tell me your experience. A coupe with F1 box

This is a great thread because I'm sure you're not the only person that's come across this issue.

I was wondering, did you mount the A outer portion of the box to the frame to get your angle set? As well, what did you use to make your cuts? If they weren't straight I could see you having an issue, as well, after it was rebushed.

 

yeah i agree, i dont see much on here about this but i heard it was a big thing to do. hell i searched everywere to get this column now im affraind i ruined it.

yes the A outer flange was welded onto the shortend f1 box. its all i could fit to clear my engine and pipes.

i think i cut it with a sawzall cause it was so thick and then i grinded the parts. as i had mentioned what i dont get is the sector shaft spins great in the bushings. just when its all hooked up it wont turn right. there is A slight agle of thea flange i can see. indicatign possible its a bit crooked. but then wouldnt the sector bind when i turn it with my hand? i seriously can spin the sector shaft with my hands when i have the box out,OH! with the drag link off, i can grab the pitman and turn the column right, but it wount go left. so im sure theres SOMETHING up with it.

also i noticed my frame rail is a bit crooked but i dotn think thats doing anything.

im worried ive ruined my setup and have no way to steer.im pretty broke so i was counting on this box to work.i could throw a vw bus box on it IF I COULD FIND ONE!

so guys i have the box out AGAIN. sitting with its guts all apart. im at my wits end and just left it there since i dotn think im capable of making it work myself.what a way to knock you down a peg right?

 

my box wouldnt come out either with the motor in. UNTIL i found a way! i take the plate off teh box,slide the shaft out a bit and bam! i can wiggle it out. im getting good at it!

find another one? have you tried to find one of these? its next to impossible around here. i paid a pretty penny just to get it to.

 

We welded up the tapered hole in my pitman arm and after locating the correct tapered tooling re-drilled the small end of the pitman arm so as to accept the rod end or drag link from the outboard side. This really improved geometry and feel of the steering as the drag link was now push/pull on the steering arm in a direct line not on an angle.

Also after lining up the steering wheel where I wanted it and making it perfectly parallel with the back panel of my cab I had a beautiful canted shim machined up by a friend to orient the steering box, washers is a very half assed solution.

 

WHOA WHOA WHOA! okay i didnt see your post! this is cool! yes i have to push the column over to the clamp sometimes. if i shim it i have to. if i dont shim it i dont.

yes i did the second you mentioned i had to cut it shorter to fit my application, so yes one model A bushing, and the other f1 bushing.. what do i do??!!!

 

^ this wont even work in my application. have split wishbones. and flipping the drag link would just look half assed and actualy make my geometry worse.

 

now i know,i know. looks like there could be an issue, but ive heard this was how it was done and i figured this was the way to do it. it does spin freely with no load. but could the sector shaft get bount when it tries to go the other way against the bushings under load?

 

That makes me think the 2 pieces are not welded together in the correct spot.

Impossible to tell from that pic, but if the Model A piece was off to one side, then the sector shaft is no longer 90* to the worm gear. So that would really make sense that it binds one way.....because the teeth angles are not right.

Hard to explain why it is in one direction only, but the tooth contact will be different on one side of the worm, compared to working against the other side of the worm.


I don't think it's ruined yet




Trying to think of a quick easy tool to make to check the alignment???


All I can think of is: The gasket face of the side cover "should" be 90* to the sector shaft bore...I would think.


Let's say you could find a thin machinist's square that you could rest against the gasket surface, and have the blade of the square go through both bushings. If the 2 bushings are out of whack, you should be able to see it real easy like that. Just check from several areas on the gasket surface to check the opposite sides of the bushings.


So, if you can do that and it's welded off center... Cut it apart again. Then we got to fab a quick jig to hold it for tack welding. i have a idea, so try to check that alignment.

 

i kind of dont get it.. sorry. i dont know how to fix it. at this point im ready to box it up and pay to have it fixed. i am not that great with measuring. all i know is when i have the box sitting flat the A flange DOES look s bit crooked. so i was going to cut it were i welded it. problem is after that is done im kinda out of my capabilities.

well the more i think about what you wrote, i do think i get it. its just finding things that straight now.

 

as i had said before my coupe has a complete f1 box no model a flange set up.
one end of the f1 flange is cut off, then drilled and tapped. its been this way for 45 years and works well,way easier too. i am putting that same box back in after a rebuild. i am using the best parts from two f1 boxes. should have an extra uncut housing for u in a week or two if u need it

 

bgaro! yes please! i am wanting to use another housing ,use my guts and NOT CUT it. ill do what you did. you have no idea how much that would help me out!!!!! i cant find them here

 

it will be a little bit, cause i am waist deep in a bunch of stuff. should be close to a couple weeks. i will pm u when i can get it to you. love to help out. the next question is what do u have to trade?

 

Take bgaro's offer on a new housing. Trim the housing flange to fit between the rails, shim the flange at the bolts to better align your column to the drop. That's the old timers way. If it cures the bind THEN if you want you can grind the F-1 flange off and weld a new flange on the box at the correct angle for the column to fit the drop. You can run with shims only if you want. Many guys have done that. The improved steering is well worth the effort. Don't give up.

 

cool man, hmm im not sure, im a youngin trying to build my coupe up the way it would have been done back then. so i dont have to many cool parts like you guys have!

but we can figure somethign out. this will be great to get the box all fixed up

 

subscribed. I have a spare box if I can find it I only cut mine and did not weld on a flange. It may be a day because I am sorting stuff in my barn and we just had a snow storm. So I will need to plow tonight and tomorrow.
Ed coupe33

 

If you need one, I have new F-1 flange I bought that comes with a matching outside plate. Ready to weld on. Didn't use on a project.

 

It sounds like you may have found the cause of your problems, but original Ford side-steer spindles (pre-'35) have the end of the steering arm set slightly forward of the axle centreline. I don't have one here at work, but I think the ball for the drag link end is about 3/4" in front of the axle centre, as viewed from above. This is something do with getting the correct steering geometry or effort during turning. This may have nothing to do with your problem, and I guess there are hundreds of thousands of cars out there with the straight bolt-on steering arms, but Ford must have done this for a reason.

 

Just an FYI for anybody needing an old F1 or F100 box, I just saw in my Dennis Carpenter catalog that they offer core boxes for $25. Says the column shaft is cut off, and they are old and worn, but it's a cheap start. Probably won't find a cheaper housing to repair this current mess.

 

very cool, im unsure of what that is, but if the other fellow ends up not having one i would like to buy one of those. all i need is another housing and ill be set.

 

Dennis Carpenter? It's a ford parts place.....

 

okay guys just wanted to update and give this an end...i got a box from dennis carpenter,they gave me a box that some one turned the adjustment way to tight on so it was a little bit of work to get the sector to turn smooth in it but i got it done. i cut the model a flange off my old f1 box, this time i did not cute the f1 sector housing in half like i did the other one. i just welded the A flange to the shortened f1, and it worked.

key was i didnt weld or have to mach up the bushings by just shortening the housing from the outside rather than the middle as i did before. i rebuilt the box,smoothed out the burs in the worn box and my car looks like will turn both ways with the same amount of effort. thanks fellas.

 

>That ...and it is easier to pull than to push .jmo

 

Congrats! Nice to see a problem solved!

 

Glad everything worked out deucemanab