Topic: Steering Box Ratios

[Building 3]

1966 MY: Is there an internal or external difference between the 16:1 ratio manual steering box HCC-AX in the handling package and the 16:1 power steering ratio box HCC-AW? It seems odd that Ford would offer two boxes with the same ratio instead of one. Perhaps the Handling Package box is more heavy duty? 

[Asm109]

The difference was in the preload specs.  The torque required to turn the shaft is higher on the manual steering box.

I think they did this because the forces on a manual box are higher than on power steering.

[jwc66k]

Physically both the HCC-AX and the HCC-AW are the same, and as such - interchangeable but, as noted, have different preload torque specs. There was a local shop that specialized in steering box rebuilding (I think he is gone) and years ago, when I asked him about rebuilding my GT box, what the differences were between a 16:1 PS box or a 16:1 manual box told me he bench tested them the same. The real world vs the design spec world. 
Jim

[Building 3]

Thank you very much.  That makes sense and it is a really simple reason.  The same box but with difference specifications.