TO 35 steering box

[TxMack]

I have rebuilt my steering box and replaced the seals and filled with
"corn head" grease. Problem is that now I seem to have a lot of
slack in the steering. That is, I have about 90 degrees of turn on
the steering wheel each way before the steering arms move. Where
did I go wrong in the reassembly?

 

[ferg one]

just bought a 1957 it had play ,found top and lower bearings bad replaced and set the gears up as in the repair book seem to fix .dose the wheel come up

 

[Mark from the Fort]

You didn't. You just need to "tighten up" the slop in your gears. Since you had her apart, you know that each steering arm actually comes out of the opposite side of the steering housing and has a bolt that tightens over a slotted thread. I do not have my manual handy, but there is a correct order in which you: loosen the bolt and take a large flat screwdriver and turn the slot to pull the sector teeth closer to its mate. Then you tighten the bolt and do a similar proceedure to the opposite side.
I believe in the manual it actually tell you to use a weight scale (similar to weighing a fish) and pulling on one of the 3 arms on the steering wheel. Once you have achieved the desired tension-you tighten the bolt and move over to the other side.
If no one replies with specifics, I will try to look them up tomorrow.
Mark

 

[Mark from the Fort]

I just thought of something, there is a specific proceedure when aligning the sector teeth when putting steering box together--I hope that is NOT the problem as you will need to take her apart to fix. Lets hope its just sloppy.

 

[Gilbert in IL.]

I "think" Mark`s second post is the prob, I HOPE not for ya...on his first post, did you loosen the nuts (I believe 9/16") & turn the set screw(flat), thats your timing adjustment?!? If you didn`t, your gonna have to pull the rt & lt sector gears back out, theres timing marks on both & you have to have the wormgear(block) in the right position. I HOPE(again) Mark`s first post is the fix `cause if not, my gosh, thats gonna be a green mess. I`ll check back to make sure info has happened...Gilbert

 

[phil fenner]

Why did you use the corn head grease if you fixed the seals? The proper oil is the 90 wt oil used int transmission and hydraulics. I think the grease will possibly separate from the bearings and that will not be good. The bearings should immersed in oil at all times.

If you got the "timing" off when you assembled the sector gears, it probably will show up when you turn the wheels from side to side and find they ae not symmetrical movements.

Phil (WA)

 

[TxMack]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. It may be this weekend before I can get back in the shop to see what I can do to sort out the problem. I think my bearings are OK and I think I have the worm gear in the correct position and the timing marks aligned. Mark, I may need to make those adjustments on the steering arms. Wasn't sure if I had done that correctly or not. Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know how it turns out. Haven't I read here before that corn head grease was suitable for the steering box?

 

[phil fenner]

I think most people use the grease when their seals are leaking with the good stuff.

Phil(WA)