The Ford Barn

elwood · 09-22-2024, 06:19 PM

Hey guys, the steering wheel in my 34 pickup is just a bit off, the top spoke is at the 1 o'clock position instead of the 12 o'clock.
Im not sure how to fix this,
Looking for advice
Thanks ..

Flathead Fever · 09-22-2024, 08:51 PM

I would say you need to center steering the box, take out any free play in it and check the steering wheel to make sure it's centered. then align the front wheels one at a time without taking the steering wheel off of being centered. I think you'd have to take the tie rods loose out from the spindles to do that.

Old Fords are not like the later cars that the steering wheels will go on in any spot. Those I use to take on a road test with the wheel just sitting on there so I could remove it "while driving" and recenter it to get it perfectly straight. I had an abandoned road to do that on, I'm not a total idiot, just maybe 50%. I was a phone company mechanic for 30-years.

I've seen some Ford steering wheels with two mounting grooves in them, which would also put the wheel off center if it was installed in the wrong groove. I don't remember if I saw those on an '34 wheel or not, it was definitely an early ford. seems like I read an article on those two grooved wheels, but my stroke erased it from my brain.

Newc · 09-23-2024, 10:58 AM

'String test' Pull a string across rear tires and forward across front tires [center of wheel/tire]- SHOULD be straight with steering straight. Adjust draglink [cross rod as necessary]. Newc

elwood · 09-23-2024, 02:26 PM

everything is good, except the steering wheel is slightly off to the right, and there is no adjustment in the draglink, per say.

DavidG · 09-24-2024, 10:10 AM

Have you checked the sector arm? The angle of the steering column in commercial vehicles is steeper than in passenger cars and that is compensated by the striations (grooves) in the sector arm. If your sector arm is that for passenger cars, your steering wheel will not line up at 12 or 6 o'clock with the front wheels straight ahead.

elwood · 09-24-2024, 03:38 PM

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Thats interesting David,
Didn't know that

deuce lover · 09-25-2024, 04:35 AM

Post a pic of your steering wheel. When the steering is centered from lock to lock the keyway slot should be at the bottom on the steering shaft. The keyway slot on the hub of the steering wheel should be in line with 1 of the spokes or branch of the wheel.Now on a 3 spoke wheel that has a single keyway slot installed ,you should have a "Y" configuration in front of you. Like this

fordyford · 09-25-2024, 07:49 AM

DavidG is correct. I had the same trouble on a 1934 pickup. The pitman arm is clocked differently by only 1 spline. Car and pickup have different part numbers.

09-22-2024, 06:19 PM	#1
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,092	34 Pickup steering wheel Hey guys, the steering wheel in my 34 pickup is just a bit off, the top spoke is at the 1 o'clock position instead of the 12 o'clock. Im not sure how to fix this, Looking for advice Thanks ..

09-22-2024, 08:51 PM	#2
Flathead Fever Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,360	Re: 34 Pickup steering wheel I would say you need to center steering the box, take out any free play in it and check the steering wheel to make sure it's centered. then align the front wheels one at a time without taking the steering wheel off of being centered. I think you'd have to take the tie rods loose out from the spindles to do that. Old Fords are not like the later cars that the steering wheels will go on in any spot. Those I use to take on a road test with the wheel just sitting on there so I could remove it "while driving" and recenter it to get it perfectly straight. I had an abandoned road to do that on, I'm not a total idiot, just maybe 50%. I was a phone company mechanic for 30-years. I've seen some Ford steering wheels with two mounting grooves in them, which would also put the wheel off center if it was installed in the wrong groove. I don't remember if I saw those on an '34 wheel or not, it was definitely an early ford. seems like I read an article on those two grooved wheels, but my stroke erased it from my brain.

09-23-2024, 10:58 AM	#3
Newc Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,912	Re: 34 Pickup steering wheel 'String test' Pull a string across rear tires and forward across front tires [center of wheel/tire]- SHOULD be straight with steering straight. Adjust draglink [cross rod as necessary]. Newc

09-23-2024, 02:26 PM	#4
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,092	Re: 34 Pickup steering wheel everything is good, except the steering wheel is slightly off to the right, and there is no adjustment in the draglink, per say.

09-24-2024, 10:10 AM	#5
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,601	Re: 34 Pickup steering wheel Have you checked the sector arm? The angle of the steering column in commercial vehicles is steeper than in passenger cars and that is compensated by the striations (grooves) in the sector arm. If your sector arm is that for passenger cars, your steering wheel will not line up at 12 or 6 o'clock with the front wheels straight ahead. Last edited by DavidG; 09-24-2024 at 06:06 PM.

09-24-2024, 03:38 PM	#6
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,092	Re: 34 Pickup steering wheel Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thats interesting David, Didn't know that

09-25-2024, 07:49 AM	#8
fordyford Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 265	Re: 34 Pickup steering wheel DavidG is correct. I had the same trouble on a 1934 pickup. The pitman arm is clocked differently by only 1 spline. Car and pickup have different part numbers.