1932 steering housing cap (B-3589)

[Lincolnville]

Which one is the correct upper steering housing cap (B-3589) for a 1932 Ford passenger car? The taller one (in red) is 2 3/8” in height and the shorter one is 1 9/16”. Otherwise, they are identical.

[DavidG]

Matt,


I associate the short one with fractures in the bottom of the steering column tube because it does not extend beyond the slot in that tube.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Lincolnville

Which one is the correct upper steering housing cap (B-3589) for a 1932 Ford passenger car? The taller one (in red) is 2 3/8” in height and the shorter one is 1 9/6”. Otherwise, they are identical.

[Lincolnville]

David,

Your knowledge never ceases to amaze me.

Matt

[Newc]

Watch out for BB parts, the tube is thicker than car and that housing smaller dia. I remember? Newc

[Lincolnville]

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Newc,
I just rechecked the diameter of opening for both and they are the same. However, the worm gear is throwing me off. The worm gear is 15 for the smaller housing but the larger one is 52. The length of the shaft of for both is 40.83" - matching the length for a 1932.

Matt

[DavidG]

Technically speaking, 15-to-1 steering gear sets weren't adopted until 5,000 passenger cars and commercial vehicles into the 1933 model year in the U.S.. The '32-early '33 gear set had a 13-to-1 ratio.


There is no 52- prefix sector or worm gear listed in the various '32-'37 chassis parts catalogs.


Judging from your third photo, your two sector gears have differing ratios.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Lincolnville

Newc,
I just rechecked the diameter of opening for both and they are the same. However, the worm gear is throwing me off. The worm gear is 15 for the smaller housing but the larger one is 52. The length of the shaft of for both is 40.83" - matching the length for a 1932.

Matt

[DavidG]

Thanks to Pete's enlargement, there's no question. The 15 and 52 gears are not the same. The 15-to-1set will steer with less effort.

[Lincolnville]

Agreed. You can't interchange the two. Both sets of gears and worms are worn, so I will replace everything. I just removed the worm, and the rod is in good shape.