seven tooth steering wheel for two tooth column

Al 29Tudor

Al 29Tudor

Well-known member
I want to put a two-tooth steering column in a 1028 sport coupe but would like to maintain the red 1928 steering wheel. Can i get a red steering wheel to fit the two-tooth column?
The seven-tooth column has all new parts in it but the steering is way too loose and not fun to drive.
Thanks for any guidance you can offer,
Al
 
Yes you can get one.Or maybe I should say,you could get one.Some stuff seems to not be available anymore.I bought two of them years ago,through a local vendor,and my 28 phaeton has a two tooth with a keyed red 28-29 wheel in it.What you are going to have to look for is a 29 two-tooth column tube with the quadrant for the early wheel.When I built a 28 years ago I wanted the two tooth,so I had to search for the right column.After that I bought every one I could find.I sold them off for surprisingly good money to guys wanting to do the same thing.I think there are two left.
 
Al, if all the internal parts are new, you can try to shim it up and adjust the play out of the 7-tooth gear box. They are pretty decent when new, if shimmed and adjusted, they just don't wear well.
 
The two tooth column (with the "Keyed" top) you want is the "Gemmer" two tooth units. This unit has the top sectors in 1928-29 pattern.

The downside of these units are that the worm is "different" from the available worms, which are being made now only for the later 30-31 column. Ford himself warns of the change in the Service Bulletins. The answer is to change out not only the worm but also the bearings on either side of the worm.

It is possible to put a "Gemmer" column top (with the 28-29 sectors) on a 30-31 box and column/shaft. But you may run into problems with the "length" of the shaft compared to the 30-31 tube. And the switch rod/control.

I have converted over a Gemmer column/box to the later worm/bearings. Just be sure to "measure" the total length of the worm/shaft BEFORE removing the worm - which is a press fit onto the shaft. And when you press the new worm onto the shaft, push it on to the measured length.

Removal of the worm is pretty easy. Use a piece of 3/4 inch pipe longer than the column. Insert shaft/worm into the pipe with worm "up." Then repeatedly strike the lower end on the concrete. The inertia of the column within the pipe will carry the column shaft leaving the worm in your hand. (don't get "pinched.")

Replacement of the worm is a little harder. Heat the worm to 212 in boiling water. Then protecting the worm, start the column/shaft into the hole. Tap the assembly onto the floor sort of the reverse of using the pipe earlier. The inertia of the column/shaft will carry it into the worm. Use the pipe removal method to get the new worm in the proper position.

It takes a "tall" hydraulic press to do installation more formally.

Joe K
 
Last edited:
Al 29Tudor said:
Thanks Jim. I'll try to remove shims first. I think i can do that with the column in place.
Al
Click to expand...

Once you have removed all of the brass shims from the bottom of the column, if you still have movement of the shaft/worm up and down the column when you turn the steering wheel (I predict you will), then you need to add steel shims inside the column on the end of the lower thrust bearing.

It is similar to what we see with the reproduction thrust bearings at the top of the kingpins. The bearing is not tall enough to support the load, and we need to compensate for wear, so we make up for it with steel shims under the bearing.

After adding the steel shims inside, you will then want to fine tune things by putting some brass shims back at the bottom of the column, so that the bearings are properly pre-loaded but not jammed up when the 4 bolts are tightened on the end of the column.

HTH.
 
All the worms were changed to the new design in 1930. The bearings changed and the old types aren't available. The worms are interchangeable for all model A 2-tooth designs. There is a service bulletin for the change over.

I shortened a 1930 column and added an early type 43 inch steering shaft with worm. I had to use an early spark/throttle quadrant and shorten the rods. I used a new bushing in the jacket so I could drill and thread it for the early quadrant. I topped it off with a new reproduction steering wheel and light switch/horn rod. It's not original but it works well enough and looks like a Gemmer 2-tooth for a 29.
 
Somebody was reading this and contacted me,asking if I would part with one of the column tubes I have.I told him to stay on the phone and I would walk to the shed and make sure I hadn't forgotten and already sold them.I still had two,and found one still had a junk wheel with the steering box on it,but missing the sector gear.Asked if I could be here about 2,I said yes,and he showed up.He felt the empty tube one was exceptional,and asked if $100.would buy it.He bought it,and said he'd already spent hundreds of dollars of his time hunting.Also said he was shopping for what he needed,not out bargain hunting.He already had the correct innards,so he wasn't interested in the one with the shaft still in it.Said it was over a two hour ride for him,but he wasn't going to let it get away.
 
Well right now on ebay there is a seller offering a 28-29 tube for about $50. With shipping perhaps $70 total?

The same seller is offering the box and shaft for about the same. These would obviously be "Gemmer."

I have bought the complete 7 tooth steering column on Ebay for $110 delivered. So yes, if you persist, you can find a deal on Ebay.

A while ago I bought the key red steering wheel from Snyders. More recently the spline red steering wheel. Both of these wheels I bought without mold mark removal figuring I know how to hand/wet sand. Both wheels came what I consider "usable" as bought - no sanding required.

Joe K
 
Last edited:
Snyder's sell blemished wheels at a discount but they also have ones with no blemishes. Apparently there are manufacturing problems with the molding of the grips. The new wheel hubs have two key ways but they aren't like the way Ford made them.
 
The guy I sold the column to seems to have had his fill of buying by pictures online.He sounded like he had bought quite a lot of junk that way.He didn't have to fool around with changing the top bushing,and found the spark and throttle levers were worn,faded,and tarnished,but presentable.If I had known what I had I would not have offered it to him.My 28 has a two tooth box,but my spark and throttle levers are painted,not plated.I am going out to look at the one I have left with the wheel still on it before I advertise it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top