I hear ya bro.....ottsooo....soon we will need a "tune" to change a headlight bulb!

I like the way a rack & pinion feel, and I'm pretty "old" myself but to each his own

I'm past six decades old and really like the rack & pinion, but then I've driven mostly Mustangs and Fox chassis T-Birds... To me those, my '07 & Marauder give far more road feel than than the steering on the '02 & earlier Panthers...

I like the rack and pinion along with the redesigned front suspension and outboard rear shocks of the 03+ Panthers. Much more stabil, stiff, and rock solid.....compared to the older 79-02 style suspension and steering.

But I'm happy with my car at the same time.

gotta love a pitman and ball set up over a steering rack....yeah... nothing like wandering down the road versus actually tracking...

bet you would love an old straight axle too..

I like the newer tech on my '05. I didn't know much about Panthers when I bought it. I knew they had a big redesign in '03 so I went with one newer than that. I've only ever known rack and pinion and it's what I'm familiar with repairing so I was pleased to find that I don't have to learn something new that's actually old.

To be honest I was also excited when I saw all of the aluminum and plastic under the hood of my car. It's amazing how far technology has come. I'm surprised that the block is iron. I'm happy it's SOHC instead of pushrod.

Even though I like all of the new tech but I was sold on the car because of the V8 and RWD. I live in the desert so I decided I needed RWD.

I'll always be a lover of solid axles :O

Rack and pinion versus pitman arm? Doesn't really matter to me.

Yes I am waking a dead thread, but I have wondered if anyone else has replaced the DBW throttle system with a regular cable operated throttle system?? I just don't like my 08 with regards to how the throttle response reacts to the foot pedal, I have the 92 tune Diablo Trinity tune loaded to the car, and it seems when you immediately let off the gas the rpms slowly come down (enough for myself to notice) which bugs the ever living crap out of me, and if I can that means I can upgrade to a larger TB which is a plus and the fact that I know one of those two components won't leave me stranded.

Even if it was possible, it wouldn't be worth the conversion for both time and money reasons.

If your that opposed to DBW, get an -04. If your just wanting better throttle response, a tune can fix it.

Also, I'm pretty sure you can only upgrade you Plenum, not TB with 05+

Your setup is superior. You don't need a silly old cable. The DBW replaces several systems so it actually has a lot less parts to fail.

You'll never have a sticky IAC. Your cruise control will never stop working because of a bad vacuum diaphragm.

From what everyone has said here any negative symptoms that you notice are related to the tune.

Here's one thread on the upgrade of a DBW plenum and TB. The TB's are starting to pop up on Ebay for lower prices.
https://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2511174

I agree with you except this part, Panthers have had electric cruise control since '92 or so. Its very reliable system, and they rarely go bad. Unless they get water in them which is unlikely since they are sealed up good, although, my Lincoln's inexplicably had a crack in the aluminum housing.

Well in any event, the DBW cars have no parts for the cruise control. Just the buttons on the wheel.

I actually congratulate you sir on using the search function.

I remember reading a technique on here a year ago but i cant find it. If I remember correctly, Turn the key 2 clicks, dont start! SLOWLY push the pedal to the floor, then when all the way down, jump off of it, turn the key to off. Repeat 2 more times. Number of people here noted that it increase throttle response.

Actually it was worse before the Diablo tune, it would almost act erratic as if someone were feathering the gas pedal, There is no codes stored in the memory concerning the throttle body or DBW system, And even today when I went to lunch you can be driving along sometimes and let off the gas pedal and it's almost like your foot is still on it letting off of it slowly, and other times it acts like it wants to surge like your pushing the gas when say your cruising (and it's not the OD locking up either) most people probably would not notice it as it's faint, I had a thought that maybe the gas pedal potentiometer is going bad, may have to replace it and see what happens.

Raven, That makes sense as to re-calibrating and "zeroing" out the pedal potentiometer with the PCM I know a couple guys out at the Ford stealership may have to make a call...