Steering fun

John Otis

John Otis

Senior Member
So today we dragged the jalopy around to where the new (little) shop is being built. Towed it with my Bolens diesel tractor with my other half steering. At one point when we were making a tight left loop the steering went over center and freaked her out when it started working backwards. HAHA. So here we are and I'm sure it's been addressed at some point but on a tight left turn of the steering wheel the pitman arm goes up and over. I pulled the cap off the gearcase and the pin is in the groove. Maybe it is in the wrong hole on the steering shaft and should be moved over one hole to the right? I suspect that this is a put-together car and that someone may have also put in a too short drag link. The front axle is 26-27 because it has the dropped spindles. I am suspecting the column is 26-27 as well although I haven't counted teeth yet. As a side note the frame, engine and rear are 26-27 style with early 27 motor and matching frame numbers. Of all the cars I have had and all the ones I've put together from scratch I have never had this problem although I have certainly heard of it. I have seen the Mickey Mouse clamp things that some folks put on the tie rod so it crashes into the wishbone before it goes overcenter. This isn't really acceptable even on a jalopy. I really doubt that any cars ever left the factory with this over center problem and that I may be suffering from mismatched parts. I'll tear into it tomorrow and probably figure it out but in the meantime any other ideas?
 

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John when you say it goes up and over do you mean it actually flips reversing the direction the steering wheel works in? That's just nuts! Has to be in the box I'd think. Lordy, don't drive it like that. I've looked at mine ('23 Touring) and I really don't see any steering stops on the linkage so again I refer you to the box.
 
PS: I seem to remember a change in the pinions (ratio) below the stg. wheel in the 26'/27' area but I don't think this will reverse the action if somethings wrong with them.
 
John,

Here is a quote from the Ford notes on changes to the steering column;

1921-1922

3500C (T5044). Similar in appearance to 1920 but a longer pin was used for one of the planetary gears. This pin extended down into a groove milled in the case to act as a stop, preventing the steering going “over center.”

The drag link on a 26/27 is also about an inch shorter than the earlier ones.
 
Thanks Jack. I am aware of the parts changes and my pin is in the groove but I think when the column was assembled they may have put the long pin in the wrong hole on the steering shaft. Greasy gooey mess in there and it's low priority at this point. It's parked on the lawn at the moment so I can't really jack it up and play with things. Going to try and get the roof on the shop this weekend and then I'll roll her in and do some serious detective work and measuring. I may have an earlier column and pitman with the too-short 26 drag link which at this point seems to make the most sense and would certainly result in the present condition. I'm open to any other input and would be glad to hear from someone else who has had and solved this problem.
 
John... when you measure the length on the 26 stuff let me/us know. I dont know what mine is but I do have a 26 steering column for the project. The front axle had (now changed) the early spindle so its anybodies guess what the rest is! The 26 column has the square firewall mount. ws

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Bill,
The following is from the Ford records of engineering changes;


9-19-14Length of rod changed from 30-11/16” to 30-11/16—30-3/4”.
A month later it was changed again to 31.062—31.125”
7-14-16Ford design with forged end adopted. Earlier type continued in use (supplied by outside firms).
5-8-17Ford design now used exclusively.
10-2-17Length changed to 30.938—31.062”.
5-19-19Length changed to 30.312—30.438”Factory Number T-289-B
10-7-25Length changed to 30.812—30.875.
At the introduction of and for the 1926 models, the length was 31.125—31.250”.

It looks like you have an early one??
 
OK! This one is solid with forged ends, and a couple of little tweeks down the line would put it right at 11/16. Being the short one, is this the one thats prone to over center steer? Thanks... ws
 
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