steering column and gear box

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blownford

Member
Back in the '90's when parts and shipping were a fraction of what they are today, I gathered up original parts I thought I might need in the future for my '36.
I heard that the 1937 gear box was much improved over the '36, so I bought a box and the required bracket to install it. I rebuilt the gear box and it's been in my attic all these years. I later discovered that my banjo wheel was a 1937 which made me curious and after investigating I found my car already has a '37 column and gear box. I also confirmed they used the correct bracket from a '37.
Now the gear box in the car has worn out and I'm installing the rebuilt unit.
Question, can I remove the entire unit in one piece? looks like I could remove the wiring going to the switch and the bolts holding the column to the dash and bring the column/box assy with the steering wheel attached up through the floor and out of the car. I could then swap the parts over to the rebuilt unit on my workbench and not trying to drill pins out etc from under the dash.
Any help appreciated.
 
Is your 36 a coupe or sedan? Does your car have the engine pans in place? If so the left side should be removed first.

There is bale that secures the light switch to the base of the steering box. Swing that away and the switch unit will pull down and come off. Now there is a spider and horse shoe clip and spring at the end of the horn rod.Push up on the spider and remove the clip.Set the spider,clip and spring aside -in a zip lock so you don't misplace them. Now go in the car and pull out the horn rod carefully.If your car is a coupe that could be tricky. Then remove the steering wheel. Disconnect the wiring to the switch.If you can disconnect the column drop easily - do that.An extra pair of hands will help holding the column.Then remove the pitman arm. Remove the 3 bolts securing the box to the frame bracket . Drop out the entire assy from under the car.Careful to clear the pedals.That is how I did it on a 35 sedan and 36 coupe when I changed out the steering.


It might be possible to leave the column drop and mast jacket attached to dash. Make sure the column is unlocked and just loosen those 2 bolts that secure it to the dash. Remove the woodruff key and loosen clamp on mast jacket tube to steering box. Slide it all down after disconnecting pitman arm and steering to frame bracket.
 
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Good instructions from deuce_lover. I'd add that you should slip a yard/meter stick up from the back side of the steering wheel, over the top of the horn button and then down again on the inside of the wheel. This will put a downward force on the horn rod button and make it easier to get off and make it possible to get the spider, spring and clip back on.


Glenn
 
Thanks Glennpm, I don't have a lift and I wouldn't be comfortable with the car up that high with cribbing and jack stands. Plus the roof would hit my garage door opener.
This morning I discovered I didn't have a 1 7/16 socket to remove the pitman arm nut. So I have to wait for one to come from Amazon and I just went ahead and removed the horn rod, wheel and column. I'll take the gear box out through the floor when the socket comes.

The collar on the steering shaft for the locking steering wheel is a couple of inches lower on the new one so I'll move it up, I know everything works at that position. When I took the banjo wheel off, the upper bushing was right there, later when I took the column out another bushing and 2 rubber grommet like pieces fell out. Everything I see online says there should only be one. I have a new one with a metal bushing in it. Also, where the column tube goes through the firewall there are some serious divots in the tube where someone beat on it. I'll see what I can do about that but it's not a big deal you can't see it unless you crawl under the dash.
 

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blownford said:
When I took the banjo wheel off, the upper bushing was right there, later when I took the column out another bushing and 2 rubber grommet like pieces fell out. Everything I see online says there should only be one. I have a new one with a metal bushing in it
Click to expand...

Yes, only one. It is easy to push the old one down and then slip a new one on. Chances are that's what you are seeing. Some like to use a bearing at top instead of the Ford bushing.

blownford said:
Also, where the column tube goes through the firewall there are some serious divots in the tube where someone beat on it. I'll see what I can do about that but it's not a big deal you can't see it unless you crawl under the dash.
Click to expand...

You may be able to get the dents out, but they're pretty deep. Get a pipe or rod That will go into the bottom of the tube and tighten securely in a vice. Heat and hammer work, working from the dent edges in may get you something decent that you could then body fill. You could also slip in a length of pipe that clears the restrictions of the dents, is longer than the tube and support both ends on jack stands or the like.

You could probably find a length of exhaust pipe and replace the whole tube. The flare on the top mates with the bottom of the steering wheel but you can forgo that , make the exhaust tube a little longer than your present tube, so it slips up a little into the bottom of the wheel recess. Don't make it too tight to prevent the wheel from scraping on the top of the tube.


Glenn
 
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I found that a deep 1 1/16 socket is nearly exactly the ID of the tube. Sprayed WD40 inside and with a long extension, pounded it into the tube. Wow, this thing is really soft, no wonder it was dented. After 5 minutes of tapping it in and out and using a brass hammer on the outside, looks like this. I was prepared to heat it up but no need. I'll keep after it and maybe won't even need filler.
Also found a third bushing. Non of them had a metal insert and the centers are way bigger than the shaft.
Hot here for Southern California today!
 

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Not sure if I'm supposed to reply to my original post or start a new one.



I got the rebuilt '37 box and column mounted in the '36 coupe. I learned a couple of things. It's a piece of cake to take the gear box out from under the car. I had planned to take it out through the interior and I removed the horn rod, wheel and column and went under the car to remove the pitman arm and the 3 bolts holding it to the frame. When I removed the last bolt, the whole gear box dropped easily to the floor and I was able to get it out from under the car with little difficulty. I only had the front raised up to where the front tires were maybe 3 or 4 inches off the floor. I was no where near the height limit of my jack stands. The rebuilt box went back in no issues I'll take the column back out and paint it once I'm sure everything's aligned Is the dash Benton grey? Looks more metallic brown than grey.
-Mike
 

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Instead of putting the bushing in the column you would be better off using the bearing kit from C and G Parts in Escondido. A much better solution than the bushing.
 
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