The Ford Barn

Marshall V. Daut · 09-06-2018, 07:26 AM

Always refer to the Ford Service Bulletins FIRST before consulting modern "how to" books or Internet "experts" with their handheld video cameras! In rare cases where a mistake was made in the Bulletins, it would eventually be corrected in a future Service Bulletin, such as the clutch pedal free play procedure bring reversed early in 1928, but corrected the next month. Sometimes, however, modern descriptions do clarify or at least use current terminology to clear up vague or misleading Bulletin descriptions written by men born in the 19th Century. I always use the Bulletins when making the two-tooth adjustment because it is correct, both in procedure description AND in chronological order. 'Kinda hard to improve on something like that! Always be careful with what you read and see on-line. Some of the recommendations and procedures are borderline STUPID!!!
By the way, I just rebuilt a friend's two-tooth box using all new parts and everything went together and adjusted just like a dream. The parts have gotten SOOOOOOOOOO much better than they were even a few years ago when it was necessary to grind or file teeth to make the sector and worm mesh. And even then it was a nightmare to adjust per the Bulletins. This time, however, I had to heat the rivet at the bottom of the sector housing to get it to rotate, which I set exactly at midway in its short arc. That turned out to be perfect right off the bat! It only took one or two adjustments turning the eccentric nut to get zero play at mid-point in the steering shaft rotation. Hats off to the manufacturers, who after 40 years FINALLY got the quality issue right with the sector and worm gears! Be leery of these parts found new at swap meets or with purchased cars in a box alongside other parts still in wrappers. They are guaranteed headache makers that you have inherited.
Marshall

09-06-2018, 07:26 AM	#21
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,109	Re: 2 tooth sterering box Always refer to the Ford Service Bulletins FIRST before consulting modern "how to" books or Internet "experts" with their handheld video cameras! In rare cases where a mistake was made in the Bulletins, it would eventually be corrected in a future Service Bulletin, such as the clutch pedal free play procedure bring reversed early in 1928, but corrected the next month. Sometimes, however, modern descriptions do clarify or at least use current terminology to clear up vague or misleading Bulletin descriptions written by men born in the 19th Century. I always use the Bulletins when making the two-tooth adjustment because it is correct, both in procedure description AND in chronological order. 'Kinda hard to improve on something like that! Always be careful with what you read and see on-line. Some of the recommendations and procedures are borderline STUPID!!! By the way, I just rebuilt a friend's two-tooth box using all new parts and everything went together and adjusted just like a dream. The parts have gotten SOOOOOOOOOO much better than they were even a few years ago when it was necessary to grind or file teeth to make the sector and worm mesh. And even then it was a nightmare to adjust per the Bulletins. This time, however, I had to heat the rivet at the bottom of the sector housing to get it to rotate, which I set exactly at midway in its short arc. That turned out to be perfect right off the bat! It only took one or two adjustments turning the eccentric nut to get zero play at mid-point in the steering shaft rotation. Hats off to the manufacturers, who after 40 years FINALLY got the quality issue right with the sector and worm gears! Be leery of these parts found new at swap meets or with purchased cars in a box alongside other parts still in wrappers. They are guaranteed headache makers that you have inherited. Marshall