How can I improve the steering functionality of my 64 Comet?
Asked by 90V6RedHotLuminaEuro... Sep 21, 2013 at 10:50 PM about the Mercury Comet
Question type: Car Customization
I have a 1964 Mercury Comet 404 Sedan, 200/L6, Non-Power / Manual Steering,
stock tires, 61K Miles. Is there anything I can do to improve the steering
functionality of it... response, play, ease of turning the steering wheel, etc... can
I/should I repack the gear box with better grease? Is there a steering gear box I can
swap with a different ratio? ...or idler arm? I read something, somewhere, about
swapping out the idler arm for a different one, but I can't find the reference again... I
believe it was in a forum and the person called it a "poor man's power steering"
modification. Moog apparently makes an improved design idler arm (K-8160), but
I'm not sure if that qualifies as the "poor man's" mod.
21 Answers
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
Summit racing has kits...they are around 1100.00~ got to go through their robo-server to get to it~
That's a pricey kit but its a direct bolt on. No cutting or welding.
Yes I thru you a couple for all your work.
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
things come by....and you just KNOW them from hangin' around this forum~ wanted disc brakes for my old FURY and they had the double-cylinder kit and disc brakes....well I could not afford the kit...but they had it~ incidentally me old 61 Fury is currently available in MIlwaukee, WI perfect body, perfect engine...rhino horn rear view mirror. parking brake on the driveshaft...NO park~...$1800 will drive it away...in Milwaukee~
90V6RedHotLuminaEuro... answered 11 years ago
thank you judge_roy... i got the link in my email, but the "answer" doesn't show up for me here..... below is what I got in my email... I'm just reposting it for others..... if I can come up with the money, not likely, (it's about 1/2 of what I paid for the whole car!) .....boy is this ever the way to go! .....yep... I'd say this qualifies as the "Best Answer"..... I'm still taking Tips on more affordable ways to improve the steering capabilities of my Comet.... the Shop Manual gives instructions regarding adjusting things..... it's not as easy as one might imagine..... bolting in this Flaming River Rack kit seems a whole lot easier..... A CarGurus user (judge_roy) answered your question: "How can I improve the steering functionality of my 64 Comet?". They wrote: "http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fla- fr301pwfs/overview/year/1964/make/mercury/model/comet"
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
yeah, the damned link doesn't work...you gotta go to summitracing.com and jump through the flaming hoops to find it to be around $1100.00~....thanks for doin' this~
90V6RedHotLuminaEuro... answered 11 years ago
it's an awesome way to go... but I found it for $1949.97... did you see it for $1100?!?! ...that's more in the neighborhood of do-able...
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
you should CALL them...like on the phone during usual business hours and check your options...there may be a way to reduce the price~ wish I'd have taken a screenshot as these hotlynx do not work from the carguru window~...sometimes~
90V6RedHotLuminaEuro... answered 11 years ago
...that's an excellent idea... at least to maybe lock down a quote, and a target for my fund raising plans... i'm not sure what a complete used power steering setup would cost, or where i'd be able to get one, especially a setup "ready" to be installed... or what the difficulty factor is in swapping out things... and then maybe having to repair or rebuild things before installing them, modifying this and that, etc..... but even so, this getup at Summit really sounds nice... i'd like to see some pics... i'm going to do some research as well, along with a persistent amount of googling, and see what else i can come up with... but again, thanks for the lead, i'll pass it on as i visit other boards... i'm sure i can speak for other new, and experienced comet owners alike, when i say that information and leads like this are enthusiastically welcomed... even if they're not specifically what one is looking for, these contributions make for delicious food for thoughts... now i'm off to raise cash by selling everything i own on ebay and craigslist... with hopes for a very happy birthday in the spring...
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
Summitracings is a bolt-affair with no cutting or modifications...is what I've been told...if this is any help~
90V6RedHotLuminaEuro... answered 11 years ago
yes! i read that in the item description on their site... that's a big draw for me... being that my lower spine is somewhat of a bolt-on affair... but which included an all too large amount of serious cuttings, and several titanium modifications...
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
okay...the spine? DavidH25 was thrown out of a second story parking structure and landed on his head....after getting robbed by two guys~...man it just ain't safe out there...I swear~ he's a little robotty as well~
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
A never ending stream of kind bud keeps me alive morning through till nite~ as Bob Marley said "the herb will never hurt you...the herb will only HELP you"~ my recommendation is start with a few grams of sour diesel~...and take it from there~
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
The wife insisted I get a MINI...CVT automatic 2006 recall jerkiness...still paying for it...she does not want me to fix any cars after my affair with a damsel in distress '71 Volvo 240 wagon in which did every little thing and still was a pile of crap....what a waste~ lots of anger and frustration...toolboxes were at least 400 feet away~...gravel/dirt uneven driveway~...twas CURSED~
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
at last count had 26 vehicles most a rust-cruiser in which one would not even spend money for tires as was just to get you through winter...the ICE...snowbanks...salted slushy roads....on time~
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
little did I know the '71 was a RECALL vehicle because they caught fire on acct of defective wiring...knowing that replaced the engine harness....all components was supposedly "the exact size" but had to use some stretcha- dee... a bit....what an awful experience~
migration_judge_roy answered 11 years ago
....and voici----a piece of crap..that was noisier than hell at freeway speeds...and made a big hairy deal with the overdrive J-type in the middle of the shifter and a cute little green lite would come on when it was activated...this unit, a little sausage on the side of the transmission had it's connection fall off so many times I ended up taking a piece of mechanics wire and "sewing" the electrical connection together....such is the danger of external locations of moving parts~
90V6RedHotLuminaEuro... answered 11 years ago
...here's another rack kit..... $1059.65 Shipped..... ((((( http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-61-62-63-64-65-FORD-FALCON- POWER-RACK-PINION-/400058873855? pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1964%7CMo del%3AComet&hash=item5d255df7ff&vxp=mtr )))))
Before i spend 1100.00 on steering rack i'll adjust my steering ability.