Convert to power steering once you're running 33s or bigger, or any time arm-wrestling the manual box on the trail has worn you out — it's one of the best quality-of-life upgrades on an early Bronco. Done right it's also a steering-safety upgrade, because a proper conversion replaces tired manual components with a stronger box and crossover linkage. Done wrong, with mismatched parts, it introduces play and bump steer, so buy a matched kit.
The early Bronco came with manual steering, which is fine on stock 31s and exhausting on 35s, especially crawling at low speed where you're muscling the wheel with no momentum to help. A power steering conversion adds a hydraulic assist and, in most good kits, a stronger Saginaw box and upgraded linkage. The result is a truck you can place precisely on a rock without fighting it, and that's worth real money to anyone who wheels regularly.
The honest framing: this is a quality-of-life and capability upgrade, not a cheap one. Budget $600–1,800 depending on whether you do a basic box swap or a full crossover-steering kit. If you're on stock-size tires and rarely crawl, the manual box is livable. If you're on 33s or bigger, this changes the truck.
Buy a matched conversion kit rather than assembling parts from a parts-store shelf. A complete kit includes the power box (usually a Saginaw), the pump and a bracket that bolts to your specific engine (170 I6, 302, or 351W differ), the pulley, the high- and low-pressure lines, and the pitman arm. Mismatched pumps, brackets, and boxes are the usual reason a home-built conversion ends up with leaks, wandering, or interference.
For trucks on big tires, consider a crossover (high-steer) conversion at the same time. It changes the steering linkage geometry to reduce bump steer with a lift and routes the drag link to clear the axle — a worthwhile pairing if you're already in there and running a tall lift.
This is a substantial job touching steering and hydraulics. Remove the manual box and pitman arm (a puller is required — don't hammer it). Mount the power box to the frame, fit the pump bracket to the engine, and install the pulley. Route and connect the pressure and return lines, keeping them clear of the exhaust and moving parts. Set the pitman arm and drag link, then check steering geometry through full travel for bump steer and binding. Fill with the correct fluid and bleed the system by cycling the steering lock to lock with the front wheels off the ground until the air is out.
Steering is safety-critical: every fastener gets torqued to spec and verified, and the system must be bled fully so it doesn't aerate and lose assist mid-corner.
Steering is a system where a loose or wrong-torqued fastener can fail and take away your control of the truck. Torque the box mounts, the pitman nut, and the tie-rod and drag-link ends to spec, and verify they're tight before driving.
Bump steer is the common conversion complaint — the truck darts over bumps because the drag link and track bar aren't parallel after the change. A crossover/high-steer setup or correct drag-link geometry fixes it; ignoring it makes the truck nervous at speed.
Line routing near the exhaust is a leak-and-fire risk. Keep high-pressure lines clear and supported. And don't skip the bleed: trapped air gives you mushy, fading assist exactly when you're loading the system in a corner.
A basic power steering box-and-pump conversion runs $600–1,000. A complete kit with crossover/high-steer linkage runs $1,200–1,800. Reputable early Bronco steering sources (PSC, WFO Concepts, Tom's Offroad, Borgeson) sell matched kits cut for the EB frame and your engine.
You probably don't need the full crossover kit if you're on a mild lift and 33s — a clean box-and-pump conversion transforms the truck. But if you're on a tall lift and 35s, do the high-steer geometry at the same time so you fix bump steer once instead of chasing it later.
| Part | Vendor | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| Power steering conversion kit (box, pump, bracket, lines) | PSC / WFO Concepts / Tom's Offroad | ~$900 |
| Saginaw power steering box (early Bronco fit) | PSC / Borgeson | ~$350 |
| Pump, bracket, and pulley for your engine | Various | ~$250 |
Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.