Steering Column Rattle

[Vic in E-TN]

I just bought a 31 Vicky. On the road the steering column rattles a lot. Previous owner told me that he had the steering column rebuilt, mostly the mechanics at the bottom. He had a lot of trouble getting the timing and throttle rods to go into the support things and was unable to do so.


I don't want to remove the column from the car now because of the complete interior installed. I am thinking of installing a fixture to allow me to partly fill the column with some expanding foam to quiet the rattling.



Does anyone have any thoughts about this project or are there any other thoughts out there?


Vic

[Marshall V. Daut]

I would suspect that whoever put the column together bent the spark and throttle rods trying to get them to go through the holes for the rods almost at the bottom of the mast jacket. Now one or both strikes against the steering shaft. Loose metal against solid metal will cause rattles. A felt "tube" is supposed to be slipped over each rod shaft during re-assembly. That acts as a cushion between the spark/throttle rod shafts and the steering shaft. Filling the column housing with some kind of expanding foam is not the answer. It's not that difficult to remove the steering column, even with the interior in place. An upper steering column disassembly is in store for you if you want to do the job right and eliminate the source of the rattle. Anything short of that is just that - short.
Marshall

[Bob Bidonde]

Ditto Marshall's comments. The Victoria has a large enough internal space to accommodate the entire length of the steering column with the steering wheel in place. Cover the upholstery and clean the steering column before removing it. Put a plastic bag over the gearbox. You need to be concerned with the workmanship that went into the assembly of the steering column before your ownership.
Somewhere there is Ford literature about the felt anti-rattlers, but I cannot find it. Perhaps someone will post it for you.

[nkaminar]

The other option is to fill the steering column with Silly Putty or maybe pack it full of sawdust. Or wear ear plugs while driving your car. Sort of like putting black electrical tape over the check engine light.

[JayJay]

To me the key here is “…had a lot of trouble getting the timing and throttle rods into the support things and was unable to”. Steering column housings are prone to cracking where the “support things” are brazed in. If there is a crack then that can throw off the angle of those bushings. As Marshall has pointed out, some folks bend the rods during reassembly to get them to fit, which can lead to rattling.

I echo the others: you need to pull the column and really look at what’s going on. There are felt doughnut antirattlers that you install during reassembly, but you need to pull the upper bushing and rods out to get them on. Use this opportunity to check for cracks in the column housing and repair if they are there. If the rods are bent then you may need to cut them to get them out of the upper bushing (replace them, good replated rods are available from the vendors).

I’ll see if I can find some pix of what that cracked housing looks like. I’ve had a couple.

[Marshall V. Daut]

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Echoing the follow-up postings, there are probably other things to be concerned about this "rebuild" if the all-important installation of the spark and throttle rods with felt insulating "donuts" was botched. It's highly likely that when you remove the upper bushing to make the repairs, it will crumble. It's made from cheap pot metal and is very brittle after 95 years. Order a new upper bushing and set screws when you send for the felt rod insulators.

If your rods are hard to move, chances are the pot metal upper bushing has swollen and is crimping down around the rod shafts. Very common. That's another reason to plan on replacing the upper bushing no matter what. This will also give you the opportunity to take a triangular file and cut the notches deeper on the quadrant. If you are lucky, doing this will restore the "click-click-click" that Model A's had when new. I also take a hammer and tap the undersides of the quadrant "ears" towards the steering wheel to close the inevitable gap that has developed between the quadrant teeth and the spark and throttle levers. That will impart some additional resistance so that the levers don't move upwards by themselves, especially the throttle lever, also a common ailment in unrestored steering columns.
Marshall

[Tinbasher]

The other thing with the rods is they could be plated. That usually causes the rods to be to tight to go through the openings at the bottom. Check this fit when you take it apart. You may have to remove some of the plating to get them to move properly.

[Steve Schmauch]

Several posts have described felt washers or donuts installed on the control rods as anti rattlers. Felt washers should not be used! They do not last very long and are an example of a poor reproduction part. The original anti rattlers were about 1/2" long pieces of thick rubber hose, installed approximately 12 to 15" below the upper bushing. I agree with the others about pulling the column apart and changing the upper bushing. At the same time make sure the small (brass originally but now copper from the vendors) thin anti rattler bushing is installed between the steering shaft and the horn/light rod. This too is a source of an irritating rattle.

[1931 flamingo]

Some have drilled a small hole midway on the column and sprayed foam into it.


Paul in CT

[JayJay]

deleted

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Some have drilled a small hole midway on the column and sprayed foam into it.


Paul in CT

Shudder.

[Marshall V. Daut]

"The original anti rattlers were about 1/2" long pieces of thick rubber hose, installed approximately 12 to 15" below the upper bushing."

