Steering

[Nicoleb3x3]

ok, so everyone knows fox's suck with steering- prolly due to age -miles

I noticed my rack & pinion is leaking- sure I could replace the line and keep it from leaking (it's not leaking, more a slow seeping)

but, what bothers me is my steering wheel doesn't return back to center by itself like a new car does...as I steer left, I have to steer it back to center after the turn- unless of course I'm going 70- then it might- but driving around town or even back roads going 40-45 it's a chore to steer the car.

it would be a good idea to replace the rack & pinion - especially since doing the 5.0 swap and going to bigger tires- the 13 year 2.3 rack I'm sure coul be retired by now....with a new 5.0 one.

...so my question- would replacing the rack help fix the return-to center symptom? or is it something else causing that?

[GirlzGT]

i would say yes, replacing the rack should cure that. right now it sounds like your partial power steering and partial manual. you could always go to a flaming river manual rack with a short ratio...those are nice....except its manual.

[88 fox Saleen]

Nicole, i have the same problem w/ my 88 & the 2.3 rack is still in there & leaking pretty good. a new 5.0 rack will be in my stangs future for sure. i feel your pain!

[Nicoleb3x3]

thx, girlzgt, yeah I was looking at those, I think I seen they offer an power steering version as well.

90saleen, funny we have the same problem!
does your steering return to center? or am I alone on that one?
would be nice if you had the exact issue...then we know replacing the rack will fix that part of the problem.

[Nicoleb3x3]

here's the power verison
Part Number
Description
Price

FR1532KT-79-93
Power Steering Rack (15-1/2”) Without Pump 79-93$523.95

[88 fox Saleen]

yeah Nicole, the steering wheel doesnt return to the center just like you said. i have a low mileage 5.0 rack i pulled from a roll over but i think i will use that as my core return & just install a new rack from the autoparts store. the correct 5.0 steering rack will turn only 2 1/4 turns lock to lock unlike our 4 cylinder racks. also our 4 cylinder racks have alot more power assist to them making them alot easier to turn. 5.0 racks have less power assist & make the steering feel alot more stable & not as twitchy. i am looking to forward to this swap!

[Nicoleb3x3]

jay, do you know if they easy to install?
I assume we need an alignment after as well

[Nicoleb3x3]

I just read some treads on stangnet....apparently allot of fox's have this problem- even 5.0's...

so wtf
I'll be pissed if a new rack doesnt solve it
I don't care if it seeps a little..but I want to fix the steering (I want this car to drive like new!)

[Nicoleb3x3]

I read to that sn95 racks can be used with the fox inner and outer tie-rods ends
...but I still don't know if steering will return to center if we replace it!

[88 fox Saleen]

its not a hard job from what i have read (i have read alot about it already too). an alignment will be needed after. i wouldnt mess w/ the 94+ rack. i am just going for a stock 5.0 rack. i also want my 88 to drive like new. its pretty close now but a new rack would be the icing on the cake so to speak LOL.

[PONY GUY]

here's the power verison
Part Number
Description
Price

FR1532KT-79-93
Power Steering Rack (15-1/2”) Without Pump 79-93$523.95

Thats not a bad price for everything you can get a flaming river quick ratio manual rack for little over 300 dollars for the whole kit . It steers pretty easy even with a wide tire up front . It one ofr my next buys . Righ now i just have a regulare rack with out the P/S pump and all I did was leave soem fluid in the rack to keep it lubed up and made a small hydrolic line to keep the fluid moving inside the rack . It trun pretty good even at a stop but I run a 165r metric tire in the front

[thunderbolt64]

For about a hundred bucks you could go to an AutoZone or an O'Reilly's and get a replacement rack. I have the Flaming River Manual in the '89, and it steers great. I wanna try a stock manual steering in the '83 so I can compare the steering difference vs. the price difference. I got rid of the powersteering, because it is one less thing to worrying about leaking, and it frees up a few extra horses. The only time I missed the powersteering was when I was doing a small salom course, and I had to really man-handle the steering wheel.

[PONY GUY]

I belive a manual rack with tie rod ends with your year stang will work also

[Nicoleb3x3]

I think I'll use the one they have at auto zone for just over 100 bucks,
I'm sure it'll be an improvement, and allot cheaper than the flaming river.

I know I'm keeping power steering- I'm a girl and need the steering to "easy" for me to manuver.

[YsOffcr]

I would replace the power steering pump while you're at it. Unless that is new, the pump itself has a job in the steering also.

[5.0literriceeater]

I would never go without power steering in my car. I busted a line doing my engine install and I can hardly turn the wheel at a stop or while moving slow.
This definitely made my decision easy about going manual!

[91GT347]

Yeah 5.0liter,but a power steering rack that isnt working is ALOT harder than a actual manual rack. So it wouldnt be as bad as when your line busted.
I also was just reading a thread that said they used 2 different ratios in the foxes. I dont know about the difference in them and the flaming river,but we put a 4 banger manual in my dads last coupe and it worked great for him. It was a mostly drag car though. I will definately be going manual in mine. They really arent that hard to turn,and with my skinnies up front it shouldnt be a problem at all.

[5.0literriceeater]

Yeah, the skinnies will make a world of a difference. I had a 79 hatch a few years back that Had little wheels up front and it was tollerable(not easy) on the street. But with the 95 and its big wheels up front, I wouldnt want to drive this thing every day!