861 power steering

[mscat]

I am in the process of restoring the power steering on an 861. This has certainly been a learning experience, but I have more to learn and would appreciate any help.
The pump was leaking and the shaft on it pitted preventing any rebuild. I was led by a local hydraulic shop to purchase a Cardone 96-6052 pump. I posted a question on this site and received affirmation from others that they had successfully used such a pump. After installing the pump I had no power steering and fluid began being pushed from what I now know is a vent check valve, also used to put lubricant into the steering box. Yes the ps fluid was coming out as the seal from ps to the steering box had failed. Also the steering finally just locked up. The necessitated complete disassembly of the steering column. The needle bearings were broken and the balls from bearings associated with the rack that rides on the steering worm were in the bottom of the steering box. Sector gears were badly pitted and one tooth broken off. I purchased a new shaft, new sector gears, all new bearings and seals. Control valve was taken apart and cleaned. I reassembled , following there service manual as close as possible. I was and still am concerned about the preload tightness before staking the nut, as what I read said tighten it "firmly", whatever that is and then back it off 1/6 of a turn. Bottom line is when it is all together the power steering does not function. In fact its is much harder to steer than a manual steering would be. Anyone have any ideas of where to go from here?

 

[Hobo,NC]

I am in the process of restoring the power steering on an 861. This has certainly been a learning experience, but I have more to learn and would appreciate any help.
The pump was leaking and the shaft on it pitted preventing any rebuild. I was led by a local hydraulic shop to purchase a Cardone 96-6052 pump. I posted a question on this site and received affirmation from others that they had successfully used such a pump. After installing the pump I had no power steering and fluid began being pushed from what I now know is a vent check valve, also used to put lubricant into the steering box. Yes the ps fluid was coming out as the seal from ps to the steering box had failed. Also the steering finally just locked up. The necessitated complete disassembly of the steering column. The needle bearings were broken and the balls from bearings associated with the rack that rides on the steering worm were in the bottom of the steering box. Sector gears were badly pitted and one tooth broken off. I purchased a new shaft, new sector gears, all new bearings and seals. Control valve was taken apart and cleaned. I reassembled , following there service manual as close as possible. I was and still am concerned about the preload tightness before staking the nut, as what I read said tighten it "firmly", whatever that is and then back it off 1/6 of a turn. Bottom line is when it is all together the power steering does not function. In fact its is much harder to steer than a manual steering would be. Anyone have any ideas of where to go from here?

This was on a 3000 I spent quite a bit of time measuring the original and when I went back together with it.

Turn the nut down till you cannot spin a new convex washer with a finger. Then turn the nut in 3 flats (3 flats = 1/2 a turn) You are marrying the shaft to the spool with the washer in tension.

Once you contact the convex washer to where it will not spin you have one complete turn of the nut to bottom out the convex washer. There is no need to bottom out the washer take all the slack out of the washer (washer finger tight) and turn in 3 flats of the nut (1/2 turn) stake it and move on with life.

My measurements of the power steering spool it needs to move .200" to operate that's just a tad over 3/16".

When disassembling the nut I ran the original nut all the way down it was set exactly as I just described. You can run the nut all the way down till it bottoms the washer then back it up 3 flats are a haft a turn for the same results. The one i set up like this worked exceptionally well.

Is it possible you have the sectors adjustment to tight.

 

[mscat]

I’m almost positive the sectors are adjusted correctly. I disconnected both of the cylinders and the steering feels great. My measurement of the power steering spool movement is just over 1/8 of an inch. I thought that might be too much but evidently that is not so if yours is 3/16. The ford manual that I looked at says .070 of an inch.