Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

I have a 1930 Deluxe Phaeton that was passed to me when my parents died. My dad collected Model A's for years, and he gave me a not running, rusty 31 pickup when I was 15, which I restored largely myself and drove all over the place. Now I'm 71 and find myself with a beautiful Model A. It was fully and originally restored in about 1970, and was driven a couple of thousand miles. Then sat in a barn for a long time. Everything still works fine except the steering is a bit loose so it tends to wander when driving down the road. The linkage is tight and still like new from the restoration, but there is play in the steering gear. It was dry, so I installed the horn tube modification to stop it leaking. My guess was there was some wear, so I removed the steering column from the car. It looks like I can adjust the worm and the sector to eliminate the play at the center point, that is 1 1/2 turns from each end of the limit, and lining up the steering wheel keyway with the end play adjustment. This is all per Les Andrews Model A book. Turning the wheel 1/2 turn either way from center results in significant play, which can be adjusted so that the play on both sides is equal, but my question is, can it be eliminated? Do I need to replace the steering box? This car is so well restored to original I want the steering to be perfect! Anybody have experience with this?

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

Depends on what you have. You most likely have a 2 tooth which can be adjusted. But it also is probably worn behind adjustment.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

You should have the 2 tooth box which is fairly easily adjusted. Why not try that first. There are 4 adjustments which need to done in order and the best instructions are in the Service Bulletins. Go over it a couple times and it just may be fine.

An inch or slightly less of free-play is good. You want to have some.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

I believe the procedure is in Les Andrews as well

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

The way the gears are set up, the center is supposed to be tight while it gets looser away from center. The theory is that you want tight steering while running straight down the road but it can be looser when turning. If it was tight all the way through the range, the center would wear more and be looser than the ends. This is what eventually happens and requires new parts to fix. The box is fairly easy to adjust, just follow the directions. If the axle geometry is set up correctly and the steering box working well, the original equipment will be good to go.

Wandering can be unrelated to the steering box being loose but a loose box does not help. The toe-in and caster have to be correct. Check the slop in the front wheel bearings too. There should be no slop but the wheels should turn freely.

When you put it back together, make sure the bolt for the pitman arm is really tight. I had to use a breaker bar to tighten mine enough to eliminate any slop there.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

Be sure the sector shaft has a good fit and isn't sloppy in the case.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

Hello, recently did this on my car , you could try to adjust the steering gear first and see if that helps. Also check the kingpins for looseness,and the tie rod and pitman arm for play and wore balls, if the balls on steering spindle ares are flattened this will cause tight steering as the ball should be round.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

When in turns the teeth will be side loaded against the worm gear. You will not feel the clearance. No need to . Everything is working as it should. This makes for a near zero movement when straight ahead.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

Thank you, everybody! Very good to get all this experience communicated. I did remove the steering gear from the car, and was able to adjust it. This car was completely and carefully restored in the 1970's and driven about 2000 miles. King pins, tie rod balls and linkage are still like new, so I believe adjusting the gear will work. It's an easy car to work on because it was stripped to the frame and so everything is clean and comes apart pretty easily, though I needed a puller to get the steering wheel off. I'm putting everything back together now, and will report back when I drive it again. We are having great weather here and I hope it holds until I can get it on the road again. I live on the Pacific coast and it is really a treat to drive on California Highway 1. It's very curvy and narrow, so the steering needs to be right!

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

Good !

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

Thanks for the update. Yes, Highway 1 is really a nice Model A road. I went to college in San Luis Obispo in the 1960's and would drive my Model A up the coast as far as Monterey. I assume the fire in Palo Colorado Canyon has been put out by now.

Where do you live on the Pacific coast do you live? In the 1970's I lived on the South Coast just north of the Monterey County line.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

A collective you are welcome I am sure, glad you had good luck with the steering,some of that gets so neglected then wonder why does not work correctly.Only 90 plus years old!

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

I would certainly check the toe-in. On a 31 Pickup I just picked up I couldn't drive it 10 mph without the front shaking so bad I had to stop. The toe-in was over an inch out and so when I adjusted the toe-in it will go down the road at 50 mph without any problem or wondering.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

The steering is easy to adjust off the car where the pittman arm can be moved without connection to the drag link. The Gemmer 2-tooth was used in most 1930 vehicles but there is the short version made early in 1930 and then the long version made through the end. There were some Ford design 7-tooth gearboxes used in early 1930 but they are likely rare now. Those have no adjustment other than replacement of parts.

If you tighten the sector to the worm in centered position, you can turn the arm by hand and feel for notchy movement through the center from right to left. If it feels notchy then the worm is likely spalled out on the face of the gear. This is how they wear and if it feels bad it is bad. New worms and even complete worms with steering shafts are available for replacement. The worm is a very tight fit on the steering shaft so it takes a shaft clamp tool to install it easily. The new worms are the late style and have the improved bearing design so if the worm requires replacement then the bearings will also require replacement. If your gearbox is that later type Gemmer then it may already have the late type improved bearings.

Re: Steering gear adjustment or replace?
 

Thanks for all the information.
Dan