Yes, that would be better than felt, even felt smeared with chassis grease to reduce friction and extend life. I'll do the rubber hose routine next rebuild. Thanks for the good advice, Steve.
Marshall

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Marshall V. Daut

"The original anti rattlers were about 1/2" long pieces of thick rubber hose, installed approximately 12 to 15" below the upper bushing."

Yes, that would be better than felt, even felt smeared with chassis grease to reduce friction and extend life. I'll do the rubber hose routine next rebuild. Thanks for the good advice, Steve.
Marshall

Ditto, thanks Steve.

[Vic in E-TN]

Thanks for all the responses. I will drive the car more to see what the other problems are. I will probably do the removal sometime in the winter.


Vic

[nkaminar]

This may not be helpful in this case, but the bushing at the top can be loosened up by pulling up the levers and applying a little yellow TimeSaver and then pushing them back down and moving them back and forth. They do not have to be pushed all the way down, just enough to get the TimeSaver into the bushing. Repeat as needed to free up the bushing then clean off the TimeSaver and lubricate the bushing.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Not to keep flogging a dead horse here, but something that hasn't been mentioned so far in this thread needs to be addressed. Before you can remove the steering column mast jacket to quiet down the spark and throttle rods, that %$#& steering wheel has to come off - and it can be a BEAR! Since your steering unit was rebuilt within mankind's memory, you might luck out and be able to just pop the steering wheel loose from the upper shaft. But more often than not it has to be coerced into coming off, as it is virtually a press fit. (Would you really want it any other way???) The threads at the top of the steering shaft are more delicate than you might imagine and break easy. Then you are in deep doo-doo and looking at an expensive repair or shaft replacement. Resist the temptation of using the so-called knocker that screws onto the threads and is then struck with a hammer. Kiss those threads good-bye if you go that route. If you are not able to pop the steering wheel loose by placing the removed column between your legs and firmly jerking up on the steering wheel a couple times quickly (after removing the nut!), borrow or order the special steering wheel removal tool. Maybe a Model A owner in your area can loan you his. Otherwise, it's a good investment to purchase this tool, which has adapters for '28-29 and '30-31 steering wheels. Be sure to place a bolt inside the top of the shaft for the screw in the tool to turn against. That will protect those thin threads. Do NOT use the tool's screw directly against the threads!
You'll also have to remove the light switch rod even before the steering wheel can come off the shaft. With the column out of the car, that's a snap. Fold a towel over and turn the column upside down so that the light switch rod tip is at the top. Stand the column on top of the towel, steering wheel on the floor. Then compress the spider with a screwdriver, forcing it downwards. The towel on the floor will keep the upper part of the light switch rod from pushing down and out. When the spring beneath the spider has been compressed enough, you will be able to use a small flat blade screwdriver to pry the half moon-shaped keeper out of its groove. After fixing the spark and rod problem and re-installing the steering wheel, reverse this procedure to re-install the keeper. It's a HECK of a lot easier doing it this way than when the steering column is back in the car.
And by the way, yes - the starter will have to be removed in order to swing the steering box and sector shaft away from the frame. It's also helpful if you disconnect the clutch and brake pedals and either remove them entirely or rotate them towards the back to provide clearance for the bulky steering box to clear the firewall and rear motor mount.
Marshall

[rotorwrench]

My 29 Sport Coupe came to me with a 1930 column installed. I had to perform a conversion on it to shorten the jacket and install a new spark & throttle quadrant. My rods were still decent so I had to shorten & redrill them for the little arms as well as replace the rusty springs. It took a lot of measuring to get the lengths right for best fit of the 29 type steering wheel and new bushing. I had the rods in and out so many times that I found a tool that could be fit in from the bottom to help guide the rods into their respective bushings. That made it easier. The tool is an old tire spoon that's long enough to get up in there. Other types of bars could be made to work as well. If a person had the time, some rod stock could be formed to make a better tool but I haven't taken that step yet.

I don't think I'd try expanding foam in there. A person can't control the expansion and that stuff deteriorates too. A person might be able to form a piece of harder foam that would hold the rods and slide down in with them th cradle or hold in position well enough to help install the rods simultaneously but I haven't tried that yet.

[Steve Schmauch]

I have found it is easier to get the control rods to fit into the column if the upper bushing is not in-place first. Install the rods into the upper bushing, install the rubber hose sections (anti-rattlers), and work the rods into the column. Sometimes a good flashlight will help so you can see how to get them into the lower guides. I should mention that it is easier to pre-fit repro (and sometimes original) bushings into the column. Very careful sanding will allow a fit without having to press fit this part, possibly ruining your original upper bushing. With replated original control rods or new ones, make sure they slide in-out of the upper bushing first. Please do not consider use of expanding foam--its not a good idea!

[Herb Concord Ca]

Here is another suggestion. I use roll pins, sometimes called compression pins to connect the arms to the control rods. That way you don't have to bang on the end of pins to keep them in place.