Changing a 36 steering box for a 37

[36coupe]

I have a complete 36 steering box and steering wheel for my 36. I picked up a really nice 37 box that had the shaft cut off just above the box.
Can I take the 36 box off and install the 37 box leaving the 36 worm on the shaft?
I guess what I’m asking is the 36 worm and the 37 worm the same and the only change would be the selector? The Green bible shows different part numbers.
Thanks

[Brian]

No...you'll need to remove both worms and install the 37 worm on the 36 shaft.

[Aarongriffey]

The ‘37 steering ratio is different than the ‘36.
The ‘37 is much preferred over the ‘36 and earlier. I have changed at least two over to the ‘37 ratio.
One was a ‘35 convertible sedan. I think the first one I did I think was a ‘36. Don’t remember what body style, the owner had several thirties Fords.
The ‘37 ratio makes the car steer easier.

[JM 35 Sedan]

There are some old threads on this subject that will be a big help for you to read before starting on your project. We put a '37 steering box in a '36 Phaeton and everything pretty much bolted right up. The most difficult part of the job was removing the '36 steering box mounting bracket that was riveted to the frame in four places, and also breaking one spot weld loose at top of bracket to frame. We replaced that bracket with a '37-'41 bracket. I'm thinking we covered all of these things in our thread. You'll need to do a search to find these threads. Good luck.

[Henry Hopper]

An excellent upgrade and well worth the effort. I did this to my 36 Cabriolet and the difference was noticeable.I was ready for the fight with the 36 mounting bracket but in the end it was pretty straightforward and came out without too much trouble.

[3wmike]

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What year of steering box is to prefer ?
And how do I identify it ?
//Michael

[tub1]

don't have to change the mount drill a new hole in the area below the top mounting hole in the steering box housing much less work

[Charlie ny]

The '36 mount can be used and 2 holes will line up....you add the third. Hope
your motor is out. I did this switch on my '35....very happy upgrade.

Charlie ny

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by 3wmike

What year of steering box is to prefer ?
And how do I identify it ?
//Michael

I'd shoot for a '37-'39 box because it will still have the provision for the headlight switch down at the bottom. Also, the length of the column should still be correct for a '36.

The pic below shows the one you want on the left, as it has the set-up with the provision for the wire bail to hold your switch in place, like the '36 has on the right. 1940 and later boxes just have a flat plate at that point. Your '36 Pitman arm will fit right on if you decide to use it. DD

[tubman]

I used the original '36 mount in my '36 when I went to a '37 steering gear (a worthwhile upgrade). It must have been pretty easy, because even though it was 30 years ago, I don't remember any drama at all.

[36coupe]

I was just double checking the worms were different. I have the 37 bracket for the frame. I’m starting some progress, using original parts, got to love left overs from street rodders. The 37 box is on the floor. The car was going to be steet rodded and it came with no axles. I managed to get the front and rear axles, shocks, tires, steering box, steering wheel and transmission from a 37 that was street rodded.
Thanks for the replies

[tubman]

"Street-Rodders" - The gift that keeps on giving.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by tub1

don't have to change the mount drill a new hole in the area below the top mounting hole in the steering box housing much less work

Originally Posted by Charlie ny

The '36 mount can be used and 2 holes will line up....you add the third. Hope
your motor is out. I did this switch on my '35....very happy upgrade.
Charlie ny

Our first attempt on this swap was to keep the '36 frame mounting plate and drill the extra hole in the steering box casting, exactly as suggested in these posts, and in our case, it would not work since the '37 steering box interfered with the exhaust manifold. So, at that time our only recourse was to remove the '36 mounting bracket and replace with a stock '37-'41 steering box mounting bracket. This was a royal pita on a completely assembled vehicle, BUT the final results were well worth the effort!!

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by JM 35 Sedan

So, at that time our only recourse was to remove the '36 mounting bracket and replace with a stock '37-'41 steering box mounting bracket. This was a royal pita on a completely assembled vehicle.

Hey now, it helps ya to build character! DD

[36coupe]

I also got the mounting bracket. I assembled the 36 column just to make a steerable roller.
Disassembling the 36 steering column, getting the wheel off and ignition switch might be challenging due to rust.
To remove the steering shaft from the 36 is it as simple as removing the horn button headlight switch and pulling the steering wheel? Or do I have to disassemble even further?

