Steering Worm Assessment Needed

[BenLeBlanc]

Hello. I am trying to build my car on the cheap, and have made my way to the steering. I have it taken apart, and the Les Andrews book says "replace if worn". I am not experienced on steering worms, so take a look and tell me if you think it looks worn. Tell me if you need more photos.

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[Mitch//pa]

If u want to do the job right replace the sector and worm... Along with the bearings and sector bushing or needle bearing replacement.....
Doing a steering box is not cheap cheap
The worm looks pitted and worn

 

[BenLeBlanc]

If u want to do the job right replace the sector and worm... Along with the bearings and sector bushing or needle bearing replacement.....
Doing a steering box is not cheap cheap
The worm looks pitted and worn

I got what you are saying; just trying to get the project down the road, and if I don't have cash for other things, it isn't going to work.

However, I guess I see your point. Now is it suggested to just buy a whole new shaft with bearing surfaces, or can a machine shop handle pressing one off and on?


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[Kevin in NJ]

What are you going to use for a sector?

What does it look like if you are using a used sector?

What it comes down to is if you can put it all together and get a good adjustment. Worse thing is you find it does not adjust out and you need a better worm. They are not hard to take apart and you should have an idea what you have on the bench.

There are guys out there driving with some pretty loose steering. If you are on a budget I would look at the fit, worry about getting good bushings (the ones sold by retailers are not tight enough) and getting the bushings honed to fit tight. Yes this may means some expense at a machine shop. Heck, your sector may be good enough with the worn shaft ground round and bushing made to fit. A good machinist can make all of this happen. Make sure you have round balls and tight kingpin bushings that are honed to fit also.

 

[ursus]

The comment by Vince: "and the worms are not so great dimensionally either" has me curious. Is this a reference to the worms currently available or what?

 

[Terry NJ]

I have rebuilt a couple of steering boxes and if I were doing "On the cheap" I would pay attention to how the sector meshes with the worm. If the teeth hit the bottom of the cut in the worm., I might be tempted to grind a few thousandths off the sector tooth. And few thousandeths means just that, A Few Thousandeths! Not a 1/16 th of an inch, or even a thirty second. This MAY allow the sector to enter the worm just a little deeper. (I really don't know! But Familiarize yourself with the adjustments. There are four. Two of which you should see (They're pretty obvious) DON'T over tighten the worm bearing you can split the collar above it. Just snug to where there's minimal pressure on the bearing. Then there's one with a screw driver slot and the other and offset 7/8 (IIRC) nut with a taper/cone that's under one of the side plate bolts (Nuts) These bearings must be adjusted in sequence. The worm bearings first. Then the sector shaft endplay. Then you'll have to play with it.
But another important thing is how badly the sector shaft bearings are worn. Does the sector shaft fit tightly? Or is like throwing a hot dog down the hall way? These bearings are cheap! It's the fitting that costs the money.

 

[Brentwood Bob]

Usable. Follow Above advice to use the worm after it is dressed on the bottom race.
The sector needs to be bushed if worn. The ringer is if this is a gemmer, or a ford box.
The replacement parts are sold only for the Gemmer. With the ford box, you have to use used originals. It has a different set of internals and you cant mix the two.
Bob