32 steering box
- Thread starter Randall
- Start date
Contact nhrp32@att.net Steering box expert and all around good guy.
Flathead Fever
Well-known member
I rebuilt the '32 box on a chassis that I have with new everything. The box is beautiful, all the gears are setup, and the preloads set just one thing, its leaking gear lube from behind the pitmen arm, that lousy felt washer is slowly letting it run down my nicely painted frame. So I switched to the gooiest gear oil there was at work, it was like 600W, for the hydraulic gear driven digging device on the trucks that set the telephone poles in the ground, and it's better now. I wanted a lubricant that still flowed but didn't leak, as far as I know it's thickest stuff there is, but it still leaks just a lot slower. Then I bought a case of the John Deere Corn head grease, and I got sidetracked (for years) and have never tried it. There was a guy here in SoCal that was boring out the '32-'34 steering boxes for a seal and I think he was replacing the brass bushings with roller bearings on the pitmen arm shaft. I think that's what should really be done with it to finally once and for all get rid of the leak and the roller bearings might make it steer a little easier. I'm not worried so much about how it steers, that's part of the fun of driving something ancient but I can't stand LEAKS.
Put the seal in, but forget the needle bearing "up grade". Ford only did it one year, 36?, then back to bushings. Needle bearings need to roll, not just sit in one spot, like driving down the road straight. They will eventually make a wear mark on the sector shaft and ruin it. Bushings can be replaced as needed without wrecking the shaft
Flathead Fever
Well-known member
Excellent advice, you convinced me. No bearings, just add the seal. It looks like the seal number was just posted. I'll order few of those seals, but they will sit here for a while until I'm back into working on my cars. Since my stroke I'm just not feeling up to it yet. Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it.
DavidG
Well-known member
The logic expressed above regarding bearings and grease seals isn't exactly bullet proof. The bearings need lubricant, of course, as do the bushings, but if that lubricant isn't present as suggested, why bother with the grease seal? Further, given Ford's cost consciousness, why would they bother using roughly a million of bearing-equipped sector housings in late '35-'36?
Ronnieroadster
Well-known member
Solved the oil leaking Ford steering box problem decades ago I simply filled the box with wheel being grease. This has worked perfectly for many thousands of miles so far.
Ronnieroadster
Ronnieroadster
Mart
Well-known member
They did make plenty but did not need to continue with the needle bearings as they introduced the more efficient roller sector box in 37. The needle bearings were a band aid to try and make the best of the inefficient pre 37 design. As the cars got heavier something better was needed.
Just my thoughts, not based on anything official.
I still say, ford went back to a bushing for a reason. I have a 36 sector shaft in my pile here that you can feel the wear with your finger nail where each roller spent much of its life, which is driving down the road straight. Even worse if you do a lot of freeway driving.
In my younger years I was an avid motorcycle rider, put 200k on a 74 bmw r90s, been as far south as Guatemala, and had to replace the headset bearings twice. They are a tapered timkin roller like a wheel bearing, but when they spend most of their life driving down a highway they will wear in that spot and cause a "sticky" spot when you want to turn out of the worn area. Just my experience, but I believe bearings need to roll around, and not sit in one spot.
In my younger years I was an avid motorcycle rider, put 200k on a 74 bmw r90s, been as far south as Guatemala, and had to replace the headset bearings twice. They are a tapered timkin roller like a wheel bearing, but when they spend most of their life driving down a highway they will wear in that spot and cause a "sticky" spot when you want to turn out of the worn area. Just my experience, but I believe bearings need to roll around, and not sit in one spot.
Lawrie
Well-known member
I have fitted seals to all my 2 tooth steering boxes, all have the bush in them, all are filled with 85/140 gear oil, no leaks and the oil must get thinner in operations both in my33 and 34 as well as my model A the steering box is right next to the exhaust.
they all steer great.
Lawrie
they all steer great.
Lawrie
TerryOH
Well-known member
I have found the sector housing will need to be machined to use a modern seal.
32-34 Steering box sector seal: Ford used a cork gasket to replace with a modern seal the housing has to be machined. Timken 340835, National 340835: 1.125 Shaft, 1.374 Bore, 0.125 W
If you plan to use the 36 style of bearing on the sector do use a heavy gear oil in the box otherwise the bearings will not get the proper amount of lube.
32-34 Steering box sector seal: Ford used a cork gasket to replace with a modern seal the housing has to be machined. Timken 340835, National 340835: 1.125 Shaft, 1.374 Bore, 0.125 W
If you plan to use the 36 style of bearing on the sector do use a heavy gear oil in the box otherwise the bearings will not get the proper amount of lube.