71 manual gear box swap for Bendix Power

[Chasbod]

Is the Bendix supposed to be an absolutely no adjustment swap w/ a manual gear box?

I slid a bendix unit in place and noticed i need to move the column about 3/4 to 1 inch. Thought it was supposed to be a direct swap????

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Chasbod,

That's about as direct as you can get...
It is probable that your column has slid forward over the years (which they all do a little).
It's not all like swapping out a Saginaw box which requires changing the whole column or shortening the center shaft...
plus lots of other changes...

KaptnKA S

[fordman]

i wouldnt worry about it. like kapt said its a close as you can get to a direct swap.

[FORDification]

This is just my opinion....but I offer it to anyone considering such a swap. While you might be tempted to take the easy way out (that is, using a Bendix box rather than a Ford/Saginaw) when converting to power steering, there's a reason Ford only used this style for a couple years. They were prone to overheating, and had some serious issues with leaky seals. Yes, you could rebuild it and replace the seals, but others here who have tried that route report that it's a temporary fix....they'd start leaking again very quickly...and they eventually replaced the Bendix with a Saginaw, which they say they should have done in the first place. Just an FYI...