1937 Ford V8 Steering Box Bushes

FlatheadEric

FlatheadEric

Senior Member
These new steering sector bushes came with a 1937 steering box that I am planning to use in my 1937 V8 sedan.
They differ to the existing solid bushes in the steering box in that they have a split down the side and numerous indents in the inner surface, small oil reservoirs?.
I can feel a small amount of play in the sector shaft so assume that the previous owner intended to change the bushes.
Before I knock the original solid bushes out and ruin them have I got the correct replacements? The split down the side of the replacements is unusual to me.
 

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The split is just a consequence of the way they are made. It's a flat sheet rolled into a tube shape. The material is probably a lamination and would be produced flat.
 
They do look correct to me also. You can not hammer the new bushings into place and they MUST be started evenly.
 
Thanks all. I will change them out then.
P.S. Mart - your videos are top notch. I have learnt a lot about my 37 and 38 through your projects.
 
Continuing on - I have knocked out the two sector shaft bushes which were fairly tight in the steering box housing. I now see that these were split along the sides like my replacement ones.

If I slide the replacement bushes over the sector shaft I see that the splits in the bushes open up slightly and they turn snuggly on the shaft.

If I drop just the bushes into the housing I see that they push through the housing from end to end with very little resistance. Not even close to how tight the old bushes were to remove.

If I assemble the bushes and sector shaft in the housing everything is nice and snug, and the sector shaft is firm to turn back and forth within the bushes and housing. This is with no lube in the bushes so assume that it will turn more freely once lubed.

What then stops the bushes from rotating in the housing once everything is back together, or creeping up or down the sector shaft? Do they get a smear of loctite or similar to hold them in place in the housing?

Thanks all.
 
Eric, Sounds like [typical!] crap repop parts. The bushes MUST be a press fit, as evidenced by the removal of the original bushes. You may need to get a machinist to turn some up for you if you are unable to source quality replacements.
 
^ What he said.
After installation they generally need to be sized to your sector shaft by the fine folks at your local machine shop.
 
My experience with the steering box is that the bushings are solid and not split and are also smooth no texture on the surface. Once installed they would need to be reamed to fit, similar to king pin bushings.

They look like bushings for either a clutch and brake pedal (not 39) or the clutch cross shaft on the transmission. I would measure the OD and ID of the parts and compare with original.
 
New bushes arrived today and they look to be the correct part.
They will not easily push through the steering box housing like the ones that I first posted, and will not slide over the sector shaft.
This weekend I will press them in and ream to the required size for the sector shaft.
The bushes that came with the steering box are a red herring and must be for some other use as suggested by Gary Tosel.
 
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