31 steering box adjustments

[imacrazy]

Could someone tell me how to adjust the steering box on a 1931 box.
Thank you
Bill

[Tom Wesenberg]

Do you have the SERVICE BULLETINS book?
They lay it out and it must be followed exactly. You may have to run through the adjustments twice to get it just right because one adjustment can affect the others.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Or, use the "Search" function at the top of the Forum page and type in key words such as "Steering adjustment". About a bazillion threads will come up for you to wade through. Your question has been addressed and answered innumerable times on this site, so you'll have plenty of responses and suggestions to follow that will help you adjust your steering box, as well as threads about problems encountered during the procedure. Read as many as you can before jumping into the adjustment. It's a fairly simple procedure, but you must do it in the recommended order and do ALL of the steps.
Marshall

[160B]

They are in the " Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook” by Les Andrews.

Available on the MAFCA web Site. $38.00



https://mafca.com/cart/index.php?productID=166

[Joe K]

Best done with the steering box OUT of the car. And on the workbench. Can be done in but you'll scratch those fenders fer sure.

The steering box is a funny beast. Designed for ZERO free play at center it should have INCREASING BUT EQUAL free play on either side of center. And doing it "by the instructions" makes it happen and gives you opportunity to balance it. It is a "iterative" process.

The box itself relies on steering geometry (tendency of wheels to self-center) to keep that free play always to center of the steering.

Joe K

[Dick Steinkamp]

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As stated above, you are going to need either the Service Bulletins or the Andrews book. It is relatively complicated and as Tom states the process must be followed exactly. Here are a few posts to give you an overview, but not enough info to actually do it...

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...71&postcount=7

http://modelabasics.com/twoTooth.htm

http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/steering.htm

If you are sure the play is in the steering box, the box may need rebuilding. You'll find out if you can not adjust out the slop.

[SuperDave]

Bought my 31 Model A in 1956. Never liked the steering. Always seemed to tighten up as we turned the steering wheel. Even rebuilt with new (aftermarket) parts about 8 years ago. My son and I just installed the F100 mod from Mel's model A Parts in California. ( great guys to deal with) to our (Now belongs to my son) 31. Best thing we ever done! So if you get fed up with trying to make the original box work correctly. And not into high point judging.. this is a viable alternative. Took us about 3 hours. Alone It would have taken me another hour or so.

[30ccpickup]

imacrazy, follow steps 1 thru 3 in my article, http://modelabasics.com/twoTooth.htm. Like Tom says it might take 2 or 3 times. (The article follows the service bulletins, but with pictures). If this does not take out the play, repost and ask further questions. If the steering system is not totally worn out you should be able to adjust the play out... just do one step at a time. Step four is a little more advance but can be done by the shade tree mechanic if the first three steps do not fix the problem.

Paul

[Tom Wesenberg]

And when you're done with the steering box, be sure the box to frame mounting bolts are tight, as well as the bolt for the pitman arm.

[Rip]

30ccpickup/Paul,
Have been struggling with loose steering for a while. Have two tooth box in car (box removal not an option). Steering linkages, etc are tight. Followed your excellent article. Accomplished steps 1-3 but #4 is frustrating. Used offset screwdriver but can't seem to get eccentric/centralizing rivet to turn. (Am thinking eccentric rivet is moving/rotating sector housing relative to the box.) Have loosened 4 sector housing bolts but rivet not turning. Presently rivet has it's slot at 10 & 4 position. Trying to understand the "rebuilding gemmer steering box" article (but my copy is almost illegible in part A as am thinking "slot" has to be more vertical as indicated in D.

Guess I'm trying to figure how to loosen the rivet?
Thanks, Rip

[duke36]

Many times the culprit is the sector teeth with wear indents in them. Often no adjustment will compensate for that wear to obtain zero play with wheels straight ahead and equal lash at steering wheel extremes..