7 Tooth Steering Box Question

KMBeers

KMBeers

Senior Member
My car has a 7 tooth steering box and under the lower bearing there are brass shims used to set the end play on the steering shaft. The parts suppliers are including different thickness paper gaskets in the gasket set to do the job now. The brass shims are no longer available as far as I know. I am thinking that over time the gaskets will continue to compress so the end play won’t remain fixed once set and may need some tweaking after initial tightening (like an head gasket). Anyone have experience with these gaskets? Am I over thinking this?
 
Dave, thanks for the suggestion. I had that thought myself but if others have had no issues with the paper gaskets then I was thinking to try them. This is the reason I was asking the question. I am expecting a bunch of responses stating “ditching the 7 tooth and go change to the 2 tooth”. No debating the 2 tooth is better and a lot more adjustable but I am trying to keep my car as original as possible and able to be judged in Touring Class. The car has been in the family for 50 years so I want to keep it the same to honor that and for Touring class, paper verses brass won’t matter.
 
Unless you are changing the shaft bearings, or they are significantly worn, there is no reason to add or subtract the shims. Before you take it apart, try to move the shaft up and down in the column. If it does not move then you are good to go with the same amount of shims.
 
Thanks nkaminar, unfortunately the box I am rebuilding I purchased unassembled at Hershey so I don’t know what was there. The shim’s weren’t included. The one in my car has about +/- 3” of play in the wheel and the end play is about 0.022”. The shims have already been removed to try and eliminate the end play. Hopefully someone else has some insight on the gaskets, otherwise I will be sure to report back once I get the paper ones in place and some time on them.
 
I’m just getting ready to assemble my steering box. I have everything machined, cleaned, and painted and I picked up a set of the metal shims from Millworks Hot Rod. I am curious what folks have used to seal them. I was thinking a thin coat of Permatex Type 2 but I wanted to hear what others have done.
 
Type 2 is fine. Put it together on the bench, then take it back apart for final assembly, and add the #2 then. Your sector bushings should only have a grove on one side. The grove goes inboard. Water pump bushings have grooves on both sides, WHICH ARE WRONG. After you are done, just a 1/4 of a stroke of the grease gun on that output shaft is a plenty. After install, add the 600W oil.

Bought it apart...hope you got a deal. One of the reasons I hate buying something that has been messed with.
 
Use the bottom plate that has the tube attached. The tube runs up beyond the level of oil in the box so that the oil does not leak down into the headlight switch.
 
Thanks for the help, as always the Barners have an answer. I have had the entire thing dry fitted together and it seams like I got a good base from Hershey. I am using the bottom plug with the tube extension. The shaft had to be drilled out on the bottom to allow it to fully install but overall things have gone pretty smooth. I should be in a place to install it soon but with the winter upon us may take a bit to get things done. Thanks gain!
 
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