A small thing, but it is proving hard to find...

[Yellow Truck]

My power steering bracket has some vibration isolation grommets - steel around rubber with a split steel insert in the middle. I'm missing one and I'd like to replace it. I haven't been able to find a supplier here that even knows what they are. Any suggestions? Here is a picture of one that is still attached.

[thatdarncat]

That's a bushing. I can make out the name "Harris" in your picture - Harris supplies lots of bushings and rubber products to Ford. I did a quick Google search and I didn't turn up a contact for Harris directly, but there were many companies selling their products and even available by companies on Amazon. If all the holes look like the same size and you can find a part number on one of the remaining bushings you could maybe order one. If you post the specifics on your Truck - model year, exact model ( F150 4x4, etc. ) original engine I can look in the Ford truck parts book and see if it has any info. It's possible though that the bracket was only serviced by Ford as an assembly and no separate bushing was available or called out.

[Yellow Truck]

Kevin,

The bracket came off a donor truck - a 69 F250 2WD, but according to NumberDummy over on Ford-Trucks it is a C7TZ-3D712-A or EAD-33640-A.

The rest of the system came off a '73 F100 4WD.

[thatdarncat]

Yes, you picked a tough one. I may have to continue my reply a little later today, but I'll start now. And you've done a good job tracking down some info already.  Here's a picture from the Ford truck parts book.



There are two of the same bushings on the big bracket, I have an arrow pointing to them on the left. They are Ford part number EAD-33640-A. There is one different bushing on the smaller bracket in the right side of the picture with the right arrow. Ford made a change in the bushing during production - initially it was part number EAD-33460-A, then changed to C7TZ-3D712-A later. I was hoping the parts book might give dimensions or an industry interchange number, but unfortunately it doesn't. I don't know what changed in that second bushing that required a new part number. And as you are already aware, these parts are long obsolete from Ford. I tried some Google searching with the part numbers, it doesn't look like you are the only person looking. I also tried a couple obsolete part companies, no luck there either. It looks like those bushings also were used on various early Thunderbirds, so I'm guessing all the old stock was snapped up by restorers long ago. I have to go right now ,sorry, but I'll come back to this a little later. 

[Yellow Truck]

Kevin,

NOS Parts in Texas say they have the part (the new number) but they don't answer their phone. I'll see if they reply to an email (they suggest sending an email).

The part has an OD of 3/4s of an inch, and an ID of 3/8ths, and it is 13/16ths deep (I have the two on the main part of the bracket, it is the one on the extension that is missing).

I've used washers to hold it in place now, will see if NOS gets back to me.

[TomP]

I have never run across that style bracket before. Is it unique to just a certain year or model?

[Yellow Truck]

I'm not sure but I think it was truck specific. When I bought my 69 F100 4WD it had the power assist off a 73 plus a cut up bracket from a car. I kept the power assist (had it rebuilt) and took the PS pump bracket off a 69 F250 2WD.

[fomocoloco]

that is a bendix power steering gear box pictured. they are difficult to find now and expensive. 66-68 gear boxes and are shorter than the Saginaw gear box and don't require the shortening of a non-power steering steering column. I suppose that is why the bracket is so elusive. someone is looking for a bendix box on the slick60's website fairly often.

jim

[Yellow Truck]

The bracket and pump in the picture are what I have, but I have the ram style power assist with the valve body in the drag link. It has a non-power steering box.

[fomocoloco]

i have one of those brackets w/ pump as removed from a ford truck. who knows how long ago and what truck it came from but i do have it. i have disassembled a bunch of them. are you stuck with that type of bracket? i have lots of the later ford truck brackets with the sliding pump that bolts from the topside. they are a lot simpler and easier to find.

jim

[Yellow Truck]

Jim,

It is kind of hard to say if I'm stuck with it since I don't really know what else is out there. The pump was on the truck when I bought it with a bracket that seems to have come from a car - that bracket had been cut and welded and only bolted to the block in one place. This bracket came off a 69 F250 donor truck I was scavenging for my build. It certainly fits better and looks better than what was there.

I do have a bit of a problem getting the pump pulley to line up with the drive pulley on the crank snout, needed some spacers and washers to get it to line up, but other than that it serves. I would like to have all the bushings, but right now I'm using a large washer to keep the bolt from passing into the rather large hole in the bracket left when the bussing came out.

[Autoholic]

You should take a look at this...  T-33640-A, $5.00

https://www.npdlink.com/store/catalog/Thunderbird_Power_Steering_Pump-649-3.html

[Yellow Truck]

Thanks for your suggestions. I found an original part and ordered it today. $4. An outrage in one sense (it is a twenty cent part at most) but it is a 50 year old part and it is probably the last one out there, so from that perspective $4 is a deal.

[ChiefDanGeorge]

For posterity, where did you get it?
I think my power steering bracket is the same setup.

Thanks for your suggestions. I found an original part and ordered it today. $4. An outrage in one sense (it is a twenty cent part at most) but it is a 50 year old part and it is probably the last one out there, so from that perspective $4 is a deal.

[Yellow Truck]

I got it from NOS Parts in Waxahachie Texas, but they told me it was the only one they had.