1936 steering options

[aandkt]

Anyone know a better option than the '36 original steering box that is not a tremendous project. Winter is coming and I don't mind a project but I want to keep my original column and wheel.
Thanks

[jimTN]

use 39 or 40 gear.

[KiWinUS]

37-39. Steering box. You can use your original mount with a little work or use 37-39 mount but that can be a bigger job as you have to remove rivets. The boxes I suggest will let you use your original horn rod. I believe you may have to change steering lock plate on shaft of new box to 36 location.

[V8COOPMAN]

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There are a couple of REALISTIC ways to go on this. Many, many people have swapped a '37-'39 column & steering box in place of that wimpy '36 box. The internals and basic steering box are the same through 1948, but staying with the '37-'39 will facilitate using your steering-wheel-mounted light switch selector. You must swap a FRAME MOUNTING BRACKET from a '37-'40 Ford to mount the box to the frame properly. In the picture below, the '37-'40 frame bracket on RIGHT....'35-'36 on LEFT.





Another very satisfying choice is the Saginaw 525 Steering box. They are easily adaptable to the '37-'40 frame bracket, are not much bigger than a stock '37-'48 box, and steer wonderfully. They were originally used in GM mid-size cars like Chevelles and Cutlasses from the '60s and well into the '80s, and can even be had with different ratios. Your column can be adapted to the "525" box relatively easily with parts supplied by different steering component vendors. A very justifiable mod! The "525" box, below! DD




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[johndee138]

I used the attached guide to swap my Steering box out.
Drake sells the bracket, a necessary purchase.
The hardest part was removing the old bracket (a real PITA)

http://www.goldengatev8.org/tips/Ste...ngGearSwap.htm
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PM me if you like for the straight skinny on the swap

[alanwoodieman]

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I must have done it wrong on the three that I have changed to 37 up boxes, I slightly modified the original bracket, a whole lot less work, but what do I know?

[CA Victoria]

I did the swap for the later steering box in my 35 Tudor.
Agreed, You DO NOT need to change out your steering box bracket but you will need to modify the holes in your original bracket and drill a new hole in the upper box mounting ear.
I needed to shim my front engine mount to clear the left exhaust manifold (stock 21 stud engine), my friend did not with his install in a 35 w/59a engine.
Sounds complicated but it was an easy project.
The only other issue was that the later steering column woodruff key location is off 180 degrees for the 35-36 steering wheel.
IÂ’m doing another for my 35 pickup and found NOS Ford steering gears, the gears sold today are said to be good repos from Argentina.
Send me a PM and I am happy to fill in any details.
Tim

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by alanwoodieman

I must have done it wrong on the three that I have changed to 37 up boxes, I slightly modified the original bracket, a whole lot less work, but what do I know?

Alan I agree with your method & mentioned in my first post that with mods original bracket could be used.

[blucar]

When I changed the steering gear box in my '36 coupe in the mid 1950's I used a '40 setup with the '40 column jacket and frame mount.
I have a column shift trans in my car so the '40 jacket worked well. Even tho the frame mount was a pain to remove, large rivets in a tight space, in the long run it made for a better installation. I used grade 8 bolts and tack welded it in spots.
The pitman arm proved to be a challenge, getting a good fit, the 36 hung down to low do to a different angle, I finally used a '40 pitman arm #21-A350-3 015. The alignment, position was perfect.

[FlatheadTed]

This is a 37 right hand box cut and drilled ,you can have two holes rather than cut it ,shape the cut with a grinder ,this one is yet to be grond up ,,We did a left hand one for a 36 three window and just laid the right hand box on top of the right and marked the hole to be drilled and drilled it ,It fitted perfectly . I cannot see why you would need to change the chassis mount a lot of extra drama . ,Ted

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by blucar

When I changed the steering gear box in my '36 coupe in the mid 1950's I used a '40 setup with the '40 column jacket and frame mount.
I finally used a '40 pitman arm #21-A350-3 015. The alignment, position was perfect.

blucar .....I have tried to bring this mistake to your attention in the past, but you continue to label a 1940 Ford Pitman arm as a #21-A350-3 015. And, you even get the WRONG number wrong! A 1942-1948 Pitman Arm has the number "21A-3590" forged into the surface. There are more than one difference between a "78-3590" (1937-1940) Pitman arm and a "21A-3590" ('42-'48) arm. And just to make matters clear, there is an "11A-3590" Pitman arm used exclusively on 1941 Fords. The difference in numbers means something!

Below is a 78-3590 Arm (1937-1940). The SPLINED taper is OPPOSITE direction of DRAG LINK taper, plus the DOUBLE offset bends. The small Pitman in background is a 1935-'36 piece.





BELOW is a "78-3590" (1937-1940) Pitman arm with drag link properly installed, as seen on a '37 or '38 Ford (cable brakes).



__________________________________________________ ________
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Below is a 21A-3590 Arm (1942-1948). Both holes tapered SAME direction, plus ONLY ONE bend.












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[blucar]

Coop et all,
It would appear that I may have been mistaken with the description of the pitman arm on my '36 Ford. To my knowledge this error has not been brought to my attention in the past.
I have attached a pix of the pitman arm on my Ford, as it can clearly be seen the number is 21A-3590 3 15. The number I interpreted as being a 0 before the 15 appears to be a O in lieu of 0.
It would appear that my memory is/was incorrect, the pitman arm on my car is clearly a 21 A, therefore it is a '42-48.

No modifications were required to achieve a good fit of the pitman to the vehicle steering assembly..


Thank you Coop for pointing out this error to me.

[blucar]

Over a period of many years, 1952-63, I did many modifications to my '36, I always did my best to avoid having to use a Victor Wrench/Arch welder to make things fit, therefore I used many Ford parts from '36 to '48. I guess my car could be called 'A Johnny Cash Car'.
The modified 59AB engine in my car made it go fast, however the steering and brakes left a lot to be desired.
The '40 steering gears really improved the driveability of the car, it was like adding power steering compared to the '36 worm and sector assembly. I installed '41 spindles when I converted the brakes to hydraulic, then a few years later I switched the front axle to a 2" dropped axle from a friend of mines '41, utilizing aftermarket tube shocks and a later model covered spring.
The pitman arm that I originally used with the '40 steering gears always bothered me, the way it hung down below the tie rod. I tried several combinations of pitman's, I was relucktant to modify the pitman.
In about 1963 I converted the brakes on my brothers '36 Ford pickup to hydraulic, I parted out a '47-48 Ford station wagon that was sitting in a local wrecking yard to get the brake parts for my brothers truck.
I don't clearly recall how the '42-48 21A pitman got onto my car, I can only assume that I had it from the wagon and decided to try it on my '36, to my pleasure the 21A part solved a problem that had bothered me for years.