Hi guys and girls...... really need some help here! Am very close to having a 33 roadster on the road but my steering box is too worn even for hazardus driving. Some of you must know where i can get a rebuilt box so if you please.......? Thomas
Most any of the Ford supply houses have the parts. C W Moss has the worm for $65 and the sector for $95. Add some gaskets and bearings and you would have a brand new box
I don't know of anyone commercially rebuilding these things. I understand that the repro gears available are poor (second hand info) and have tracked down rebuildable originals for myself. I would say before doing anything else, take the thing apart and see if gears are badly worn and try rebuilding using techniques on the website below. The website is Model A, different box but all tech shown and all adjustment procedures are closely similar to '32-34, also a Gemmer box. If you can get the thing tightened up using the original gears, by all means do so. The boxes are fully adjustable in several ways, so the basic idea is to deepen the gear mesh and cut away ridges left by wear. http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/steering.htm
Have you got any pictures to post of your 33, Gearhead-DK? I'd like to see how you're building your roadster. I am also doing a 33, but it's a sedan. Where'd you ever find a rare 33 roadster over there? I'll probably be putting a more modern steering box in my '33 -- maybe a '68 Ford Mustange unit. Is there some particular reason why you want to stay with the 33-34 steering box?
Thanx a lot for the info........ i'm sure if i follow your leads i'll end up with a good box. Actually thought there was companys across the pond selling rebuild boxes on an exchange basis, but i guess we'll go for the rebuild ourselves. Sorry southfork.... no pics right now but i'll put some up as soon as possible. The car will be late 40's style troughout though and that's why we're stickin' with the 33 steering box...... Car was found in Texas and was in a pretty bad shape, cost way too much , but that's all forgotten now as it's starting to look bad***........ can't wait to race it this summer!! Thanx again guys!!! Thomas
The upper race for the worm bearings is not reproduced. Everything else is available. The lower race from a 37 box (it is reproduced) can be subs***uted for the early upper race but it will need to be shimmed to get the proper preload. You can also send out your sector shaft housing and get it bored out to accept roller bearings replacing the bushings. I can't find his address anymore.
I have a case and pitman shaft for a '37, first year for the worm gear on the pitman. The most desirable for that reason, was very rusty, I kept it to put new guts in but got a complete one so it is extra now. Cost about $160 for everything to renew it. Your earlier tube, shaft, drop and wheel should work but ask an expert I never had the early style apart. I should have the pitman arm around here too. Probably can get a complete one on the auction site, don't believe it is much of a buyer's market. You may get lucky, I did.
Hi I may have a 38 steringbox, that was cut out of a 38 Sedan many moons ago. Maybe it can be used for parts If i find it again, you can have it for the freight cost. I live in Linköping Sweden. Should i look for it??
Sounds great Mr. 42........ i'm very interested in that 38 box. email me at bredahl@gearheads.dk Maybe we could even meet up for the pick-up Thomas
Don't forget that the complete 1937-48 type box will go in your '33, either mounted as in the '38 or turned on its side with draglink pointing up as a draglink box. Someone on here posted excellent pics of one mounted as cross steer in a '34 here a while back--was it Rocky? The '33 box will be a bit stiff and primitive at its best, and really awful if not well rebuilt. The later box is MUCH easier and smoother, and still has a decently fast ratio.
It was me. When I bought my 34 frame it had some kinda old ford steering box mount welded to the frame with an unidentified, siezed "front to back" steering box. I tossed the box and saved the mount but I removed it from the inner frame rail. Corncobcoupe had a tight 39 ford box and column for sale and I cruised to DesMoines and bought it. I used the entire column/box ***embly and scooted the old steering box mount forward, mocked up the entire ***embly, redrilled the box mount holes in the mount and welded it in the frame....worked very slick with no steering slack or bump steer. Trick is to mock everything up with the engine in the car and get the cross steer drag link level to the ground and on the same plane with the tie rod. In retrospect, I'd fab up a new mount from 1/4" plate rather than **** around with that old mount....
Vern Tardel makes a tapered shim (US$50.00) that permits installation of an early (1953-1956) F-100 steering box in a '33-'34 frame. New mounting holes must be drilled in the frame and the old ones welded, but that's about as difficult as the job gets.
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