Steering box ID

Ricosan

Ricosan

Senior Member
Hey Guys,

I think this was supposed to be a rebuilt steering box judging by the exterior but it has a lot of slop 3 1/2”. The “adjustment” screw on the side is all the way in. I thought this was a 1948 F100 but I’ve been searching the net and have yet to find a box that looks like this.

Richard
 

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Hard to say from 1 photo, but for clarification, a 48 would be an F1 box, and in 53 we start talking about F100's. If its an F1 box it will have the worm gear and steering shaft below the sector shaft. If its an F 100 it will be opposite with the worm above the sector shaft
 
Take a pic of the pitman arm .F1 and F100 are different.In the end you most likely will have to remove it and have it gone thru.Find the center and then check the adjustment.Could be not centered when you checked it.
 
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Yes,I just looked on EBAY and that's what you have. The problem is when the wheel is centered your front wheels are not straight ahead as they should be(I think).That's why there is play.You see that pitman arm only goes on one way.The F1 has splines and arm can be adjusted correctly. The pitman arm should be vertical to the ground when the wheels are straight.I am just assuming what I say as not being there is difficult to determine.I have never put a F100 steering in a 33-34 or even a '32 but an F1 in a Model A back in the mid 1960's.
 
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I could be wrong, but I think there are some F100 boxes with splined sector shafts. They are also bigger shafts than the early fords
 
When adjusting about any Gemmer roller sector steering box the front wheels have to be aimed straight ahead and the steering wheel should be clocked for center. As was mentioned, any deviation off center in the front wheels and there will be play well in excess of exact center location. I've seen pittman arms that have done away with the master spline that sets it up for center reference. This allows the arm to be placed in any location and that just ain't right.

The vehicle should be off the ground to adjust the sector to the worm in centered location. This unloads it so it can be turned by hand. If the play is taken out in the centered location then the worm should still turn it with no notchy feeling. It should turn smooth either way with minimal play. If it feels notchy or is hard to turn then the worm is likely worn out or the sector roller bearing is shot.

If the box is adjusted and centered and wheels back down on the ground then the steering wheel should be centered. If not the make sure the wheel is on the master spline in correct location. If the wheel is centered with the master spline but still off center with the front wheels then the tie rods have to be adjusted to center the front wheels.

Some folks modify the steering shafts to work with the old keyed steering wheels & column jackets. If that is the case then I hope they put the keyed shaft on correctly or it will never be centered with the steering box like it should.
 
If it is an F100 steering box, the easiest way to fix the situation is to change the drag link so there is some way to adjust the length. This will require having a threaded tie rod end on at least one end of the drag link.
 
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