Steering sector adjustment

[JerryC2011]

I am looking at purchasing a 1950 8N tractor. The steering has been disasembled by a previous owner and has about 1/2 turn of free play. Is there a lash adjustment or is it more likely to need repalcement of worn parts?

Current owner rescued it from being taken to the scrap yard and is offering it to me for $500 non-running. PO apparently tried fixing an electrical problem and gave up, being frustrated enough to sell it as scrap.

Thanks

 

[souNdguy]

both the old and new boxes have backlash adjustment. the new boxes ( oval sector covers ) have an eaiser stud / adjustment, while the older ( round cover ) boxes you have to rotate the side covers.

IMHO.. NEITHER will take out a half a turn of 'play'.. if you have that much play, I'd look at thrust bearings ( does the steering wheel rise or fall when turned lock to lock? ) and draglink and tie rod end play, as well as worn hubs and wheel bearings and spindle bushings. all add play and can effect how hard it is to steer, and lastly, sector backlash from well worn gears will deffinately add SOME play to the mix. by and far, these manual ford boxes are pretty easy to work on. usually they run out of lube from leaky sector seals and then the top thrust bearing dies and adds play.. and sometimes the sector teeth waer thin from no lube.

soundguy

 

[Kurt-NEPA]

I agree 1/2 turn is too much for the adjustment to take out. Check all the parts of the steering system before you put the blame on the box.

In any case, if its the later box with the screw and nut adjustment, then a rebuild to replace the upper thrust bearing and all the seals is an easy job and not at all expensive. If you go there post back, we can help. I just did one 2 weeks ago.

 

[Harry Wilken]

I have the older type 8n steering box. I adjusted it per FO-4 but could not see what turning the side covers did. They looked perfectly round to me.

 

[Dell (WA)]

Jerry.......BIG TIP......use 2-tubes of sticky cornhead grease 'stedda' 90wt oil. The grease won't leak out like oil. Gitt'chur sticky cornhead grease from (byte my tongue) John Deere. $3-tube. It should be intuitively obvious, you don't want to greasegun COLD sticky grease. Sett'um on dashboard of yer pick'em-up. Simple, eh? .......sticky Dell

 

[Dell (WA)]

Harry.......trust me, the early 8N steering gearbox (1948-1950) round covers are really eccentric. The later (1950-52) covers have adjusting screw and locknut in their center .......eccentric Dell

 

[souNdguy]

the bushing bore is the eccentric part with respect to the OD.. turning the cover moves the sector gear position, thus, hopefully, changing the backlash. as was said.. the early round cover style has VERY little in the way of adjustment.. much less than the later style

soundguy

 

[JerryC2011]

Thanks to all for the information. You guys are on the ball with quick information!

I know I will need a shop manual and possibly a parts manual. What manuals should I get to begin work on this tractor?

I have a 1962 IHC C100 pickup that I restored to road condition with-in the past year. I could not have done it without the help of my IHC forums, shop manual, and parts manual.

This tractor should be much easier to restore and parts are way more abundant.

Thanks again

 

[Harry Wilken]

It adjusted and took play out, I just couldn't tell where the offset was by looking at it.

 

[souNdguy]

I&T fo-4 manual, master parts catalog, and owners manual... should be about 70$ of paper or so..

soundguy