1937-48 Steering box rebuild

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Vettes2

New member
My steering box in my 40 Ford pickup needed
rebuilt.
I searched "The Barn" for any help and found a link.
I emailed, John Mason, and received a photocopy by email of the
March 1974 Street Rodder, which had this subject
covered pretty well.

I found this magazine recently
at a swap meet for $1 and I have it scanned on
Photobucket below. Feel free to download pics
and use them.

1937-1948 car and pick up steering box rebuild-
Besides, what do you learn by bolting on a vega box?

Anyway, I found a NOS sector shaft from a NOS Ford collector and one was listed on
the HAMB a while back too. Got the parts for the rest from Early Ford store.

Was told to use Lucas oil treatment as the gear oil. One guy puts a felt piece between the pitman
arm and box.Kind of a water and dirt seal. Rebuild article from 1974 Street Rodder Scanned in

That article and all is here


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...s1991cffe.jpeg

http://s5.photobucket.com/user/vette...0box Rebuild



Per the article, Part numbers and getting stuff from Ford is not really an option anymore.
I was able to get a NOS sector shaft for $125 and the rest of the parts from Early Ford Store for about $200


http://www.earlyfordstore.com/produc...oducts_id/3254

All of the pick ups use car part Steering box numbers, need this info when ordering new stuff.
1937-1948 Steering Box Rebuild Kit
[78-3503-RBLDKIT] $199.00


Catalog
Buy this complete kit and Save

Complete rebuild kit for 1937-1948 steering boxes. Freshen up your worn steering box with this kit. This package will provide you with all the necessary bearings, bearing races, worm gear, sector roller gear, bushings, and gaskets and seal necessary to completely rebuild your steering box.

* Bearings supplied in kit are high quality Timken.
John Mason provided the First Magazine article and that a " Hillman Radial Bearing" from Tractor supply fits in the steering column as a replacement
if stock column is being used. 3/4 X 1 3/8
H#838627 around $3.50
 
Does anyone have a copy of the article mentioned in this post? Our steering box is leaking like a sieve and I'd like to get a copy for reference.

Thanks
 
Thanks Cas, I don't see anything resembling a drain, does it need to come out of the car to change fluid? I have never driven it, I just have some great access to it now that the engine & transmission are out.
 
I bought a plastic syringe from Tractor Supply, put a small diameter tube on it, and pulled the old oil out. Then filled it to the top with corn head grease.
 
That's a pretty good article, but there is no mention of replacing the sector shaft bushings. Worn bushings can cause excessive play of the sector shaft, which can take out the sector seal prematurely and cause the box to leak. It does bring up the tube on the lower plate which often cracks and causes the box to leak. I silver solder the tube to the plate on every one I rebuild, because even if they aren't cracked, the original crimp will still seep oil eventually.
 
Last edited:
NealinCA said:
That's a pretty good article, but there is no mention of replacing the sector shaft bushings. Worn bushings can cause excessive play of the sector shaft, which can take out the sector seal prematurely and cause the box to leak. It does bring up the tube on the lower plate which often cracks and causes the box to leak. I silver solder the tube to the plate on every one I rebuild, because even if they aren't cracked the original crimp will still seep oil eventually.
Click to expand...

Great info. Thanks mate.
 
NealinCA said:
That's a pretty good article, but there is no mention of replacing the sector shaft bushings. Worn bushings can cause excessive play of the sector shaft, which can take out the sector seal prematurely and cause the box to leak. It does bring up the tube on the lower plate which often cracks and causes the box to leak. I silver solder the tube to the plate on every one I rebuild, because even if they aren't cracked, as the original crimp will still seep oil eventually.
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing this out. I had noticed the VanPelt rebuild kit included those bushings and intend to replace them while I'm in there.
 
NealinCA said:
That's a pretty good article, but there is no mention of replacing the sector shaft bushings. Worn bushings can cause excessive play of the sector shaft, which can take out the sector seal prematurely and cause the box to leak. It does bring up the tube on the lower plate which often cracks and causes the box to leak. I silver solder the tube to the plate on every one I rebuild, because even if they aren't cracked, as the original crimp will still seep oil eventually.
Click to expand...

Thanks Neal, great point you made.

Glenn
 
Thanks Jim. I went through all my old mags probably ten years ago and pulled out all the good to me, articles, this being one. I also added a new section to the Techno pdf below. A couple pdf weeks ago I did a major update to it.

Glenn
 
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Steering box bottom plate as mentioned by Neal. Your leak could come from where the brass tube is swedged to the plate.
 

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Glad I saw this article. Could someone confirm if the 37 box is the same as 48 & if the steering shaft is the same length?
 
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