[RudeMan]

Can anyone give me the benefit of their experience with the Borgesen power steering conversion with their 65/66 or other. I currently have power steering with the standard box, pump and a new control valve which I haven’t had much success with. I’d love to get that clunky control valve out of the loop but have some questions first:

Is the Borgesen box a significant step up from the standard b

what is the all in cost if I’ve already got the standard pump ?

I’ve got a new control valve, that has been used for a few weeks. is there a market for it and roughly what’s it worth ?

What’s the cost of just rebuilding the existing box?

thanks community for your opinions.

 

[Havoc65]

I have the Borgeson unit in my 65 and really like it. I converted from a worn out manual set up 5 ish years ago and it’s been flawless. My only gripe is the kit they sell isn’t really complete. There’s a few things you should buy extra to really make it a safe setup. Things like a u joint instead of the supplied rag joint and a lower column bearing from Mustang Steve. That said if you already have stock power steering I would look into having @CHOCK rebuild it for you. He’s very highly regarded on this forum.

 

[RudeMan]

I have the Borgeson unit in my 65 and really like it. I converted from a worn out manual set up 5 ish years ago and it’s been flawless. My only gripe is the kit they sell isn’t really complete. There’s a few things you should buy extra to really make it a safe setup. Things like a u joint instead of the supplied rag joint and a lower column bearing from Mustang Steve. That said if you already have stock power steering I would look into having @CHOCK rebuild it for you. He’s very highly regarded on this forum.

Thanks Havoc. Appreciate the reply. I’ve heard about his rebuilds. Considering all options. I’ve just read about so many issues with the control valve set up I thought I would be great to get rid of it. Did you convert from manual or from stock power ?

 

[Pittbull]

I have the stock power assist steering in my 69. When I got the car it was barely drivable with so much play the car was almost curb to curb driving down the road until it finally stripped the gears in the box. I had mine rebuilt for $150 instead of the $1600+ CDN it would have cost to upgrade to the Borgson unit. Later I rebuilt the steering ram myself to stop a few leaks, that was easy, replaced the lines and this winter I replaced the entire suspension and the rest of the steering linkage system. I have to say I'm not sure how much better the Borgson can be over what I have now for way less. When I had my steering box rebuilt, I had it upgraded to the performance 14 turn lock to lock gears instead of the stock (16?) which made a big difference. I even traded the huge stock steering wheel for a small 14" Momo. So to be honest I'm fairly impressed with what I've ended up with and for how little it really cost in comparison. Not sure I'd go the Borgson route before investigating the electric power steering systems that now exist. Just by rebuilding your stock system and making sure that all your linkage is good, I think you'd be ok. The only benefit I see is longevity of the much simpler Borgson setup with fewer items to wear out and few things hanging down under the car. I honestly don't like the looks of the ram, the hoses and extra crap hanging down in harm's way, the Borgson unit definitely solves that issue.

 

[AZHTR]

I replaced manual steering to the Borgensen “kit”. I used the rag-joint and everything else in the kit. Straightforward install and my wife loves the power steering. (~$1100)

 

[jjfish]

I have a rack, but haven’t driven with it yet but it seems the Borgesen gets a lot of mixed reviews. Before I go that route I would consider having chocko rebuild your stock box.

 

[Helmantel]

Integral power steering systems are better in that they have the control valve on the input shaft. That way, any delay/vagueness that adds to the steering input is not amplified by a factor of 16 as it is with the stock setup with the control valve on the ram. In principle at least. Both systems can still work good or bad depending on condition or design of course.

 

[Caper50]

From all the reading I've done on this forum it seems pretty much all of the bad rap the stock power steering gets are from the folks that are driving a worn out, leaking system. Would be nice to hear from folks with a good working stock setup.

 

[Scooterdog]

I put the Borgeson kit on my 69. The only parts I had to supply were the belt and the fluid. Finding the right length belt took a couple trips to the parts store. The install wasn’t terrible, but I wish the supply/return lines were longer. They sit kind of close to the exhaust manifold. I should mention, if you are converting from manual steering, it’s straightforward. If you’re converting from factory Ford power steering, you’ll need to change the pitman arm/drag link to manual steering first.
Pros: Much improved steering feel. No more wallowing. No more leaky ram.
Cons: Nasty squeal at left/right lock.

 

[Caper50]

Cons: Nasty squeal at left/right lock.

I wonder if that's why Mike Maier supplies a KRC pump with the kit he sells?

 

[LSG]

Rude, get your stock components rebuilt by Chock. The Borgeson system is NOT an upgrade. The B box is a reworked light duty box from an Isuzu Trooper, which has front steering, and our cars are setup for rear steering. Almost all of the complaints and comparisons are from folks with worn out steering pieces. Get the right guy to rebuilt the stuff you already have, ask Opthos- he installed a B system, and found it inferior, and took it off and went back to the stock system. The Borgeson stuff is just a way to make your car less than it already is, AND lighten your wallet at the same time. Do not fall for it. LSG

 

[Havoc65]

Thanks Havoc. Appreciate the reply. I’ve heard about his rebuilds. Considering all options. I’ve just read about so many issues with the control valve set up I thought I would be great to get rid of it. Did you convert from manual or from stock power ?

