Thank you for this. As I mentioned before, the measurement between the grease plug on my valve sleeve and the adjacent tie rod connection is at least 5 1/2" with only 2-3 threads of adjustment left. That difference in measurement roughly coincides with how far out the ball stud on the control valve and the pitman arm are when I centre the steering box.
I just want to thank everyone who has reached out to help me with my steering problems. My experience and knowledge of steering and suspension systems has always been very limited. I am attempting to learn and educate myself now as I work my way through this situation with the assistance of everyone here. I appreciate everyone’s patience so much. Having said all that now, I have another rookie-level question…
Much of my research on this subject alludes to the pitman arm and idler arm being parallel to each other when everything is correct. I understand the concept, but just wanted to confirm that the two parallel arms in my car should be well represented by the bottom linkage in this photo…
I know the model and years are not correct to my car, but the geometry should be the same should it not? I’m essentially trying to confirm the correct “parallel” position of the curved pitman arm.
Thanks in advance…
My car is also factory power steering for anyone who hasn’t been following along…
Ok…for anyone still following this link, here is another update:
To make a long story mercifully short, I will simply tell you where I am right now and not how I got there. I now have the two wheels aligned relative to each other and pointing straight ahead. The two tie rod assemblies are roughly the same length (driver side - 15 7/8"; passenger side - 15 1/2"). Both assemblies have similar gaps and a fair amount of adjustment either way. That’s the good news…
The bad news is that I’ve lost a full 1/2 turn in the steering box. I believe the picture below demonstrates why…
This a picture of my centred pitman arm and the ball stud on the control valve which is connected to the linkage with the straight wheels and even tie rods. To connect these two parts, I have to either move the pitman arm over, or shift the drag link over for them to match up. Either way, I lose my 1/2 turn. Instead of having nearly 4 turns lock to lock, I have just 3.
The next picture is an excerpt from a document I found published by SSBC for the installation of a Ford steering control valve. Note the highlighted passage…
The measurement I have with my current set-up is very close to the Montego/Falcon distance of 5 5/8". The difference is a full 3/4". I believe that would be almost enough to properly align my pitman arm and ball stud to get my 1/2 turn back. My only question now, is why? Why do I essentially have the Montego/Falcon measurement between my grease nipple and inner tie rod mount on the drag link, as opposed to the Mustang/Cougar measurement that I should have? Is it possible, however unlikely, that I have the wrong drag link installed?
The steering box is original and the pitman arm not only looks correct, it looks like it has never been removed. I am confident that the idler arm is correct, and I have no reason to believe that the control valve is wrong (unless someone can prove me wrong). That leaves the drag link…
I really want to know what the rest of you think. This will be the last flare I send up on this forum regarding this subject. If I can’t get it right this time, I will just take it somewhere and let someone else solve it for me.
Thanks for all the help so far everybody. This community has never let me down.
I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on this, but it sure sounds to me like you have wrong components here somewhere. I’ve been really sure of things before only to be proven wrong.
Seems to me that the simplest answer is that you either have a Falcon/Montego drag link or a Falcon/Montego control valve installed. I don’t know which would be different (maybe both?)
Not coming from any knowledge but just deducing from the information you have stated. Maybe somebody with a master parts list can check which of them has different part numbers?
I replaced the control valve myself about a year ago. It is an A1 Cardone Part# 28-6653, which both Rock Auto and Summit Racing state is correct for a '67 Standard Model Cougar w/V8.
In addition to the control valve, I also replaced the idler arm myself. It is a Mevotech MK8161, which multiple websites confirm is the correct arm for my car.
Well the weather service says it’s 5° F, so if I missed anything you’ll have to wait a bit for me to warm up again.
The distance from the idler arm to the zerk on the control valve came in at about 25.5 inches.
Each tie rod assembly was right at 15.5" (stud to stud)
The zerk to the inner tie rod was about 6", so that seems more like the Falcon/Montego setup. Though my car is a 69 if that makes any difference.
I have not checked to validate I have the proper number of turns from lock to lock, so I don’t know that my reference
numbers are of much help since they don’t seem to point to any of your bits being wrong.
