New gaskets - cardboard

Tinker said:
Think you are complaining to just complain. Look like great gaskets to me! Not sure how you set bearing/worm load on a steering box with a gasket?
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Sorry Tinker, didn't mean to come across as just complaining to complain. The first few gaskets I got for the distributor and coil were made from gasket material and cork/rubber. So when i received these it threw me off a bit. I could/would have made them myself out of gasket material if I had known they were cardboard.
 
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Guess I was spending money needlessly! I always used the gasket material available at auto parts stores. :)
 
I prefer proper gasket material, and it is cheap. The packaged kits give multiple types, materials, and thicknesses. Handy to get at in the garage.
 
While I prefer Best gaskets, in the case of the components you are refering to, you will be A-Ok with Carpenter gaskets. I rebuilt both a steering box and a transmission today using carpenter gaskets ( we stock both carpenter and best as we are a stocking dealer for both).

I actually prefer carpenter's trans gaskets, but prefer Best gasket steering gaskets... The issue, is that Carpenter gives a better selection of upper race shim gaskets than best does for the steering gear.
 
Truth be told, the cereal boxes were a few years ago, and sometimes nowadays in a pinch. I have attended and shown antique machinery for 34 years at Lynden Wa in August. Sandy Olsen, of 'Olsen's Gaskets in Port Orchard Wa has spread out left over stampings and sheets of gaskets and large , reusable sheets, strips and large circles, all his 'waste products' for free to all of us local fixer uppers. I now have sheets of corprene, stainless embedded stuff, squishy stuff, and all manner of scraps to keep me going with all the oddball crap I get involved with. Olsen's gaskets has all the good Best gaskets for us ford guys, but is totally on task if you need a head gasket for a hupmobile or a pan gasket for a nash or a full overhaul set for a chrysler crown marine engine.....
 
i make gaskets when i need to, gasket material from the parts store, or beer cases, what ever is needed. but... for ford steering boxes, instead of a big stack of paper i like to use real shim stock, available from all the machinist supply houses, keep a variety on hand. when doing the worm setup on early fords, i mock it up with paper, then will make a steel shim to cover most of the thickness, and a few of the thin gaskets for the finish
 
cas3 said:
i make gaskets when i need to, gasket material from the parts store, or beer cases, what ever is needed. but... for ford steering boxes, instead of a big stack of paper i like to use real shim stock, available from all the machinist supply houses, keep a variety on hand. when doing the worm setup on early fords, i mock it up with paper, then will make a steel shim to cover most of the thickness, and a few of the thin gaskets for the finish
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Good idea for the steering box.
 
Ford/merc 32-41 generic service manual.



Adjustment of Steering Gear Worm Bearings.

Loosen four housing end plate screws, approximately 1/8” (refer Figure 35). Use a knife to separate the first shim, passing blade all around between shims, care being taken not to mutilate the remaining shims.

In production, the following size shims are being used in varying amounts .0025”, 005”, .010”, according to the amount of readjustment required.

Remove only one shim at a time between inspections. Care should be taken not to set up stiffness in worm bearings.

Revolve steering wheel to determine if stiffness exist. If stiffness is present, too many. Shims have been removed.


Personally sincerely learned something today.
 
My 47 tonner steers and returns to normal on a left turn, but on a right turn I have to manualy straighten it back. What gives?
 
To think the righting steering wheel was an invention. Before that people had to turn the wheel back. Thanks to steering geometry and linkage and I guess a few shims.
 
Why do all the directions I read in Ford manuals, Motors manuals etc say to unscrew the 4 cap screws just 1/8" and separate the shims one at a time and remove? Looks like the 'shims' (gaskets) have four bolt holes at the corners. Sounds like a dumb question, but wouldn't I need to completely remove the 4 cap screws to remove a shim or two? I understand the bearing could fall out so wouldn't like that. What step am I missing here? Also, do I back off the adjustment screw on the top before the shimming process?
 
I generally purchase Fel-Pro or Best gaskets but I have always kept various thicknesses of gasket material around when the gaskets aren't quite the thickness that was needed for thrust or backlash purposes. The composition of gaskets always depends on what is inside that may permeate the gasket. Some fluids or lubricants need more than paper depending on flange fit and scheduled maintenance actions with that particular flange. High temp or exhaust type gaskets are usually specialized types but there are at least three different types available for intake and exhaust type gaskets so it pays to get the one set that works the best.
 
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