steering ram and the power steering control valve. I had one line where the line nut was rounded so I simply cut the rubber power steering line. The kit comes with two new lines so I wasn’t concerned.

2) With the power steering lines removed and, if you are like me, power steering fluid everywhere, the next step is to remove the three bolts holding the steering ram to the frame. Be sure to have a pan under the ram as power steering fluid will pour out of the holes where the lines used to be.

3) Lower the arm out of the way, you now have access to the cotter pin and castle nut attaching the power steering control valve to the pitman arm. Remove the cotter pin and castle nut.

4) There is a “rotating stop pin†which runs through the end of the control valve and the threaded arm it’s attached to, it’s located near where the clamp is. My pin was missing. Remove this pin.

5) Remove the bolt through the clamp at the end of the power steering control valve.

6) Use the pickle fork to separate the pitman arm from the power steering control valve. The simply unscrew the control valve from the threaded steering rod.

That’s all I was able to accomplish today and where I ran into an issue. I didn’t have a socket to fit the pitman arm nut attached to the steering box. A 1 ¼†socket was too small. I believe it’s a 1 ½†socket that is required.

Next steps should be unbolting the rag joint and steering box. I will probably remove the steering box with the pitman arm attached, thinking it would be easier to use the pitman arm puller out in the open instead of wedged under the car.

I should be able to get started on Day 2 on Thursday.

[jmlay 80]

The local autoparts store will likely rent you a socket for the pitman arm nut. I would NOT remove the box before removing the nut & separating the pitman arm room the splines! I am sure it has been on there for many years, likely since new, & will not want to come off. AS an example I changed the pitman on my 2001 lightning that has never seen salt or snow & finally ended up making relief cuts in the arm before it would come off with the puller.

 

The pitman arm puller is NOT to be used with air tools, you may get away with it or you may strip the threads. I would spray the pitman arm every day for a couple of days before trying to pull it. Put as much tension as you can on the puller with a breaker bar & socket. Then take a 3lb or so hammer, not a claw hammer, and give the head of the puller a couple of sharp wacks. If it does not pop try to put some more tension on it with the beaker bar & socket, repeat with the hammer. If it does not budge you may put more tension with a cheater pup on the end of the breaker bar but bee careful! Lastly you may need to heat the pitman arm with a torch, Oxy-Acetylene. If you do not have an Oxy-Acetylene you can go to your local home store & get a MAP gas torch, this is the yellow bottle. Once heated tighten again & wack with the hammer, it should pop. If that does not get it you are in trouble!!! ;-)

[Big Secz 26]

Thanks for the input. I'll take everything you said into consideration.

[7tRedMach 10]

Thanks for the updates, keep them coming.

[andykbob 10]

Yes, keep it coming. When I buy my kit, this will be my bible lol

[Big Secz 26]

Sure will. That's why I started this. It really helps too when viewers like Jmlay provide input based on experiences. Even though I'm not experienced mechanically I follow directions really well. I searched all over for detailed instructions on how to do this install and couldn't find any. There were plenty of basic instructions but most of which weren't '69 - '70 Mustangs and typically weren't cars that were already put together. This theread is for the person with a daily driver that is looking to make improvements. I'll do my best to make this a useful thread.

[rangerdoc 22]

Any chance you can add some pictures as you go along? This is something I plan to do next spring.

[jmlay 80]

A you tube vid for you just for fun, no that is not me. ;-)

 

[Big Secz 26]

Quick correction. I mentioned in step 2 dropping the power steering ram, remove it altogether, so you will also need to unbolt the castle nut holding it to the center link. The Borgeson system eliminates both the power steering control valve and the power ram.

 

I picked up a 1 1/2" socket today and will be back on the install tomorrow.

[7tRedMach 10]

Have you checked the 1 1/2" socket to see if it fits yet? I had to buy one not to long ago when I removed my steering box for rebuild. I think it was a off the wall size like 1 5/16". I hope I am wrong and the socket you have fits.

Good luck, and keep the posts coming.

Paul

[Ricks 70 stang 13]

I didn't have a socket to fit so I used a great big pipe wrench.

[Big Secz 26]

I didn't have a socket to fit so I used a great big pipe wrench.

 

If you take the steering box and pitman arm out together you could certainly use a pipe wrench. However I'm trying to take the pitman arm off with the steering box still in the car and I couldn't get a pipe wrench to fit in the space.

[Cupid 10]

Good! I was thinking about doing this, but i'm glad you are on it. Just got my kit yesterday. I plan on working on it for about 2-3 hours Sunday afternoon. I'll try to take pics and post them to supplement your guide. I'm also doing the Wilwood 12.19" big brake upgrade in conjunction. I'll have a separate post for that.

 

Thanks and keep up the good work!

