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Old 03-24-2019, 05:12 PM   #1
Viv W
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Default Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Hi All,
I'm working on the steering boxes on both my 35 Ford V8 and a freinds model A, both cars are right hand drive and both cars have damaged worm and sectors.
Last night I was going thru Mac's online catalogue and they list the RHD and LHD worms under seperate part numbers, but then they also say the RHD worm can be used also for LHD ???
This does not seem right to me and I'm wondering if Mac's actually know the difference between the 2 items. It worries me to order any of these parts, because if I do, I may ship them half way around the world, only to find they are wrong.
My other question is the Model A steering box is marked with a raised "F" on the casting, will the Gemmer parts Mac's list fit this steering housing.
Thanks for any advice.
regards
Viv.
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Old 03-24-2019, 05:47 PM   #2
Jembow
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

A friend once put a NOS worm & shaft in a RHD Thames van and found it was LHD when he drove into the shop wall as he tried to drive it away! Find Juke Joint Johnny here on the barn, he'll help on the Model A for sure
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Old 03-24-2019, 05:50 PM   #3
54vicky
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

possibly check with van pelt he may be able to help I see him mentioned a lot
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Old 03-24-2019, 06:54 PM   #4
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

RHD and LHD worm and sector gears are absolutely, positively NOT interchangeable. Mac's is misinformed and is misleading potential customers. The angle of the teeth of the gears are a mirror image of one another, which, of course, makes sense. Save your money and hold out for the real thing. Perhaps someone from Argentina, the U.K., or down under can help you.
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Old 03-24-2019, 07:55 PM   #5
RKS.PA
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

If you have the boxes apart, often the worm gears have a number. I've been incredibly lucky that G&G Ford parts have a supply of the ones I've needed. The other part of my success story is a machine shop with a wonderful owner...Gary...who has the skill and necessary shop press to get the old one off the shaft and the new one on!!! BTW, my boxes were Gemmers.
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Old 03-24-2019, 08:52 PM   #6
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

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I bought new [repop?] RHD 37-39 worm off of James at Gotham Auto Parts..
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Last edited by Brian; 03-25-2019 at 02:41 AM.
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Old 03-26-2019, 12:34 PM   #7
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Perhaps someone can confirm, but from memory a RHD worm has a left hand helix and a LHD worm has a right hand helix.

If you imagine the helix like a very coarse thread you might be able to envisage what I am trying to say.

The pitman shafts have the roller set at an angle so they engage the worm correctly. The angles are opposite for each hand of drive of the box.

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Old 03-26-2019, 01:35 PM   #8
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Mart,


I believe that you have stated it correctly. In the pre-'37 gear boxes it would be the sector gear on the end of the sector shaft rather than the roller with differing angles to the 'teeth'.

Last edited by DavidG; 03-26-2019 at 01:40 PM.
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Old 03-26-2019, 02:07 PM   #9
my4dv8
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

O’Neil vintage ford in the UK ,say they have worms and sectors RHD at 17 to 1 ratio for 1936.


Availability: 1 In Stock!
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Old 03-27-2019, 03:46 PM   #10
Viv W
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Thanks guys for all the replies. My 35 steering is a 15 to 1 ratio, which my research lists as being a one year only item.
I have remains of a 36 17 to 1 steering assembly, which I stripped in the hope of making one out of the 2, but not only are the worm and sectors different, but so are the bearings and cups.
It's a while since I stripped the 2 units, but I seem to recall the housings are also different to accomodate the different bearings.
My 36 box and column are so badly corroded, that the shaft is almost rusted in half and the housings themselves internally are rusted beyond recovery.
At the moment my 35 steering column is back in the car, I figured I could probably drive it, even with a big chunk out the worm gear, but I have not driven it yet. However after seeing the similar condition of my freinds model A one, that got jammed, I will look to repair my one before even attempting a drive.
I will follow up on the leads you have given me, thanks
Best regards
Viv.
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Old 03-28-2019, 02:54 AM   #11
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Ok ,it does seem the ford gods are not looking after you. Kiwi vendors do not seem to list one ,unless Aussies do?
Had you considered fitting a 37 to 39 steering box , yes not original but nicer to steer. A little swapping the outer tube and column drop and you will hard pressed to notice at a glance. We have one in our 32 ,though markedly different to 35 ,its remarkably nice to drive with no surprises.

