Thanks to all for for the advice on the 50 Merc. Running smooth as silk. With both my old Mercs 49-50 we are dealing with more steering play than is comfortable. Have tightened the worm gear and seems like no real play at the wheels. What elec steering ***ist would work on these units? I’d like to upgrade the wifes 49 so she is more comfortable driving it
Search EPAS. Should get some results in the social groups and other forums. I’ve seen it discussed on both the Ford Barn and yblocksforever. I’m not on the earlier boards where your 50 would be.
EPAS would probably work but you'd still have that old box doing the work. I think I'd look at one of Borgeson's PS boxes. You could use an electric PS pump if you can't put a pump on the engine. https://www.borgeson.com/49-51-Mercury-Power-Conversion.html
I have seen Prius steering used . As I recall two wires to make it work I'd do some Google searching. I was half *** thinking of sticking one for in the middle a non original messed with column in my 57 Vette. . I think there is a gm steering motor that uses a simple circuit board that might give a bit better feel. This is a thread I'll be following as my Vette with a quick steer addapter and a bit wider tires steers very heavy.
Before working on power steering, the original steering box needs to be repaired or replaced. Power ***ist will not fix the excessive 'steering play' that you described.
That is absolutely true. Fix the worn out box first. I've seen a couple of really well written build processes where electric power steering has been installed, but I can't think of where that was. Maybe it is buried in the archives here!
It would help to know the steering ratio. I believe stock Mercury was around 18:1? — relatively quick for a heavy American car of the era. The slow steering typical of that type of car often served to mask play at the steering wheel. For instance, 10° of play at the steering wheel translates to barely more than ½° at the front wheels. If you are looking to keep the stock steering ratio, you won't need a lot of ***ist to achieve finger-light steering. There, electric ***ist may or may not offer the opportunity to fine-tune the level of ***ist it adds, depending on the hardware you choose. However, adding ***ist opens up the possibility of going to quicker steering. If the ***ist is flexible and acts on the steering column, that would remain an option in the future. Quicker steering makes play more perceptible, which is why modern quick power steering is almost universally based on precise rack-and-pinion steering. I believe some recent Toyotas have used what are basically quick manual racks driven by column-mounted steering ***ist.
I read that he had adjusted the box and removed the play in the opening post and was looking at options and how to add electric PS ***ist not fix loose steering.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...wer-steering-conversion-from-a-prius.1319341/ From a 3 second search on the internet linked me back to here
https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/toyota-electric-power-steering-eps-conversion/#gsc.tab=0 Bit of good info here.
The Jalopy Journal
