Fixture to press worm on/off steering shaft

[James Rogers]

I finally got around to measuring the fixture today. Mine was made from a solid piece of stock 2.5 X 3.5 X 4.5. The holes for the bolts that make it a clamp were drilled first. Two are offset from the other two. The hole in the center is .8900 and was drilled after the clamp holes. The block was then sawed lengthwise through the middle of the clamping hole (.8900). This makes the bolt holes line up absolutely and the kerf of the saw gives some clamping pressure almost all way round the shaft. Doing it this way will make it a fixture to press the old worm off the shaft by clamping it very lightly and pressing the worm off. Try to use a saw with a thin blade like a DoAll bandsaw. I got this for AFordman but some others may find it useful.

[Afordman31]

Thank you James, will be making one to remove and replace the worm on my brothers Model A steering shaft when we remove it from his car. Again much appreciated. Afordman31

[Mikeinnj]

What size nuts and bolts and how long ? Thanks !

[Terry, NJ]

My problem with the shaft came from trying to press the new worm onto the shaft. I tried everything (Heat, sledge hammer, etc), nothing worked. I called Snyders and was told it was normal, that it was a "Ford Fit", whatever that is. Since it was cutting a small chip, I took the worm back off and filed the chip an d the surfaces the worm was cutting it off of. Then I tapped the center hole in the shaft and used a grade 8 bolt to draw it up. It was one of the most frustrating jobs I ever did on the model A.
Terry

[Rancho Deluxe]

My repair shop guy put my worm gear on with a press. He bought a cable clamp fixture for metal wire conduit tubing. An item designed to clamp the tubing and fit into or fasten onto a heavy duty electrical wiring box. I didn't see it, but he said it's a common item and it was capable if holding the shaft in the press. Hey, it worked for him... Once...
Rancho

[James Rogers]

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Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

What size nuts and bolts and how long ? Thanks !

Bolts are 1/2" and are long enough to fit through the block.

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

My problem with the shaft came from trying to press the new worm onto the shaft. I tried everything (Heat, sledge hammer, etc), nothing worked. I called Snyders and was told it was normal, that it was a "Ford Fit", whatever that is. Since it was cutting a small chip, I took the worm back off and filed the chip an d the surfaces the worm was cutting it off of. Then I tapped the center hole in the shaft and used a grade 8 bolt to draw it up. It was one of the most frustrating jobs I ever did on the model A.
Terry

This fixture takes all that frustration out of the job. I have done several and this makes it easy using a 20 ton china press.

[SteveB31]

We have been using the exact same tool for 31 years. It works great. You can install a worm in 30 seconds, if you freeze the shaft and heat the worm in an oven

[SteveB31]

Oh.... the repro shafts are .006 too large, so you have to turn them down in the lathe first.