power to manual steering ?

[JoeGrapes]

My power steering box is just plain worn out. Way to much play. I've been trying to decide how I want to remedy the problem. Should I go with say a Firm Feel or Steer and Gear replacement power box or change over to manual steering. If anyone has gone from power to manual what has been your impression? It's not like I drive the car much and I do like the I idea of less weight and clutter. Also I'm not using a small dia steering wheel. If I go with manual what years should I look for? Do they have the same 1 1/4" dia pitman are shaft that I'm using now?  I know about the difference in steering column length and the adapter I can use from Flaming River.

[burdar]

Both are going to cost you about the same.  If you already have PS, then I think I'd probably just go with a Firm Feel stage3 upgrade and be done with it.  There is more cost in a manual box then you think.  You have to buy a box and have it rebuilt which isn't much less then the PS box rebuild.  Then you have to mess with the steering column or use the expensive adapter. 

[Finoke]

I prefer manual steering and just swapped to manual because my box needed to be rebuilt. It was sloppy and leaking like crazy.

The nice thing about manual steering is the box is packed with grease, no leaks ever. And I like the firm feel.

I bought a used manual gearbox with the manual pot coupler and pitman arm attached. I then bought a used manual steering column and swapped the shaft with my automatic column shaft. The manual column shaft  is longer.

You can also buy a new extension that eliminates the need for the manual pot coupling and longer shaft. But it's about 100 bucks.

The job took about 6 hours. The hardest part was dropping the power box out the bottom. I have a 318 car and it was tight. Probably have to pull the exhaust manifold on a big block.