Expecting too much from '40 steering box?

36tudordeluxe

36tudordeluxe

Well-known member
Replaced the steering box in my '36 with a '40 box I rebuilt. Car turns much easier & goes straight but the steering wheel doesn't return to center after exiting corner on its own. Am wondering in real world sense, is this common; I have another '37 box I can rebuild? The one currently in the car has about 1/8" of play at the Pitman arm; they say 1/16" is max, toe in, am just guessing by line of sight. The car has dropped axle, split bones, tube shocks and CE sway bar up front.
 
Ya know, with the huge amount of "rubber rake" you have on that car now (and it does look GOOD), it's likely that the typical 5-7 degrees of stock, positive caster has effectively been reduced to about nil, and that lack of positive caster can have just about everything to do with that thing not wanting to return to center. Just something to ponder. DD
 
Have you ever had a front end shop set the toe? You also need to check the caster.
 
If you were saying that you set the toe-in by line of sight, that is not good enough, it needs to be measured. It is not hard to do at all. Also agree on the caster (it sounds like a caster issue). On split bones you can adjust the caster with a pie cut in the rod and a re-weld or attempt to move the rod end down or have the axle bent. I like to just make the cuts and re-weld.
 
I have 9.5° of caster, went to alignment shop, they said they couldn't do it because they didn't know the "specs.". Maybe if I go back and show them the 1/16" in the manual they'll give it a try.
 
Did you over-tighten the sector adjustment screw too much ?
Maybe someone will chime in on the correct adjustment, OR
do a search on '40 Ford sector adjustment.










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You can also have problems with to much caster and 9.5 is to much! There was a thread on the HAMB about issues with to much caster.
 
V8COOPMAN said:
Ya know, with the huge amount of "rubber rake" you have on that car now (and it does look GOOD), it's likely that the typical 5-7 degrees of stock, positive caster has effectively been reduced to about nil, and that lack of positive caster can have just about everything to do with that thing not wanting to return to center. Just something to ponder. DD
Click to expand...
DD, got 9.5° caster. Is that a "Bamboo Bomber" I'm looking at?
 
Since your car is modified the original specs may not work----
From the 1936 service bulletins---they have several pages on wheel alignments, introduced a new factory machine and some interesting specs for toe

for toe it says to add up the camber of both wheels and set the toe (in degrees)at 1/10 th of the total camber ---it gives the example---if each front wheel has 1 degree of camber the total toe in should be set at 1/10 of 2 degrees or 12 minutes.

most modern alignment machines have no problems reading toe in degrees

The specs listed for 1936--
caster--max-9 degrees, min4-1/2, max variation between wheels--1/2 degree
camber--max- 3/4 degerr min--1/4 degree, max variation between wheels --1/4 degree, camber of right wheel should never be greater than camber of left wheel.
toe in is listed at 1/16 with a note to use the 10-1 rule

toe on turns is listed too--
at 15 degree turn--16-2/3 degrees
at 20 degree turn--23-1/2 degrees with a 1/2 degree tolerance

what at the pitman arm has 1/8 in play---something is too loose it seems

if you jack up thecar and support the axle on stands try moving the wheels left to right with everything connected, then take the drag link off and repeat looking for binding----disconnected the wheels should move smoothly without binding, the pitman arm should be able to move the steering wheel with only slight tightness at center----tyhe steerring wheel should move effortlessy with 1 finger with slight tightness as it passes over the straight ahead position----and the drag link should be adjusted to have the steering gear in this position when the wheels are at the straight ahead position---

another interesting note from the service bulletin---toe specs are for when measured at the centerline with a wheel 28 inches in diameter, the reading will be about 1/3 more than toe measured 9" off the floor like with a telescoping gauge(the type of toe gauge shown in the model A service bulletins)
 
SteeringBoxAdjustment.jpg
 
My Pop did his multi-engine training in those old Cessnas at Pecos Army Airfield back in 43. Stepping up to a B-17 was a big step indeed but war will do things like that.
 
rotowrench,
Pecos Army Air Base caught my attention; I have a discarded relic from Rattlesnake Bomber Base: a bugle.
 
One other adjustment that could be checked is the number of shims used in adjusting the worm bearing. Removing too many will result in stiffness in revolving the steering wheel and not allowing the steering wheel to return to center on its own after going around a corner.
 
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