Steering Question?

[30Tudor]

I am currently redoing the front end on my ’30 Tudor. I rebuilt the steering box (two tooth sector) and went through the sector/worm adjustment procedures such that everything was perfect. I then installed the steering box on the car and the centre of travel on the steering wheel results in the front wheels pointing slightly to the left. When I straighten the wheels to point straight forward, I now have play in the steering box which I can’t remove without getting some binding throughout the turning travel. I am using the shortened pitman arm and all the other parts (spindle arms, drag and tie rod ends) have been replaced. Any ideas on any adjustments I can make to correct this? Thanks for your help.

[JoeWay]

You need to do the "centralization" adjustment described on pages 318 and 363 of the Service Bulletins.

Joe

[30Tudor]

I have done all procedures as described in the service manual.

[JoeWay]

Originally Posted by 30Tudor

I have done all procedures as described in the service manual.

Service manual? If you're referring to Les Andrews' book, check page 1-302 again. The instructions on the two pages in the Ford Service Bulletins are much better.

The centralization adjustment addresses your issue specifically. If you have done the centralization adjustment properly and still have unequal play to the sides of the wheel (road wheels, not steering wheel) center position, you might have a bad sector or worm or both.

Joe

[Marco Tahtaras]

I haven't had time to play with that issue to see if it can be adjusted out at the column, but yes it is a problem. Maybe Brent has dealt with this one.

The problem varies with year/model. On typical '30-31 models, if you remove the drag link and find "center" at the steering wheel you will find the drag link is about 1/4" too long to set the front wheels at center. The steering wheel will have to be turned a bit to the right for the wheels to point straight ahead. This problem is less of an issue (by about half) on '29 models as the steering column is mounted at a higher angle. Unfortunately the problem will be WORSE on models such as the Deluxe Phaeton (and others) which have the column lowered.

Sorry I can't provide a solution at this time beyond a shortened drag link.

[MikeK]

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You say you rebuilt the steering box. Did you replace both the worm & sector gears with new ones? Perfect looking gears with lots of miles will be invisibly worn more in the center of travel and progressively less moving out from that point. Taking up the center slack on used steering gears will make them bind when turned off center.

[30Tudor]

Thanks Marco - that is exactly my issue. At first hand it looks like shortening the drag link would fix the issue but I was wondering if there is another solution. I have played around with the sector mesh and centralization adjustment and if I get the sector to mesh properly with the wheels pointed forward (not center of turn to turn), I get binding during travel. The worm and sector look like they were replaced when I got the car.

[CWPASADENA]

Originally Posted by Marco Tahtaras

I haven't had time to play with that issue to see if it can be adjusted out at the column, but yes it is a problem. Maybe Brent has dealt with this one.

The problem varies with year/model. On typical '30-31 models, if you remove the drag link and find "center" at the steering wheel you will find the drag link is about 1/4" too long to set the front wheels at center. The steering wheel will have to be turned a bit to the right for the wheels to point straight ahead. This problem is less of an issue (by about half) on '29 models as the steering column is mounted at a higher angle. Unfortunately the problem will be WORSE on models such as the Deluxe Phaeton (and others) which have the column lowered.

Sorry I can't provide a solution at this time beyond a shortened drag link.

I appears you have identified the problem.

It sounds like the steering gear was "Centralized" but with the steering gear in the straight ahead position and the wheels straight ahead, the drag link is not the correct lingth. Later, Ford used an aduustable drag link to take care of this problem. Short of an adjustable or shortened drag link, I guess a person could heat and bend the drag link steering arm but this should only be done by someone who knows what they are doing.

Chris

[30Tudor]

Thanks for all your input.

Mike