[Big Secz 26]

Good! I was thinking about doing this, but i'm glad you are on it. Just got my kit yesterday. I plan on working on it for about 2-3 hours Sunday afternoon. I'll try to take pics and post them to supplement your guide. I'm also doing the Wilwood 12.19" big brake upgrade in conjunction. I'll have a separate post for that.

 

Thanks and keep up the good work!

 

If you could take pics that would be great. I'm working in a steel garage with poor lighting so pics wouldn't come out right. Also the Willwood upgrade your are doing, are you installing their zero offset kit?

[Big Secz 26]

Day 2: Murphy’s Law

 

Special Tools Required:

33mm socket

Pitman Arm Puller

 

Picking up where I left off from Day one, the first thing I did was discover that the 1 1/2” socket I picked up was too big for the pitman arm nut, hence discovering later that it requires a 33mm socket. I decided to go ahead and remove the steering box with the pitman arm still attached.

 

The steering box came out easily. I was able to maneuver the box up through the engine bay and around my export brace without having to remove it. After looking at the pitman arm on the old box thinking about how to remove it, I decided to run it up to a local shop and they were able to remove the nut and pitman arm in about ten minutes, and the guy only charged me $10. Money well spent in my opinion in how much time and aggravation it saved me, hell a pitman arm puller is going to cost more than that. So I recommend that anyone doing this install may think about doing the same thing. Call your local shops and see how much they would charge.

 

Now is where the issues begin. I collapsed the steering column as stated in the and attempted to drop in the new Borgeson steering box. I quickly noticed I still did not have enough clearance. This issue was compounded by my Hedman shorty headers.

 

I attempted to remove the header, no such luck. It is frozen solid into the collector. So I had to resort to collapsing the column further and unbolting the column from inside the car and try to pull the column into the car to give me extra clearance. I loosely installed the rag joint and was able to get the steering box to fit. I then took a pry bar and pulled the rag joint and the steering rod back down over the steering spline, essentially “uncollapsing” the column the space that I needed.

 

 

Now the box is bolted in, and it looks like I will have some fighting to do with the steering column inside the car. The steering column bracket is now not lining up. I will be back at it tomorrow and the punch lists now consists of:

• Remount Steering Column
  
• Remount Header
  
• Attach Power Steering Hoses
  
• Attach Manual Drag Link Adapter
  
• Attach Pitman Arm
  

I would like to think I can finish this up tomorrow, but probably won’t happen. I have a feeling the steering column is going to fight me for the better part of the day.

[Cupid 10]

Also the Willwood upgrade your are doing, are you installing their zero offset kit?

 

The zero offset is not really "zero". It's 1/10th of an inch out. Which....in most cases is negligible. It's a lot better than 3/4" out from their old kit. Bottom line is I might have to do a little fender rolling b/c right now, my 17x8's tuck quite nicely.

 

[Grabber70Mach 107]

I might have to do a little fender rolling b/c right now, my 17x8's tuck quite nicely.

 

 

Let me know if you need to roll them, I have something that may work out for you if you need it.

[Cupid 10]

Let me know if you need to roll them, I have something that may work out for you if you need it.

 

You da' man! Will PM you if needed.

[70mstang 11]

Sounds like you ran into the same issues I hit. Once I got the rag joint all the way onto the steering box with a hammer & block of wood I was able to get the steering column bolted up and then basically compressed the rag joint by putting longer bolts to my column and snugging it down. Then I swapped out bolts. The steering column mounts to the dash are still a little off but I managed to finagle them into the original holes and get them tight.

 

Having the shop get the pitnam arm off is how I ended up doing it as well. Even though I had a puller it was out of my league.

[Big Secz 26]

The zero offset is not really "zero". It's 1/10th of an inch out. Which....in most cases is negligible. It's a lot better than 3/4" out from their old kit. Bottom line is I might have to do a little fender rolling b/c right now, my 17x8's tuck quite nicely.

 

 

 

I too have 17x8 which is why I couldn't go with their old kit, 3/4" is too much. Let me know how it works out.

[Big Secz 26]

Day 3: Tackling the Steering Column

 

This will probably be one of the most helpful posts of this process. Before I begin I want to clarify my terminology for this so everyone understands what I’m talking about and it is important that you don’t get them mixed up, don’t want you cutting the wrong part. I will refer to the steering column as the outer metal sleeve and the steering shaft as the internal rod attached to the rag joint.

 

So today I addressed why the entire steering column was pushed back in the car and I had no clearance at the rag joint and the steering shaft. I called Borgeson because according to their directions that come with the kit, it mentions nothing about having to remove or cut the steering column. Instead it states to simply collapse the column (meaning steering shaft) 1/2" – 1” for clearance. After speaking to Borgeson’s tech support they informed me that the steering shaft needs to collapse 2” – 3” for clearance and that you do have to cut the “metal tube” (steering column).

