Topic: Steering box HCC-AW and HCC-AX

[BBQman70]

Hello, I have a 65 A code GT.  The steering box tag on the car is HCC AW and I am trying to figure out if the car had factory power steering.  The car has a power steering pump but the pump is not original.  I looked at several sources(stangerssite, Ford Master Parts Catalog, Ford Parts interchange guide) and they say that the steering box tag on the car is for a manual steering car with a 16:1 ratio.  I combed this sites archives and everything I found was the opposite.  That the HCC AW was for all power steering cars and the HCC AX was for the manual.  Are stangerssite and the books wrong?  What does the "special tag" for a manual GT car say that indicated it is special.

[jwc66k]

Welcome to the forum. Does your car have the power steering center link and LH special tie rod end? (For reference, there is also a HCC-AT steering box for manual steering.) The HCC-AX was used for manual steering - special handling. It had a 16:1 ratio. The HCC-AW was used with power steering. The difference was the "pre-load" on the bearings on the column shaft.
Jim

[BBQman70]

Thanks for the reply.  I will have to check on the tie rod end. Why is the ps box application in the Ford Master parts catalog different from what you said about the HCC AW being a boX in a factory power steering GT?  I attached the pictures of the print material.  I've seen all the post on here and on vintage mustangs that say the HCC AW was with a factory power steering.  Why the discrepancy and which is right?

[CharlesTurner]

HCC-AW for cars with power steering.
HCC-AX for cars with handling package and no power steering.


The steering ratio is the same for both boxes with the only difference as Jim mentioned being the bearing pre-loads (worm gear/sector shaft)

[BBQman70]

When you look up HCC AW in the table at https://www.stangerssite.com/steeringboxtagdecoder.html you see a "M".  When you look up HCC AX you see a "P".  Is the table wrong? 

The 65/72 Ford Parts Master Catalog says the same as stangersite.

[CharlesTurner]

When you look up HCC AW in the table at https://www.stangerssite.com/steeringboxtagdecoder.html you see a "M".  When you look up HCC AX you see a "P".  Is the table wrong? 

The 65/72 Ford Parts Master Catalog says the same as stangersite.

Yes, it's wrong.