The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Steering shaft broke

SO, one of my guys had 12,000 pounds on the back of my 46 2-ton on Friday. He pulls in to grab a drink and comes out to the steering wheel not working. He called and told me tat it didn't feel connected...

I sent two trucks and a forklift to unload the truck. When the truck got back to the shop, I looked at the top of the steering box and the shaft is heard off right at the top of the box.

I took a couple of other boxes apart that I had loose and it appears that the worm portion of the shaft was machined and hardened and then friction welded to the upper part of the shaft.

Has anyone ever had this happen to them? It couldn't have happen at a better time and I have to believe that someone was watching over him.

I am going to have the two I have apart magna fluxed before I put one good box together. Hopefully they come back ok!

That's a scary visual image! At even a few MPH, that could have turned deadly in a hurry!
Jerry

Well...

I disassembled to boxes that I had and had both shafts magna fluxed. Both came back good. I took the best of both boxes to make one good one. Now I have a little paintwork to do on the new tube that covers the shaft, but should be putting this back in this week.

Was a problem with the old style boxes back in the day.
The box and tube are mounted to the frame.
The other end of the tube was mounted to the lower dash.
Over time the cab would shift causing an out of line
Condition stressing the shaft as it was rotated eventually cracking it.

That's why they went to a Rag joint or U joint.
Tom

Late 1960's to mid-1970's Ford pickups wee notorious for tearing up rag joints due to the front cab mounts rusting away and the weight of the cab being carried on the steering column. I've seen several of them with the cabs jacked up and 2X4's between the cab floor and the frame rails.
Jerry