 

So the steps for this modification were as follows:

 

1) Remove entire steering column.

2) Cut 1 1/2" off of the bottom of the column (the outer most metal tube. Do NOT cut the inner metal tube). For this I recommend using a cutoff saw so you do not have to disassemble the entire steering column. I basically made a mark where to cut, and cut a slit up to my mark. Then I cut around the circumference of the column. Then prying open the piece that I cut off to remove it from around the steering shaft.

3) Then I knew that the inner tube, that has the shift lever (the piece that attaches to the lockout rod) had to come in 1”. So I took a board and a hammer and smacked the rag joint flange of the steering shaft until I got the clearance I needed.

4) Once I reinstalled the entire steering column I took a pry bar and “uncollapsed” the steering shaft mating the rag joint flange to the rag joint attached to the Borgeson steering box.

 

My steering column is now set in its stock location again lining up with all of the stock holes on the bracket.

 

I was also to get the header bolted back up, let’s not talk about how much of a PIA that was to try and line up all the damn bolt holes.

 

So I will be back at it tomorrow and with any luck be able to get it finished.

[Big Secz 26]

Day 4: DONE!!!!!

Today was fairly simple but not without issues. I started by finishing up everything under the car:

• Installed manual drag link adapter according to the included instructions.
  
• Installed pitman arm.
  

Then came the issues; installing the hoses that came in the kit. I don’t know if CJ sent me the wrong hoses or if Borgeson just didn’t get this part right.

The return hose is not long enough to attach to the bottom of the power steering pump without some adjustments. I had to actually bend back the metal return line that is attached to the pump in order for the line to work and even then it was fight. I think I may have kinked the metal line attached to the power steering pump in the process. I straightened it out and it seems to be working okay. I’ll keep my eye on it.

Then came the next issue; the pressure line. As you see from the pictures the supplied pressure line has a threaded nut attached to it. This will not work with a stock power steering pump since the stock line uses a male threaded fitting. In the pictures below the first picture shows the supplied line on the left and the factory style line on the right. And no the metal lines aren’t different sizes, the one on the right looks bigger because it is up off the table and closer to the camera. I then cut the ends off of both lines and swapped the fittings and re-flared the end of the new supply line.

I took the car for a quick test drive and all seems to be working fine. There is a huge difference in the steering. It is a lot tighter and more responsive, compared to my old system that was loose and had play in the steering wheel. All of my previous issues have been resolved. I will be taking it get a front end alignment this week so I’ll know a little more about how it drives after that.

Overall:

So as for this whole project, don’t listen to Borgeson when they say it should only take a day to install. That may be true if in fact the engine and steering column are already removed. Regardless with time and patience it shows that even a rookie like me can do the job and save about $800 in labor in the process.

Complaints:

Borgeson needs to update their installation instructions and state that the steering column needs to be cut down and not just the steering shaft collapsed. They also need to include more accurate lines in their kit with the appropriate fitting for the application and the right length.

I hope you find this thread useful.

[Oz69fan 10]

Big Secz, This is a vey informative Thread.

 

Through your efforts - there is no longer any mystery about how to install the kit. Mine is due to arrive tomorrow, so your Thread is an immense help.

 

Although it is not as straightforward as hoped, i am of the opinion that the messing around will be more than rewarded by the new driving experience.

The Aussie Fords of the 80`s used a similar system to the Borgeson and were pleasant to drive on long trips. There is also the added bonus that this conversion will eliminate those clumsy hydraulic hoses hanging under the car.

 

I have one more area of concern. Had a look under the bonnet of the Grande and noticed the factory air cond compressor sits right above the power steering pump. Not much room there! Intend to stick with the factory steering pump for a while, but if the Borgeson system is not good at low revs ( parking etc ), it may require a change to the Saginaw pump.

Have my doubts that the longer neck of the Saginaw pump will fit in there.

Anybody fitted a Saginaw pump with the factory air cond compressor?

 

Thanks again Big Secz. Great job.

 

Rod.

[Big Secz 26]

One other thing I meant to add is that Borgeson sends you a form attached to the instructions. If you fill out this form and mail them your old steering box they will give you $65. Understanding that shipping can be pricey on such a heavy item, I think going with USPS flat rate shipping boxes would be the way to go. I plan on sending mine back this week, I just need to see what flat rate box fits. So here is a breakdown of the costs

 

$735 for the kit (after CJ Ponly Parts 10% discount)

$10 for pitman arm removal

$15 33mm socket (required for the pitman arm nut to reinstall the pitman arm)

$8 for 2 quarts of power steering fluid (took just over one quart)

___________

$768

- $65 for the core return to Borgeson

___________

$703 total

 

Not bad compared to over $2k for a R&P setup.

[jmlay 80]

I am very interested to hear how the Ford pump performs with this box at low speed, parking etc... Please do let us know how it drives after the alignment.