Steering Adjustment -- Wander -- Wandering

[H. L. Chauvin]

Just one (1) "shared" experience with "Minor" Two Tooth Steering Adjustment

A. Have a completely rebuilt steering box with all new "original" type parts except the three (3) originals listed in Bratton's Catalog as Index Nos. #10, #20, & #21.

B. Have a front axle totally rebuilt with new front spring & shackles, new king pins in newly reamed bushings with new bearings & felts, new A & L balls on spindles, new "shortened" Pitman Arm, new front wheel bearings & races with all new cast iron drums, & all ball seats replaced with new springs & new Teflon Ball seats -- toe in at exactly 1/16".

C. With this 1930 Briggs Town Sedan, with its completely rebuilt Two Tooth Steering Gear, noticed just a very slight bit of wandering ever since rebuild in the steering; but only on an uneven asphalt highway which is presently subjected to extremely heavy trucks entering & leaving an industrial plant, where uneven dips occur in the highway.

D. On smooth asphalt or concrete, the steering wheel can be turned loose for a few seconds & the car will never pull right or left & will remain on track.

E. Ever since rebuild, with front tires on and/or off the ground, noticed that the movement on the tangent to the outer circumference of the steering wheel measured & stayed at 1-1/2" of loose play back & forth when turning the front wheels right or left.

F. Decided to investigate this movement further. Removed the drag link per Les Andrew's & Ford's Service Bulletin' s instructions, & re-checked all (3) of Ford's & Les Andrew's recommended steering adjustments.

G. Adjustment (1) & (2), i.e., End Play In Worm Sector & End Play In Steering Shaft, remained "right-on" as when tested during rebuild prior to installation in car about 500 miles ago.

H. Adjustment no. (3), i.e., Proper Mesh of Sector Teeth in Worm was checked before installation in car by hand turning the square end of the new (2) tooth sector, where only very minute movement was noticed; however, it was "not" checked at the ball end of the Pitman Arm with the Pitman Arm attached.

I. Removed the drag link, insured that the Pitman Arm was tight on the (2) tooth sector, & magnetically attached a dial caliper to the chassis to check the ball end of the Pitman arm's movement, ("if") any.

J. In pulling & pushing the Pitman Arm "hard" back & forth, movement from 0 to 0.034" could be measured; in pulling not too hard, 0 to 0.028" could be measured.

K. Per Ford Bulletin's & Les Andrew's exact instructions, loosed (4) steering housing bolts & adjusted the eccentric adjusting sleeve CW until no movement, i.e., 0.000" play noticed on the ball end of the Pitman Arm; but the steering wheel could be easily rotated freely all the way from left to right or right to left.

L. With the Pitman Arm movement back & forth going from 0.034" to 0.00", the movement on the tangent to the outer circumference of the steering wheel now measured & stayed at approximately 3/8" of loose play back & forth when turning the front wheels right or left in lieu of the former 1-1/2".

M. Will maybe try it on the rough part of the asphalt highway tomorrow.

Hope this helps just in case anyone is interested in minor steering adjustments.

[insomniacshotrods]

Thanks for the info. Is this adjustment also for the 7 tooth 1929 model?

[Patrick L.]

Originally Posted by insomniacshotrods

Thanks for the info. Is this adjustment also for the 7 tooth 1929 model?

Nope. Different animal.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by insomniacshotrods

Thanks for the info. Is this adjustment also for the 7 tooth 1929 model?

No, the only adjustments to be made on the 7 tooth is shims to control steering wheel shaft end play, and an adjustment screw with lock nut to control the end play on the sector shaft. The Service Bulletins are excellent in explaining the adjustments for both types.

