Steering column / horn rod mis-match

[dan]

The car is a 1929 Tudor.


I'm working my way through it and trying to put things back to stock. Thus far I've done the headlights, the wiring harness, and a few other odds and ends. Now I need advice about how to solve my current issue.


So, the car is a 1929, which means it should have the chrome horn button and light switch. But unfortunately, somewhere during its past life someone switched out the steering for a later model setup. I haven't taken the box completely apart, but it looks like a 1930 box and column, which means that the column is too long for the 1929 horn rod. The correct 1929 horn rod is about 1/4 inch too short to get it to work.


The "correct" thing to do would be to replace the whole works--steering box, column, rod/switch, etc. However, I'm not seeing an option at the usual suppliers to buy a rebuilt 1929 setup. And from my research it doesn't look like I can put a 1929 column on a 1930 box.


I'm looking for advice on which way to go next:


1. Replace the whole thing... buy a used 1929 setup, rebuild it, and install it. This is the way I'm leaning.



2. Create some sort of Franken-rod that uses the correct button and switch, but has the 1930-length rod so it works with the steering column that's on it.



3. Something else/better?

[J Franklin]

Options 1& 2 are best depending on your skill and patients. Buying the correct rebuilt unit would be the fastest way. Contact Berts.

[Y-Blockhead]

Maybe contact Randy Gross ([email protected]) and ask him if he can make you a custom horn rod? He makes all of the horn rods that he sells with his F-100 steering boxes. He should be able to make different lengths.

[rotorwrench]

I had the same problem so I converted it using the 43" steering rod and shortening the jacket about 13/16". I then found a quadrant from an earlier type jacket. I shortened the control lever rods to suit the short jacket. It took a while but it looks and works like a 1929 2-tooth should.

[Joe K]

Tudor would have had the "thin spoke" 28-29 wheel and the "escutcheon" type control top for the light rod. IIRC, these came in two lengths, one aimed at the 7 tooth box and the other aimed at the "Gemmer" Two tooth box. The 7 tooth top/wheel would be spline and the Gemmer used a key/taper on the steering wheel juncture.

1930-31 would have the "fat spoke" wheel with the "flat center type control top for the light rod. IIRC, these come in three lengths to match the corresponding steering column. All of these had a key/taper.

The 28-29 wheels are kind of "matched" to the 28-29 column, with the "wider" arc for the spark/throttle rods to work against. Likewise the 30-31 wheels are matched to the 30-31 column to include the "narrower" arc for spark/throttle rods.

I don't think from your description you have a 28-29 wheel on a 30-31 box - although this is possible if the wheel has a "key."

So you may have a "mix & match" which will require a custom made horn rod.

OR you could go "all 30-31" to include the steering wheel, in which case you want to use the horn rod that corresponds to your steering shaft column.

It was not unusual to replace a failed earlier setup with a later setup - shops would do what was necessary to "keep the paint in motion" and minimize cost to the customer.

Bratton's Catalog has the correspondence between steering column length and horn rod length. Below a cut from a previous entry to Fordbarn.





Not too readable, but I'm not sure the Bratton Online Catalog has the same info.

Joe K

[Keith True]

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When I built a 28 about 20 years ago I wanted to use a 2 tooth box,not a 7.So I started looking around for a late 29 column tube.Fits the 2 tooth,but has the open quadrant for the levers.I found quite a few,and they weren't big sellers at the time,so I bought them.I still have one tube,and one complete unit hanging up.I used a 31 box in my 28,and found a light switch rod for it,so somebody made them.I also bought a red keyed wheel for it too.Somebody put a late 2 tooth in my July 28 Phaeton,and used a red keyed wheel in that too.That has the late 29 tube,(column)in it,with the early open quadrant and early style switch rod.

[John]

I think what is going on here is that there are two different lengths of steering shaft for the two tooth box. In '29 and early 1930, the two tooth Gemmer used a 43" shaft. Later in '30 the steering shaft length was increased to 44". In early 1930, Ford also used the 7 tooth box. Thus the need for several different lengths of horn rods for the two tooth box. It looks like Dan may have the Gemmer box with the 44 inch shaft and the '29 jacket column. Thus his longer, 44" shaft is not compatible with the '29 style horn rod made for the 7 toorh box..
One fix is to get the now made 44" steering shaft that the worm keyway is cut so that it is used with either the 43" 2 tooth box setup for the '29 or the 44" shaft for the '30-'31. One just pushes the worm up on the shaft and cuts the excess off. Dan can push the worm up on the shaft a bit as needed and shorten the steering shaft. But bear in mind the correct column sleeve must be used. Using the longer steering shaft with the shorter '29 two tooth column jacket will result in the steering wheel being located above the column jacket up to 1".

John

[rotorwrench]

I don't know if they are still available but I purchased a new 43" shaft with worm from Snyder's to do mine and I also purchased a new aluminum top bushing in the 1929 style for 2-tooth units. I found an early control quadrant on flea-pay so I had to align everything and drill the jacket to the bushing then tap the screw threads in there for the two special flush head screws that hold it together. Some of the 30/31 types used screws but the later ones didn't use screws. I think my column was a mid 30 model to start with so it was easy to modify to fit a 29 car.