[JM 35 Sedan]

Once you remove the horn button/light switch rod (w/o bending it!!), back the nut off until it's flush with the top of the threads on the steering shaft to prevent thread damage. Sometimes you get lucky and the steering wheel will disengage from its tapered fit on the shaft with a slight pull, but I've had to use a good steering wheel puller most of the time.

[blucar]

I put a '40 steering gear box w/40 mount in my '36 in 1955. The '37-40 worm and roller, compared to the earlier worm and sector, is like adding power steering, especially when parallel parking.
I used the '40 setup because I had it, left over from a '40 project, and my '36 has a column shift.
I flipped the gear shift lever over to the left side of the column, which made the confined space in a '36 coupe much more user friendly.

[tubman]

When I was in high school, all of the guys who had cars with the gear shift "flipped" to the left side had steady girlfriends and 3 kids by the time they were twenty. The rest of us "made do" with them on the right side and an occasional floor shift.

[36coupe]

Originally Posted by blucar

I put a '40 steering gear box w/40 mount in my '36 in 1955. The '37-40 worm and roller, compared to the earlier worm and sector, is like adding power steering, especially when parallel parking.
I used the '40 setup because I had it, left over from a '40 project, and my '36 has a column shift.
I flipped the gear shift lever over to the left side of the column, which made the confined space in a '36 coupe much more user friendly.

That’s cool I never knew that was done or thing back in the day.

[JSeery]

In my younger days it was common to have your girlfriend move the column shifter! And then the short floor shifters were always fun with your girlfriend straddling it. The good old days.

[blucar]

The column shift on the left side of the steering wheel was great for street racing, which I did a lot of during the '50's. The shift pattern is upside down, 1st gear is up, 2nd gear is down, makes for real quick shifts. of course you have to be careful speed shifting, a mistake will blow a trans.
I doubt the left hand shift added to the birth rate, a shortened shift lever, which was common in the '40's-50's probably had more of a contributing factor.
I can clearly recall more than one girl going for a wild ride, especially with no floor shift in the way, in my '36 before I met my wife to be in 1955.

[36coupe]

I got everything disassembled, the only thing left is to get the worm off the 36 shaft. Debating whether to press it off or just slice it down the side relieve the pressure. I have a real nice 37 steering wheel but once I got the horn button out, I realized the 36 button is probably bigger in diameter. I’ll probably JB weld the cracks sand and paint the wheel.

[blucar]

Bondo works well to repair cracks in a Ford steering wheel. I repaired a '36 Banjo wheel using Bondo, painted the wheel then put a leather cover on it.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by 36coupe

I got everything disassembled, the only thing left is to get the worm off the 36 shaft. Debating whether to press it off or just slice it down the side relieve the pressure. I have a real nice 37 steering wheel but once I got the horn button out, I realized the 36 button is probably bigger in diameter. I’ll probably JB weld the cracks sand and paint the wheel.

I would press that worm off the '36 shaft. There were some previous posts on pressing worm gears on or off shafts, if you do a search you should find them. One post by NealinCa and another by me.
You could use your '37 steering wheel if you find a '37 horn button, light switch rod. Or use your '35 steering wheel & horn button, light switch rod by repairing cracks in wheel with PC-7, JB Weld, or some other good quality two part epoxies.

[V8COOPMAN]

.

Here's the post that JM 35 is talking about....click the link below! DD


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...89&postcount=5

[VeryTangled]

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Thanks V8COOPMAN for finding that post. For completeness, a link to the whole thread on pressing worm gears is below.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...89#post1047289

[36coupe]

The 37 worm gear came off relatively easy. The steering shaft was cut off 2” above the box. Applied pressure with my press and then heated the worm with a heat gun and it started moving and took hardly any pressure to finish the job. My press is short so I’m going to crib it up with 4x4s to give me an extra 12” in height and I should be able to fit the 36 shaft in. Very interesting the way it has the main spline and then a series of shallower splines that make the interference fit.

[cas3]

if you raise you're press to accommodate the long shaft, be very careful, it can bend easy. my press is to big to raise up so i made these tools to do the job in the vise using a good 2 jaw puller for both on and off procedures. in this photo i am in the press as i had a cut off shaft like you, but normally in the vice you need the aluminum block to hold it, a chunk of heavy steel with a hole thru to pull from, and your little tool that goes in the shaft

[JM 35 Sedan]

You really need to be careful that the steering shaft does not get bent when pressing the '37 worm gear in place. If either the steering shaft or the horn/light switch rod gets bent, the headlights could get turned on or off whenever the steering wheel is turned

[aandkt]

How late of a year steering column is best and still "easy" to put into a 36 Ford?