I converted from manual.

 

[Westmus]

I wonder if that's why Mike Maier supplies a KRC pump with the kit he sells?

I'm fairly sure the box he's sells is not a Borgeson, but a steering box from a company called ABS-Power Brakes. The squealing is a belt setup problem, not what pump is used for making the pressure. The KRC are an "adjustable" performance pump, that make it possible to get the exact power feel you want.

 

[Woodchuck]

You hear stories about folks wanting to remove their relatively new Borgeson boxes and go back to original, but I never heard anybody, back in the day, wanting to get rid of their original boxes.... Almost all of the issues with the original Bendix-type power steering system are the result of either poorly manufactured or assembled replacement parts or incorrect installation.

 

[arcane73]

I chose to swap in a Borgeson box to replace the manual box on my 68. I've put 10-ish miles on the car since getting it running so I can't say anything about the longevity. My only complaint thus far was the lack of space between the box and my headers.

 

[C6ZZGT]

Can anyone give me the benefit of their experience with the Borgesen power steering conversion with their 65/66 or other. I currently have power steering with the standard box, pump and a new control valve which I haven’t had much success with. I’d love to get that clunky control valve out of the loop but have some questions first:

Is the Borgesen box a significant step up from the standard b

what is the all in cost if I’ve already got the standard pump ?

I’ve got a new control valve, that has been used for a few weeks. is there a market for it and roughly what’s it worth ?

What’s the cost of just rebuilding the existing box?

thanks community for your opinions.

If I was going to change from manual to power ,I wouldn`t do it ! Too much money for what you get.

 

[mmw68]

Dan (Classic Mustang Disc Brake Conversions and Power Steering) is great to work with - give him a call

 

[PaulyWally]

From all the reading I've done on this forum it seems pretty much all of the bad rap the stock power steering gets are from the folks that are driving a worn out, leaking system. Would be nice to hear from folks with a good working stock setup.

CHOCK rebuilt all my PS components last year (valve, pump, box, ram). He said the pump was not original to the car, but was a fine replacement unit, and there was no reason to NOT rebuild it. If memory serves, he estimated it to have been manufactured in the 70s. He also said the ram had been rebuilt at least once before.

What can I say about the final results?

• Everything came back looking brand new.
• He adds new hoses to the ram and tightens them down.
• He labels things so you do not have to think about what hose goes where.
• His communication is great, and is happy to answer any questions you have.
• Shipping to get the parts to him was a bit pricey. But at the end of the day everything was still cheaper than new OEM parts.
• He quoted me about 3 weeks. I got them back in under 2.
• The steering is sensitive and feels very linear compared to new cars/steering systems. At first I thought it might have been over-steer. But after chatting with folks, this is expected from older power steering systems. Modifying the wheel alignment can probably change some of that. However, after driving it for a few weeks, I think I much prefer it on winding country roads.
• I feel absolutely ZERO "strange-ness" in the steering. It is smooth, responsive, and consistent from lock-to-lock.
• Bump-steer was significantly decreased. BUT... I also installed all new tie-rods, LCAs, and rebuilt the UCAs (OEM - no real upgrades). That might have had the bigger effect on bump-steer.

Note: My steering column is a '66 and is not collapsible. That can be a safety issue in a head-on collision. This is something to consider when deciding on what to do here. I obviously decided to take my chances with impalement.

 

[Pittbull]

To be honest I'd probably go this way before the Borgson unit. I've heard good reviews.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Okay, here's my take.

I never liked the Ford P/S set up. Too many hoses, slave cylinder, control valve and other stuff that are all prone to leaking. It seems once it starts to leak no matter how much you fix it the parts continue to leak and provide problems. That's just my take and experience.

Now, back in 2010 I converted to the Borgesen set up. I was VERY happy with it. Cleaned up the underside of my car and had very few leak points with only 2 hoses (pressure and return). Never leaked and steering was very easy as P/S should be. For classic Mustang owners with the original P/S set up or manual steering I highly recommend the Borgesen set up.

I rebuilt my car in 2020 and converted to a Mustang II suspension. During that conversion I converted to a power rack and pinion set up. I went from 2 hoses with Borgesen to 2 hoses and 2 tubes with the power rack. More leak points, but a very well working system at the same time.

If I had it to do all over again today I would recommend classic Mustang owners install the electronic power steering assist like the one shown above. I have no experience with it, but there is no fluid needed and no chance of leaks and it cleans up your engine bay by removing the P/S pump.