Ford’s manual rack and pinion steering in 1979 was somewhat difficult to manage by today’s standards. It had a 24.9:1 ratio with 4.1 turns lock-to-lock. In other words, you had to turn the wheel a little more than 4 times to completely turn the wheels from one direction to the other. Ford’s power steering option, on the other hand, had a 20:1 ratio and only 3.1 turns lock-to-lock. This made turning and controlling a Mustang much easier. For reference, most modern passenger vehicles fall in the radio of 12:1 – 20:1.

Upgrade Your Rack and Pinion

If you’re about to tackle a repair to your 1979 Mustang steering system and performance is your ultimate goal, you may want to upgrade to a 15:1 quick ratio manual steering rack. Drivers with this type of manual steering will benefit from increased control with only 3.34 turns lock to lock.

If your 1979 Mustang came equipped with power steering, you can reduce weight with a high-performance manual steering rack. Manual steering systems tend to give drivers a better sensation of what the road truly feels like and are known to have better handling at higher speeds. However, turning the 1979 Mustang steering wheel at lower speeds can be a bit of a workout. Still, many driving enthusiasts prefer the feedback and connection that occurs with manual steering.

Not the year you are looking for? Check out these years: 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, or 1989 for additional options.