36 5W Coupe Steering box Slop

[panhead_pete]

Hi all

Have got the 36 going again and noticed today that the steering has a lot of play in it, as in there is about 3-4" freeplay in the steering wheel. Not having had one of these before how do I adjust that up some?

Thanks
Pete

[Hank the 36]

I'm in the same boat, good luck.
H36

[FlatheadTed]

There is a screw on top facing you tighten that then pull the steering wheel up to wards you if there's play there then remove the paper shims at the four bolts at the starter switch near the column clamp ,then under the car theirs the cover that has two cams one a screw and ones on the cover nut, two nuts together, loosen all and the small one and turn the larger one , this one will make the most change and could be tried first , This is a rough idea of how you do it with out referencing the book .

[coupe5w36]

Before you get too involved make sure that the nut securing the pitman arm to the sector shaft is tight. Mine was bottoming out on the step at the base of the sector splines, so whilst the nut was tight, it wasn't clamping the pitman arm. I solved the issue by fitting a chamfered washer between the spring washer and the sector spline.

[FlatheadTed]

When you adjust it you have the wheels straight a head ,remove all the lash by turning the larger of the two nuts on the cover (movable sector housing) ,then as you turn it to full lock ether way you should get some lash at the end of the travel ,the screw cam is there to centre you steering wheel .

[blucar]

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The '36 and earlier steering gear unit is very poor at it's best.. It is a worm and sector in lieu of the worm and roller type like the '37 and later.
The main problem is a lack of oil in the steering gear box.. The original type of oil is 140w, most people use the more common 90w..
If you are able to adjust most of the slop out of the gears use "Motor Honey" i.e. STP in lieu of gear oil.. Another good gear oil alternative is John Deere Corn Head lube..
The very best solution to the steering gear issue on the '36 Fords is to convert then to a '37-40 steering gear box.. Very few people will note that the conversion has been done... You will need the '37-40 frame mount and you will not be able to use the original '36 headlight switch... Minor sacrifice for better steering..
The '41 and later steering gears won't work because the shaft is to long for the '36 and earlier Fords..
I put '40 steering gears in my '36 Ford in 1955, it was like adding power steering.. My car has a column mounted shift so the '40 column worked perfectly... The whole unit was a bolt-in application...

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by blucar

You will need the '37-40 frame mount and you will not be able to use the original '36 headlight switch... Minor sacrifice for better steering..

You sure about the headlilght switch? I used the 36 headlight switch on a 38 column in my 36 woodie. I did however have to move the ignition switch a little.

[blucar]

It is very possible that the '36 headlight switch will work on the 37-39 steering columns because they originally had the headlight switch on the steering wheel.. The '40s had a switch on the dash.. I used '40 steering gear box in my '36.. I had no difficulty mounting the column to the dash, a slight bend of the lower dash lip with a Cresent wrench solved the problem.. The clearance between the gear shift shaft and the radio box almost presented a problem...