The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Rebuilding Steering Box

This subject must have been discussed before but I couldn't find it. The steering box on my 1954 1/2 ton pick up has been adjusted as far as it can go. The adjust screw is even with the top of the nut. Would I get good results by rebuilding the box with one of the kits available? Is the wear always in the bearings/bushings or do the worm gears wear out too causing a rebuild to be unsuccessfull? Is there one kit that is better quality than the others? My alignment guy said the truck cannot be properly aligned until the steering box and king pins are replaced.

They are easy to rebuild. Start with a basic kit. Usually the gears are OK. If it has not been run without enough grease they might be worn or the bearing surface on the worm shaft can be scored. Dont dissasemble the ball nut unless it turns rough.

I think the question that you are asking is whether any of the kits address the problem which you are describing. I think you need the answer before buying a kit. A lot of us install new bushings, maybe bearings and even new steel balls but non of these address your problem.

Thanks for the answers. If bushings, bearings and steel balls are not the problem, do you have any idea what the problem/s might be that allow the adjusting screw to go in far enough to be even with the adjusting nut? Is it worth disassembling and inspecting or just look for a used one in better condition?

I don't have enough knowledge to give you a proper answer but I am hoping that someone will respond.

Thanks again.

You have two items that may be worn, one is the steering sector gear, the other is the ball nut. The contact points of the two parts is worn to the point where adjusting no longer effects them. The ball nut can be turned around to make a little difference, but the sector is done for if worn. Look on E-bay or some of the venders sites that sell NOS parts for replacements. Once you change these out, your box will work as normal. Rough use and lack of oil wears them out.
I would pull it apart for a good cleaning and inspection. The recirculating balls and track also go bad, and once worn the shaft is non repairable. Bearings are another wear item, they can be replaced with new, but the lower bearing race is machined into the steering worm shaft, at least the older ones are, and is non-serviceable. Bushings are easy to get and replace, but they only hold the sector gear inline and have little to do with adjustment unless they are completely shot or missing.
Look at the gear contact points, if they have deep wear marks, you found your problem. If you look in the old parts manuals, they list a shim kit for the sector adjusting screw, this is no longer available, but it might help your situations. The shims removed the play in the adjusting screw slot once it gets some wear. By removing the slop, the sector can be adjusted tighter, but the shims were only a few thousands thick.

Joe

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.