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Daves55Sedan · 08-22-2019, 07:01 PM

As far as the overall width, you could use your original manual steering tie-rod arms, sleeves and ends on the T-bird steering sector-to-idler arm rod as they might be longer than the T-Bird tie-rod arms. I will post length of one of these arms later.
There is no difference between the full-size car tie-rod arms regardless of whether the car had power steering or not. Just not sure if T-Bird had different ones.
I do know that the Mercury full-size car tie-rod arms will not work on a Ford steering system.
Not sure why the power steering brackets from the T-Bird wont work on a full-size Ford. May have something to do with the different power steering pulley on the crankshaft damper on T-Birds being closer to the radiator, which means the power steering belt would not line up. I don't think you can use the T-Bird crankshaft damper on a full-size Ford anyway, can you? Something to consider.
You can buy a new idler arm and bushings from one of the repro parts suppliers, but the idler arm bracket from the T-Bird won't work on a full-size frame.
I think I got an extra sector arm out there too that I could measure so you can compare it with the T-Bird arm.

08-22-2019, 07:01 PM	#4
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: Power steering setup As far as the overall width, you could use your original manual steering tie-rod arms, sleeves and ends on the T-bird steering sector-to-idler arm rod as they might be longer than the T-Bird tie-rod arms. I will post length of one of these arms later. There is no difference between the full-size car tie-rod arms regardless of whether the car had power steering or not. Just not sure if T-Bird had different ones. I do know that the Mercury full-size car tie-rod arms will not work on a Ford steering system. Not sure why the power steering brackets from the T-Bird wont work on a full-size Ford. May have something to do with the different power steering pulley on the crankshaft damper on T-Birds being closer to the radiator, which means the power steering belt would not line up. I don't think you can use the T-Bird crankshaft damper on a full-size Ford anyway, can you? Something to consider. You can buy a new idler arm and bushings from one of the repro parts suppliers, but the idler arm bracket from the T-Bird won't work on a full-size frame. I think I got an extra sector arm out there too that I could measure so you can compare it with the T-Bird arm.