STEERING BOX djust

I just got off the phone with the owner of stangerssite.com. The '54 control valve is totally different from the ones he stocks parts for. He calls them 1st gen. The kits he has are for "3rd and 4th gen". However, he gave me some pointers and ideas of what I could do with mine and it turns out that all my adjustments were counter productive. In addition, after viewing my little video, he said the movement is normal. The lateral movement is actually the spool valve moving. That is how it works. I will once again take it apart and adjust it as he recommended, then move on to the steering gear box.
 
GLAmes said:
I just got off the phone with the owner of stangerssite.com. The '54 control valve is totally different from the ones he stocks parts for. He calls them 1st gen. The kits he has are for "3rd and 4th gen".

However, he gave me some pointers and ideas of what I could do with mine and it turns out that all my adjustments were counter productive. In addition after viewing my little video, he said the movement is normal. The lateral movement is actually the spool valve moving. That is how it works. I will once again take it apart and adjust it as he recommended, then move on to the steering gear box.
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Please report back with his procedure and your results, especially the adjustment(s) if different from the 1954 WSM..

Now you can get the ball stud kit either vendor (who knows what quality) or NOS.
 
KULTULZ said:
Please report back with his procedure and your results, especially the adjustment(s) if different from the 1954 WSM..

Now you can get the ball stud kit either vendor (who knows what quality) or NOS.
Click to expand...

The only difference is the manual says to tighten the travel stop and/or the centering spring nut if there is play. His recommendation is to tighten the travel stop all the way, then back off to the first alignment hole and to tighten the centering spring nut all the way, then back it off 1/4 turn. There isn't any need to source a ball stud kit because mine is not rusty or corroded. I've been to those adjustments. That is where the travel stop and centering spring nut were when I made the video.
 
I’ve finished with my car in the ARC Shop and I’m so pleased with the results!

The paper shims at the box were essentially reduced in thickness which tightened up the steering slop.

I started out after measuring the shims with a 50% reduction…just a bit too much on the steering test.

The old shims..be aware that you get all of them out. One was so old it blended into the body of the box.

It is a bit of a pain to prep the steering column with the push back on the Tube and then removing the four bolts to access the shims. This has to be all reassembled to do the steering test.
 
Jwawhite said:
I’ve finished with my car in the ARC Shop and I’m so pleased with the results!

The paper shims at the box were essentially reduced in thickness which tightened up the steering slop.

I started out after measuring the shims with a 50% reduction…just a bit too much on the steering test.

The old shims..be aware that you get all of them out. One was so old it blended into the body of the box.

It is a bit of a pain to prep the steering column with the push back on the Tube and then removing the four bolts to access the shims. This has to be all reassembled to do the steering test.
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I'm reading from your post that you did the work with the box still in the car and all you did was reshim it? Other than Dennis Carpenter did you find any other sources for parts?
 
I purchased the Shim pack and was initially disappointed with the contents.

I did the work 3 months ago, 3 month time limit in shop, and it was the first item on the list.
Can't remember the equal amount of shims but half were one size and other half another size... just two different shim thicknesses that one combines to get close to what you want. I guess it doesn't matter bc of the range in the steering test??
I worked with two steering boxes, one from a wrecking yard and discovered they were very close in shim thickness..36/37 thousands..prolly the same thicknesses from factory?
I ended up with 28 thousands as a final result after one previous attempt at 50% off, see above.
I am not a mechanic and visually inspected the wear on the two worm gears and felt the bearing movement in the sector shafts, one had freedom of movement the other notchy.
It makes sense the shim thickness narrowed bc of wear and now the box has tightened up a bit w/in parameters of "The Test".
Yes did it in the car with the steering wheel removed, the dash bracket loosened, and the clamp on the Tube was released. I used a crowbar and prised the Tube upward into the passenger compartment just enough so when the 4 bolts on the box were removed I could pull back the cone and expose the shims. Watch the horn wire that it has length. The SM reads to cut the shims at the top and offset from ea other. I used open and box wrenches to work the bolts out, it takes time. AND then you have to reassemble to do "The Test". There is a different reading for manual vs P steering.
 

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Thanks. I have a gear box that I plan to rebuild, then install. The '54 manual does not differentiate between P/S and manual steering when setting up the box. I was hoping to find someone other than Dennis Carpenter for parts. The only other one I have found is the early ford store who is out of stock with no ETA of new kits. I think I'll call Larry's tomorrow. They sell rebuild boxes, perhaps they sell rebuild kits.
 
As it turns out Concours does have the worm gear on their website, I needed to go to the next page (slap forehead here). Parts on order.
 
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