Suggestion for workaround- F100 power steering box & radiator

[Chipgolf]

Hi all,
I'm sure this has to be a common issue with Bronco owners that use an F100 Power Steering box. Because the box installs inside the front part of the frame, it restricts the radiator from centering up and access to the drain plug. How do others deal with that?

 

[thegreatjustino]

No one does this conversion anymore. It was popular 20 years ago but has long been abandoned in favor of the plethora of boxes that can be used mounted on the outside of the frame and not present the challenges of the outdated F100 conversion. Back in the day, the radiator drain cock was removed and plugged with a brass plug. There was no need to move the radiator. It stayed in the stock location.

 

[sykanr0ng]

The best way to deal with that problem is to replace the F100 steering box with a better power steering box that mounts to the outside of the frame.

 

[Broncobowsher]

The fix in the day was to remove the drain cock and just put a plug in. Drain by pulling the lower hose. That is as far as any workaround will go. As stated that steering box was a kit from about 25 years ago. It was the first power steering kit that wasn't a factory Bronco steering box (which even back then was hard to find). Since then several other power steering solutions that work much better have come to be. When you see those F100 steering boxes you know that the Bronco is an old build from back in the day.

 

[SHX669]

When I bought my Bronco it had the f-100 box the previous owner cut out the bottom corner of the radiator and brazed in a new piece so it cleared the box. .
At that time some of the vendors offered a standard radiator with a relief in that area a few years later the only radiator I could find with the relief was a Ron Davis aluminum. I don't know if Ron Davis still offers that and of course there is always the option of having one custom made.

 

[SavageBurro]

Once upon a time I put one of those boxes in one of previous broncos. If I remember correctly, I plugged the draincock in the radiator then I bought an adapter for the lower radiator hose that added a draincock in that adapter. Something like this, but I got it from a local radiator shop back then (like Broncobowsher said- it was like 20-25 years ago): https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/511...&brand=&channel=Shopping&jegspromo=thirdparty

 

[SavageBurro]

If I remember correctly, I may have also re-drilled the radiator brackets or fabbed some sort of bracket between core support and radiator bracket... and moved the radiator up a 1/2" or so to help with clearance. Boy that was a while ago. Way before collective brainpower at your fingertips on youtube.

 

[WILDHORSES]

You would be surprised if I told you (I won't);D how many people still prefer this F100 2WD box kit. They remain on the WH site and we sell the bracket alone too. The design of our bracket typically makes the box clear the rad. You do cap the drain. I still run this kit 25-30 years now. It's tough as nails. All things considered it has the least likely sector to snap on the trail. I would not do this kit for a street rig but for a budget rock crawler it's hard to beat.

To your original question, before we changed the bracket design we would dent the radiator for clearance. I will also add our Ron Davis standard Bronco aluminum rads work with the conversion. (no dents)

https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/bronco_Power_Steering_Kits

Good luck with the project!

Jim

 

[Rustytruck]

You don't dent the radiator you massage it over with a BFH Spacial displacement tool sold in every hardware store in the nation.