33 Ford steering, Hard steering

1

1021ocean

Junior Member
Can I put a 38 or 39 steering box in my 33 ford pick up want it to steer easier or does any one have any other ideas? Would like keep lite switch on steering column. Bill
 
Your best bet is to use an F100 or maybe an F1 PU steering box (not sure of exact years) with mounting flange modified to fit your frame. These boxes have the rolling sector gear similar to what is used in the '37-'48 cross steer passenger car steering boxes.
 
Your 33 box might be 13 to 1 ratio if it is the 34 worm and sector 15 to 1 could be installed plus the 36 sector needle bearings can be made to fit. if you open your box the parts will be stamped with a 13 or a15.
 
1021 Ocean, I have a 32 Tudor with original steering box, 13:1 gears etc, and when parking I find the steering very heavy. I have improved it by fitting narrower tires and putting alot of air in them ! Made a big difference. If I can work out how to get the steering wheel off, I think the rubber (?) bush at the top of the column is perished/hard, and wonder if that was replaced it would help?

Are you having trouble with the box leaking its oil?

Cheers, Tom.
 
If it is an original 33 gear, chances are the top worm bearing surface is bad from years of lack of grease. Change the worm and sector to 34 (15-1) and shorten the pitman arm 3/4" . If you are running larger size tires than the original 17" rubber, forgit it, the geomentry will not allow proper leverage.
 
A real simple fix is to replace the grease with STP. It made a noticeable differance in my 35 tudor. It has standard 600X16 wheel and tires.
 
Keith brings up a good point, leakage. The light switch tube that goes up thru the worm and from the bottom is prone to leak on early models. Replace it with one of the repops available from most vendors that has a welded bottom.
 
Have you checked the lubrication level?, it should be gear oil not grease ---if it has grease in it fill it with oil ---has the rest of the chassis been greased, have you jacked up the ft end and moved the wheels and steering to see if perhaps something is binding ---or adjusted wrong ---the steerring ballsd can be worn oval some, if they are adjusted with the wheels straight ahead they will bind when turning---they can be adjusted with the wheel turned all the way --take a look at the kingpin thrust bearing --can you see that it is taking the weight of the car, sometimes the top of the spindle is worn and the spindle is using the axle for the bearing (a clue is that the bearing spins with weight on the axle and the retainer and felt seal between the axle and spindle is crushed.
 
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