55, 56 steering box

[CrownVic55]

Does anyone have pictures showing the 2 tooth sector (55) and the three tooth sector (56)? Would like to see the differences. KULTULZ probably has pictures, he seems to have anything. Thanks, Ben

[dmsfrr]

Here's a few photos, with one of the inside of a '57 Ford three-tooth box. A two-tooth box has one less tooth on the sector gear.
Photos 2, 3 & 4 are of T-Bird steering boxes but the versions for Full-sized cars in '55/'57 should be very similar on the inside, if not the same.

I believe the steering boxes changed sometime mid-model year of '56. The early version has a capped lock nut on the top cover with a 5 pointed star shape under it. The later version has a plain hex lock-nut on the slotted shaft.

A couple more photos and a good description at this link...
http://restorationandredemption.blog.../steering.html
.

[KULTULZ]

GOOD REFERRING URL D!

Note that the roller on the sector arm in the pictures above has three teeth... this is a 1957 t-bird "three tooth" box. It is a bolt-on replacement for the steering box on my 1955 t-bird, which is a very similar but weaker "two tooth" box. My plan is to rebuild the three tooth box, since it should last longer and be better able to handle the stress of wider-than-stock radial tires.

The production break (2T - 3T) was within the 56 MODEL RUN.

[Kahuna]

What was the weakness of the earlier 2 tooth box?
Thanks
Jim

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Kahuna

What was the weakness of the earlier 2 tooth box?
Thanks
Jim

There's less surface area of the gears to take on being used, so they wear out sooner.
'Straight-ahead' surfaces go first, wanders slightly, or more.

[Kahuna]

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Thanks, D
Appreciate the info
Jim

[Jwawhite]

I can feel binding on left turns on the Frankenwagon, some day I'll remove cover and inspect. I also have a bit of slop and wandering driving straight ahead. Read in the shop manual how to separate steering box from linkage to test drag on wheel for top screw head adjustment. Bit more work than I want to do (now) but may adjust screw 1/4 clockwise and try to determine is steering is better or? I have the non star top, late 56 box. I did check the Torque box/frame and added the washers, T was below spec. And box was empty of oil.
Thank you for informative article!

[miker98038]

Just FWIW. I had what the rebuilder described as “the most worn 2 sector box” he’d ever seen in my 55 bird. He put a completely rebuilt 3 sector in. Worked nice.

Some years later I replaced that box with a R&P. That was a complete waste of money, even with a fast ratio you couldn’t really tell. Find a good 3 sector and save the rest of the money.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

I can feel binding on left turns on the Frankenwagon, some day I'll remove cover and inspect. I also have a bit of slop and wandering driving straight ahead.

Read in the shop manual how to separate steering box from linkage to test drag on wheel for top screw head adjustment. Bit more work than I want to do (now) but may adjust screw 1/4 clockwise and try to determine is steering is better or? I have the non star top, late 56 box. I did check the Torque box/frame and added the washers, T was below spec. And box was empty of oil.

Be careful here. Follow SHOP MANUAL directions.

[Ole Don]

A good winter project would be to remove the whole thing and dis-assemble it to clean out all the old gunk. Clean the bearings and set them like it says in the manual. On assembly, refill with a 50/50 mixture of 90 wt. gear oil and STP.

[rotorwrench]

Ford/Gemmer designs with the two tooth roller sector gear were used for a long time but they did have a tendency to wear on the worm faster. The three tooth roller sector spread the wear surface over a larger contact pattern and allowed for less wear over a longer period of use. The circulating ball types eventually superseded all of the old worm & sector roller designs.