The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop steering box

Quick question . I have a 36 low cab and was thinking about using the stock steering box , but my buddy says that they're to hard to turn . Any of you ever use the stock box besides for restoration ? This is a hot rod project (budget build) so I could change if needed but not looking to spend a fortune just want to make it SAFE and easy to drive.

Rocky

The stock gear box will work fine when properly set, it can be a little hard to steer since the gear on gear inside and the ratio is pretty quick. If you run narrow front tires with plenty of air and if you don't hang a big block in front, it won't be to bad.

A good up date is a Chevrolet '40 - '46 truck steering box. They will bolt in the frame just as yours does, but the steering wheel will be a little different off set (closer to your chest by a inch or so). The internals are ball bearings on gears and the ratio is slower which all makes for nicer driving. I put one in my '37 and it works great. I cut the shaft off the '40 box and welded on the '37 shaft so I could keep my stock steering wheel and horn parts. I cut the shaft about 2" from the top.

1941-'46 steering wheels are hard to find in good shape, something about the material they used just doesn't hold up well, maybe something to do with the war, thats another reason I cut and welded on mine.

I drove with the '37 box for years, so don't be afraid of them.

Joe

Rocky, I have a '36 high cab that I've owned since 1965. When I first got it I made a daily driver rat rod out of it with a sbc and B & M Hydrostick and drove it about 50,000 trouble free miles like that over a period of mamny years. Later I restored it back to original.

Set up both ways the original steering box worked fine. I tuned up the steering box by replacing the worm gear bearings and pitman shaft bushings, machining the pitman housing for an oil seal and running gear oil for a lubricant. I also replaced those clunky ball and socket tie rod ends with Moog ES29 R & L on both the tie rod and drag link.

Does your pickup have the original 3-speed trans?

Thanks for the response . My truck has no motor or tranny ,it was just a roller with cab and frame and lots of rust but it's all coming together now . I'm going to run a 15" wheels narrow tires and going with a small block motor so there shouldn't be a ton of weight out front .
Where is the best place to get parts for rebuilding the box ???

Rocky

"Where is the best place to get parts for rebuilding the box ???"

Rocky, the bearings, bushings and the seal, if you decide to run one, are bearing supply items. Those items are cataloged by size and number if there is no legible number on your bearings.

When the sector housing bushings have been pressed in an engine shop can hone them to the EXACT size that will give a free fit to the sector shaft with NO play.

New sector shafts show up occasionally on ebay. New steering shafts with worm gears are very rare. There is a guy who advertizes transmission parts and driveshafts on ebay who may have the worm and shaft but his prices are sky high.

If you can use the information I will look up the number of the seal I used to retain gear oil in the steering box.

Also, those ball and socket tie rod ends have to go. They don't work properly even when new, too loose.

I opened the box and everything looks good and doesn't have any play . But someone smacked the sector shaft with a hammer and ruined the threads . I found one NOS part for $30 I don't know if thats a good price or not ??? As for the tie rod and drag link there was none so that will be changed anyway . If you have the seal number that would be great. Theres a guy not far from here that can do all the work for me , plus he's an ol hot rodder with a complete shop .
Do all the boxes have grease fittings on them like mine ??? And what pitman arm did you use ??? I don't have one but found one for $15. I hear that the guys drill out the ball on the pitman arm and then bolt the new drag link on.


Rocky

"I opened the box and everything looks good and doesn't have any play . But someone smacked the sector shaft with a hammer and ruined the threads" .

An extremely skilled machinist can restore those threads with a single point threading tool on a lathe. The "trick" is to exactly pick up the existing threads by properly setting the threading tool. I have seen it done and come close myself but I've never succeeded in doing it perfectly. It can also be done by hand with a triangular file.

I found one NOS part for $30 I don't know if thats a good price or not ???

That is typical price. They are generally in the $25 and up range on ebay. It's worth it to not have to pay a machinist to repair the threads. The worm gear is very rare for some reason.

As for the tie rod and drag link there was none so that will be changed anyway . If you have the seal number that would be great.

Here are the Victor and Chicago Rawhide seal numbers
Victor 46263 CR 11055


Theres a guy not far from here that can do all the work for me , plus he's an ol hot rodder with a complete shop .
Do all the boxes have grease fittings on them like mine ???

Mine did and it was original.

And what pitman arm did you use ??? I don't have one but found one for $15.

I used the original stocker.


I hear that the guys drill out the ball on the pitman arm and then bolt the new drag link on.

Don't "drill" it out or you will end up with a straight hole. The ball stud is tapered and its end is peened over like a rivet. Drill only the peened part then use a punch to remove the stud. Do the same thing on the steering arms. The taper in the holes is the exact same as Moog ES 29R & L tie rod ends. This is a direct tie rod end interchange on the tie rod. I made my own drag link from a solid bar that I put LH threads on one end and RH on the other. It could also have been done by shortening and rethreading a stock tie rod if I had a spare one.

Thanks for all the info , you've been alot of help . Don't be surprised if I get stumped and contact you.

Rocky

The replacement tierod ends do not need any taper in the arms, they are a straight shank with lock nut. Its a direct replacement for the ball and socket. You can drill out the ball as long as the drill is not bigger then the new tie rod. You won't need to drill all the way, but if you do, its not the end of the world.

$30 is a good deal on the sector shaft, and like Yar said, find you a local bearing supply and pick up the new bushings, they a really cheap to purchase. You will have to cut your self a new gasket, but thats pretty easy to make. The worm shaft bearings are a odd ball and probably won't be avalible local if you need them. The Filling Station has them seperate.
The top bearing should be fine, its the lower one that gets water and dirt in it. The seal is the same one GM used clear up through the sixtys or later, any manual steering box uses the same seal.

Joe

Joe , thanks for the info . By the way I checked out the pics of your truck , really cool ride , I'll bet its fun to drive.

Rocky

Rocky, I did that job over 35 years ago and my recollection is that the Moog ES 29 R and ES 29 L tie rod ends have a tapered stud. I may be having a senior moment on that.

I would suggest actually getting the tie rod ends and checking the studs before doing any drilling on the pitman arm and steering arms.

Can you guys help me with something? When I go to this forum now I'm told I'm not logged in. When I try to log in my password is rejected and I have to request a temporary paassword. Do you have any idea what is going wrong?

Thanks!

Yeah , I was thinking that I'll check it all out before I get to drill happy and make sure it will all work out.
As for your loggin problem I'm clueless to whats wrong , but then I'm clueless most of the time anyway.

Rocky

The Filling Station, part number AF-168.
"TIE ROD END
Replacement Type - See Listing
Fits: 1932-38 Passenger cars & trucks;
1937-59 1/2 Ton Trucks;
1937-54 3/4 Ton Trucks;
1937-42 1 Ton Trucks.
These tie rod ends replace the original housings completely. They come with a fixed ball stud, like a modern tie rod end. You must remove the original ball stud to install this tie rod end. THESE MUST BE USED WITH STRAIGHT SHAFT OPENINGS, NOT TAPERED.
See Also FS-148 Tie Rod End Repair Kit. "

Joe

Thanks for the info. Now I have to try and find another sector shaft or get the one I have fixed cause I waited to long and someone beat me to the one I was going to buy.
Are the sector shafts for the truck different than the ones for the cars ???

Rocky

Book mark this site, http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1929_54chevyparts/index.htm

Its a 1929 to 1954 parts manual, it will come in very handy for things such as this.

Joe

Thanks Joe , I was just looking for that site last night I had it book marked and some how lost it and couldn't remember what it was.

Rocky