Thanks for all the suggestions my 72 Mustang has power steering but it feels loose and sloppy compared to newer vehicles that I now drive.
"Loose and sloppy" can be caused by several different things. First would be old worn-out parts in the steering linkage... tierods, idler arm, pittman arm, etc. New parts (you can even get the idler arm "roller-ized" which gives a tighter, more responsive feel) will probably take out a lot of the loose and sloppy. While you're at it, the steering box itself could be "loose and sloppy" and in need of a rebuild/replacement. Secondly, you could hunt down a smaller diameter pully for the P/S pump. I had a '73 Gran Torino, and the steering was very.... "remote" I guess would be the term. Could slam the car lock-to-lock with my pinkie finger between one steering wheel spoke and the rim; and "feedback" was almost non-existant. Junkyard-dived for almost a year ("underdrive" pullies weren't even thought of back then) until I found a pully about 1/2" smaller in diameter that still fit on the P/S pump shaft; it lowered the pump pressure somewhat, enough to make the potholes in the road overcome the brute force of the power steering system.
NOW I could feel the road!
"While you're replacing stuff".... the upper and
lower control arms could probably use new ball joints. I'd just go with new replacement arms; probably new springs and spring perches would help, too. Get good quality stuff from a reputable
suspension manufacturer, like Moog. Tightening up the front
suspension (
everything between
whatever steering mechanism the the tire tread) will tighten up the steering.
R&P steering is very cool; but even if you do
everything I suggested
AND hang an R&P unit on the car; it's STILL not going to feel like most all modern cars! This is an issue that you'll have to solve with the application of dollars with many zero's behind them - because, even with all the changes, you'll still driving a rear-wheel-drive car that's being pushed down the road by the rear wheels; instead of being
pulled down the road by the same wheels (in front) that do the steering. Now if you have the money to turn your '72 into a front-wheel-drive Mustang, you're golden. But you're talking about major changes to the front of the car as well as needing some super deluxe 'full-cage' subframe connectors to drag the a**-end of the car around without twisting the heck out of the unibody.
The basic structure of the car would need to be radically changed; and then you'd have a classic 'pony-car' that handles like the neighbor's Honda.
Just sayin'