The Ford Barn

JM 35 Sedan · 12-20-2011, 11:51 AM

A friend just completed putting his '34 PU back together after making lots of changes, improvements, and completely repainting. He is not happy with the stock '34 steering box that has been rebuilt. It's still too difficult for him to steer. I had suggested he consider buying and installing the EZ Steer box sold by Hot Rod John but after reading some recent posts here on that we canceled that idea and are now considering converting to an f100 Ford PU, '53-'56 steering box. I'm looking for some good step by step guidance on everything he will need to do to install an f100 steering in his '34 PU. He would prefer not to have to make any modifications to his frame and he is wondering if the f100 box will fit in the same confines as the stock '34 box? He has Reds Headers installed so he's hoping the f100 box would not interfere with those. He would also like to use his stock steering column tube and the steering wheel shown. Any help with information and/or leads on published articles explaining and showing how to do this conversion would be most appreciated.
Note...that the last picture shown of his PU was taken in the mid sixties after he had a wreck with this same truck. Some may have given up hope on this one and scraped it at that point.

jimTN · 12-20-2011, 05:50 PM

First thing to check is what gear is in the steering box. Could be a 13-1 and needs to be a 15-1. Second, the pitman arm can be shortened. I can tell you it will take a powerful gear to turn those wheels with modern tires. 34 gears were meant to turn 17" rubber. I have a 15-1 box in my 34PU with 17 rubber and a shortened pitman arm and it steers just fine. If he is running later spindels and has one of those hairpin steering arms on the left front, that with the big tires is dangerous. I took took two of those and cut half of one off and welded it to the other creating a three legged outfit which is sound as can be.

Walt Dupont--Me. · 12-20-2011, 06:36 PM

I put a 53-56 F-1 box in my Madel A. and shortened the pitman arm, it steers like 2 finger steering. with 600-16 radial tires. Cut the top 12in. off the A steering shaft and welded it to the F-1 shaft, Used the A mast jacket, had to put a sleeve on the F-1 box for the A colum. I made an adapter on the bottom of the box for the A light switch. The sector shaft went right into the A frame hole, had to make a tappered shim so the F-1 box would bolt up the the A frame and line up steering colum. It's one of the best things I did to the A and people don't even notice that changed tie Box. Walt

Ol' Ron · 12-20-2011, 11:31 PM

this is our Danbury car. The negative ws printed backward. Lawrie will get a kick out of it.

columbiA · 12-22-2011, 11:33 PM

On the steering box in my 30 coupe,I used needle brgs on sector shaft & also used a Torrington needle thrust brg to replace the brass washer The inside of the hsg had to be machined back 140 thou,I believe,to allow for the thicker brg. Also had hsg bored for a lip seal.I shortened pitman arm 1-1/2"as well.Next I installed teflon ball seats for drag link & tie rod.Ball seats are same from 28-34.Also use the the lite switch bail retainer that has the tube on it that extends above the oil level.May need to solder the tube to the retainer to make sure it doesnt leak.With these mods its the next thing to P-steering once the car is moving.For wide tires the steering will be harder.I did the same mods to a 33 coupe & it steered very well too with the 17"tires.If you do any welding on the pitman arm,make sure you are competent or farm the job out to a pro.

Lawrie · 12-23-2011, 02:26 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Ron, you could drive your old race car down here,
If you came down you would need to bring your air mattress if you went to our beach as the waves break upsidedown here,
Lawrie

32phil · 12-23-2011, 12:19 PM

I'm using a F1 box in my 32 Tudor, steers like pwr steeing. I used a 32 sector housing that was shortened and welded (by a pro welder) to the F1 box. Gotta get the angle right(read about it in the Tardel/Bishop book). It changes the position of the steering shaft in relation to the dashboard. you will need a spacer under the column drop. May be an issue for a 32- 34 pick up as it makes the column even more vertical.

12-20-2011, 05:50 PM	#2
jimTN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Powell, TN Posts: 2,509	Re: Pics of a friends '34 PU and some steering box ??'s First thing to check is what gear is in the steering box. Could be a 13-1 and needs to be a 15-1. Second, the pitman arm can be shortened. I can tell you it will take a powerful gear to turn those wheels with modern tires. 34 gears were meant to turn 17" rubber. I have a 15-1 box in my 34PU with 17 rubber and a shortened pitman arm and it steers just fine. If he is running later spindels and has one of those hairpin steering arms on the left front, that with the big tires is dangerous. I took took two of those and cut half of one off and welded it to the other creating a three legged outfit which is sound as can be.

12-20-2011, 06:36 PM	#3
Walt Dupont--Me. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gardiner Me. Posts: 4,200	Re: Pics of a friends '34 PU and some steering box ??'s I put a 53-56 F-1 box in my Madel A. and shortened the pitman arm, it steers like 2 finger steering. with 600-16 radial tires. Cut the top 12in. off the A steering shaft and welded it to the F-1 shaft, Used the A mast jacket, had to put a sleeve on the F-1 box for the A colum. I made an adapter on the bottom of the box for the A light switch. The sector shaft went right into the A frame hole, had to make a tappered shim so the F-1 box would bolt up the the A frame and line up steering colum. It's one of the best things I did to the A and people don't even notice that changed tie Box. Walt

12-22-2011, 11:33 PM	#5
columbiA Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 1,746	Re: Pics of a friends '34 PU and some steering box ??'s On the steering box in my 30 coupe,I used needle brgs on sector shaft & also used a Torrington needle thrust brg to replace the brass washer The inside of the hsg had to be machined back 140 thou,I believe,to allow for the thicker brg. Also had hsg bored for a lip seal.I shortened pitman arm 1-1/2"as well.Next I installed teflon ball seats for drag link & tie rod.Ball seats are same from 28-34.Also use the the lite switch bail retainer that has the tube on it that extends above the oil level.May need to solder the tube to the retainer to make sure it doesnt leak.With these mods its the next thing to P-steering once the car is moving.For wide tires the steering will be harder.I did the same mods to a 33 coupe & it steered very well too with the 17"tires.If you do any welding on the pitman arm,make sure you are competent or farm the job out to a pro.

12-23-2011, 02:26 AM	#6
Lawrie Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Qld, Australia Posts: 4,218	Re: Pics of a friends '34 PU and some steering box ??'s Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Ron, you could drive your old race car down here, If you came down you would need to bring your air mattress if you went to our beach as the waves break upsidedown here, Lawrie

12-23-2011, 12:19 PM	#7
32phil Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Montgomery, NY & Port St. Lucie Florida Posts: 936	Re: Pics of a friends '34 PU and some steering box ??'s I'm using a F1 box in my 32 Tudor, steers like pwr steeing. I used a 32 sector housing that was shortened and welded (by a pro welder) to the F1 box. Gotta get the angle right(read about it in the Tardel/Bishop book). It changes the position of the steering shaft in relation to the dashboard. you will need a spacer under the column drop. May be an issue for a 32- 34 pick up as it makes the column even more vertical.