Also, just because the box had the right part number doesn’t mean the right part was thrown in the box. If you have a local place that can get one ordered in for you to compare that might not be a bad option.
What length is your idler arm, my research shows that # k8161 is manual steer.
Did you check the measurements I sent you to see if they matched what you have as far as the drag link.
This is from the company that made your I/A . https://partsonline.mevotech.com/details/MK8161
My tie rod assemblies are essentially the same length as yours (as noted). I will compare your other measurements to my own tomorrow (and by “zerk”, I assume you mean either the ball stud or the grease nipple). I will also check with the local speed shop to see if they have another control valve to compare to. Thank you so much for your help…
Hmmmm…the idler arm info is interesting. I will investigate further, but do you think that the difference between the two different arms would be significant enough to cause my current problem?
I did measure from the ram mount on my drag link to the end of the control valve as you suggested and came up with almost exactly 24". My ball stud to inner tie rod mount measurement is at least 5.5" though…much longer than the specified 4 7/8". It is this conflict that mystifies me. I am going to check into the idler arm thing and follow up some other measurements posted by “wish” to see if I can find anything else definitive.
Thank you very much for your help.
and by “zerk”, I assume you mean either the ball stud or the grease nipple
Grease nipple, sorry.
The different length of idler arm would have a small effect on the lengths of the arms in a static measurement, but the bigger issue with the wrong one would be an odd turning behavior as the center link would move forward and backward on the one side more than the other and create good ackerman one way and bad the other.
Understood, thank you. I will likely replace the idler arm now anyway, based on the information that you and “catlover” have shared with me. Replacing the idler arm however does not resolve the problem of my ball stud being so far out from the pitman arm when it is centred and the linkage is straight. I have put out a plea for help to the guys at WCCC in the hopes that they can provide some correct and definitive measurements for me using one of their known correct drag links.
Do share, the only difference in P/S drag links (67-68-69)that I have found is the size of the idler arm stud,I have three D/L and two are 1/2 in. and one is .020 larger, I have 4 P/S idler arm,s 3 fit the 1/2 stud and one fits the .020 oversize, it’s not any kind of build up it’s all steel. Go figure.
I will immediately share any information that I receive. Thanks again for tagging along on this one…it’s nice to have company when you’re in the dark.
Like Motel 6, I’ll keep a light on
So I have made my own measurements in comparison to those above, graciously provided by wish…
“The zerk (grease nipple on the control valve) to the inner tie rod was about 6.” - Mine is comparable at approx. 6"
“Each tie rod assembly was right at 15.5” (stud to stud)." - My passenger side is 15.5"; driver side 15.75" (wheels straight ahead)
“The distance from the idler arm to the zerk on the control valve came in at about 25.5 inches.” - Here is the difference: my measurement is all of 27" from the zerk to the outer end of the idler arm (where it meets the drag link); and approx. 28.5" from the zerk to the idler arm mount on the frame rail. Either way, a significant variance…
All measurements are based upon there being 3-4 threads (or approx. 0.25" of adjustment left on the control valve/drag link threads.
In addition to the above information, I also confirmed today with my local Mustang shop that the threaded sleeve and ball stud dimensions on the steering control valve that I have installed, are in fact the same as the one that they have in stock (67-70).
I will earnestly await comments from the membership before I make my final determination.
This has to be it, the extra width makes it sound like a 71-73 or possibly Fairlane/full-size part rather than the 67-69 Mustang/Cougar part.
It’s the only thing that makes sense to me at this point. Given that our other measurements align almost exactly, and knowing that all the other components in my system are either original or correct (except for the idler arm, which will be replaced), the difference in the drag link measurement certainly stands out. I have not heard back from anyone at WCCC regarding correct drag link measurements, and I have spent days online trying to find specs on the correct part, but they are not to be found. It is quite expensive I find, to have things shipped up here to Calgary (even from WCCC, which isn’t that far away), but I fear that I am out of options. I guess I will order a used drag link from WCCC and just soak up the cost. At least I know that it will be the correct part.