roller/needle bearings for king pins?
- Thread starter Jack 34pu
- Start date
Pete
BANNED
Very slight reduction in steering effort.
For a big reduction in effort install an early 60's Nash power steering cylinder...It has a linear control valve so you don't have to modify your present steering box.
Pete
BANNED
Yes...It attaches to the pitman arm at the same point as the drag link and the other end attaches to the frame facing to the rear.
They were very popular in sprint cars back in the 60's.
There are some late 50's and early 60's Ford units that work the same way also.
If I scrounged through my barn I might even have one left but it would have to be completely rebuilt.
Attached are a couple pics of what they look like.
Attachments
52merc
Well-known member
so how exactly does that work? you need a pump ect ??
Pete
BANNED
All you need is a pump...The control valve is in the cylinder...It is called a linear control type...Does not require a control valve on the end of the steering box like the rotary control types.
The high pressure line from the pump goes to the "in" port on the cylinder.
The "out" port goes to a small reserve tank like the sprint cars use and the "out" line from the tank goes back to the pump.
Karl Wolf
Well-known member
My take on needle bearings in a fairly static situation is that the loading is very high, on a very small surface area, and they don't move a lot. Bearings will wear and dig ditches in the place that they stay. In some situations, a bushing is a more lasting installation- this being one of those... Just my opinion, Karl
CWPASADENA
Well-known member
I am thinking the same thing.
Installing needle bearings in the sector shaft housing and the upper steering column (Mast Jacket) will help. Also be sure you have 15:1 Gears in your steering box. If you do have a '34 it should have 15:1 Gears in it BUT thru the years if the internals have been replaced, it may have 13:1 Gears. 15:1 Gears are a little slower but definately are easier to steer with.
Just my opinion,
Chris
52merc
Well-known member
man i would like something like that on my merc,,nothing like that down here in the boonies
CWPASADENA
Well-known member
Usually, there is a 13 or a 15 stamped on the end of the sector shaft , the end that is inside the box. Also, I believe there also is a 13 or 15 stamped on the worm.
As previously posted, Also measuring the arc, in degrees,the pitman arm swings for a complete revolution of the worm and dividing that number of degrees into 360 will give you the ratio.
Chris
Last edited:
Pete
BANNED
You are absolutely correct..That is why needles are not normally used in machinery where there is oscillating motion.
However, in a model A the parts are not highly stressed so you can get away with it and like I said before there is some reduction in steering effort.
Last edited:
flatmotor40
Well-known member
put them on my 40 seems to be easier to steer also put bushing in top of column
345 DeSoto
Senior Member
I sprung for a set for my 32. I have no problem turning the wheel sitting still. When it's rolling, It's almost like power steering...and I have a blown Hemi in it...
Richard (EV8G)
Senior Member
As per CW, the sector will have either a 13 or 15 on one side of the gear, while the worm usually will have an F-13 or F-15 on the gear top surfaceon one end.
If a 32-34 steering is together, a 15:1 will go 4 turns lock-to-lock if not in the vehicle, where the Pitman arm will hit the frame on the rearward travel. A 13:1 will only go 3 and about a half or so.
I worked on a 32 years ago where the owner was complaining that it
was "really hard to steer" ("can you put power steering on it?") I took it apart and the sector gear was absolutely unbelievably destroyed. I was showing it to someone and we came to the realization that it had a worm of one ratio and a sector of the other.
Just when you think you've seen it all...