[Mitch//pa]

just curious H.L. how many words can you type in a minute
or are you a 1 fingered pecker
or maybe voice recognition

[H. L. Chauvin]

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Hi Mitch,

Sometimes it depends on the subject -- like between typing & sharing relaxing hobby info & typing those awful knee jerking IRS Forms -- with either one, I could never win a fast typing contest against the computer oriented youngsters of today -- LOL

[Mitch//pa]

haha
thank you for your very detailed, entertaining and informative posts. your an asset to the community.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

No, the only adjustments to be made on the 7 tooth is shims to control steering wheel shaft end play, and an adjustment screw with lock nut to control the end play on the sector shaft. The Service Bulletins are excellent in explaining the adjustments for both types.

I agree completely. As for wander, I've found that toe in can have an effect . When I finished my 31 tudor I noticed that if the toe in was set at 1/8 there was a small amount of wander. When I changed the toe in to 1/16, I could turn the steering wheel loose and it would continue to go in a straight line, depending on road conditions. Toe in keeps it going straight. Too much toe in causes drag, power loss and rapid tire wear. Toe out causes shimmy. Just a thought.

[29tudorsedan]

Pertaining to 7-tooth, with the lack of adjustment options, what is the smallest amount of play you can hope for when you also go through the front end as H.L. did?

Great thread!

[Purdy Swoft]

If in good condition, the seven tooth steering will have no more play than the two tooth steering. The two tooth steering just has more adjustments.

[JD 1931]

Have you check the wishbone ball for wear? Has a lot to do with handling...

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi JD,

Appears some perfectionist reworked the wishbone ball with welding it years ago -- it was verified with a micrometer to be right-on; however, I provided all new adjacent parts & springs.

The old saying is sometimes: "If it ain't broke don't fix it."

I prefer, "If it ain't perfect, get out your tools & get busy." Just me.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I picked up a 7 tooth steering at an auction about 7 years ago that looks and feels like an NOS unit. I can detect no freeplay as I turn it.

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW:

Results after above mentioned steering adjustments:

a. In averaging about 50 mph, just made about a 15 mile (2) way test run on part of a very wavy, rural asphalt highway & part of a level asphalt highway ... plus passed three (3) fast moving oncoming large trucks.

b. On the level asphalt highway, slight difference noticed in that with less steering wheel play, front wheels immediately turned curves like with that of a modern vehicle ---- tracking on level highway still great when steering wheel turned loose for a few seconds.

c. On the same very wavy rural highway, much bigger difference noticed with far less wandering especially on longitudinal asphalt seams combined with one wheel asphalt depressions in highway.

d. At about 50 mph, with passing fast moving oncoming large trucks, much bigger difference noticed with better control observed during wind pressure & wind suction caused by large trucks.

e. Overall, felt much safer with much better & more positive steering control. I think I will feel safe to travel on one of our "narrow", nearby (2) lane highways presently under construction with 18" deep, 90 degree drop-offs on both sides.

Hope this shared experience helps.

[glenn in camino]

Check your toe-in. It should be about 1/32nd - 1/16th.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Glenn,

Thanks -- listed it in the first paragraph B -- re-checked it -- it did not move from 1/16".

[Mitch//pa]

try tightening your wheel bearings properly
problem fixed

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Mitch,

Thanks. Front wheel bearings are tight with slight preload -- new king pins tight -- run out on each front wheel is about 1/32" to 1/16".

I think this slight Model A steering problem was completely resolved as mentioned above with removing the loose play in the Pitman Arm.

I drive this same rural, asphalt road route every day to go to work & I drove it last night in my modern car to go to the store. -- really no difference in steering between my modern car & my Model A in this highway area.

What is happening is a few miles away, really on both sides of our residence, new, large industrial plants are being built along this single highway.

To accommodate the new plant's work forces, new long asphalt turn lanes are being provided for entrances to these large industrial plants.

Main problem is the highway's longitudinal & askew asphalt "seams" between the new & old highway where these asphalt "seams" become very noticeable with differential settlement caused by heavy trucks.

Once I pass through this industrial area with my Model A, (about 5 miles away), the roads are so smooth I feel like I can turn the steering wheel loose, pull the throttle down, & start "texting" like the youngsters do while they appear to drive on "auto-pilot". LOL