Last edited by my4dv8; 03-28-2019 at 03:06 AM.
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Old 03-29-2019, 03:25 PM   #12
Viv W
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Hi My4dV8, thanks for the thought.
I will ask around here in Zimbabwe and see if anyone has a 37-9 column lying around, but parts for ANY cars of the 30's here seem to have vanished off the face of the earth. I heard that during the 50's a lot of pre war 30's cars were used for stock car racing or demolition derbys as no one wanted them when they were 20 years old.
Our vintage car movement started to gain momentum in 1958, and only cars built before 1931 were deemed worthy of being saved and restored. So the 32 to 39 cars were either scrapped or shoved into the rubbish dumps here.
I was told in the 1970's that Arian carbreakers in Harare had a 36/7 Cord Sportsman driven into their yard in 1960, the owner did not want it as it gave trouble and the breaker had no use for the majority of the parts, so a few parts were removed and it was towed to the city dump, where it is now about 90ft down under big blocks of flats.
Anyway, I have had a response from one of the Barn members who may have parts, so will keep you guys posted, thanks again
Viv.
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Old 03-30-2019, 08:03 PM   #13
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

The 1935 LHD worm gear is the same as the RHD 33/34 15:1 set, and vice versa
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Old 03-31-2019, 12:42 AM   #14
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

The 1935 LHD worm gear is the same as the RHD 33/34 15:1 set, and vice versa

Michael, Thanks for confirming that, I actually posted that info on this thread weeks ago, but then doubted myself and edited it out.
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Old 03-31-2019, 04:23 AM   #15
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

^^ That makes sense. My RHD having a lh helix statement only applies to cross steer applications. Up to 34 would be the opposite where a lhd car would have a lh helix.

An interesting thread.

Mart.
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Old 03-31-2019, 10:18 AM   #16
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

With respect to them, the 1-800 big parts retailers make it confusing as pointed out in the first post, they are correct as the LHD gear can be used as a RHD, but for a totally different year.. that only applies to the worm gear not the sector.
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Old 03-31-2019, 10:19 AM   #17
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

PS hats off to you for undertaking this hobby in Zimbabwe! I can only imagine parts are difficult to find for you
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Old 04-01-2019, 04:02 AM   #18
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by Viv W View Post
Thanks guys for all the replies. My 35 steering is a 15 to 1 ratio, which my research lists as being a one year only item.
I have remains of a 36 17 to 1 steering assembly, which I stripped in the hope of making one out of the 2, but not only are the worm and sectors different, but so are the bearings and cups.
It's a while since I stripped the 2 units, but I seem to recall the housings are also different to accomodate the different bearings.
My 36 box and column are so badly corroded, that the shaft is almost rusted in half and the housings themselves internally are rusted beyond recovery.
At the moment my 35 steering column is back in the car, I figured I could probably drive it, even with a big chunk out the worm gear, but I have not driven it yet. However after seeing the similar condition of my freinds model A one, that got jammed, I will look to repair my one before even attempting a drive.
I will follow up on the leads you have given me, thanks
Best regards
Viv.
Viv contact Flathead Ted on this forum . He makes a 34 Steering box with later 37 internals - transforms the Steering Not sure how different a 35 is to a 34 Box - Karl
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Old 04-01-2019, 06:22 AM   #19
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

Night and day difference, but if he can do a '32-'34 box, he should be able to do '35-'36 boxes as well.
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Old 04-01-2019, 08:45 AM   #20
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Default Re: Right hand drive steering worm advice needed

It's probably worth reiterating that any 37-48 box could be made to work with varying amounts of ingenuity and would be considered an upgrade. The reduction in friction due to the use of the roller sector offers a real world improvement in the driving experience.

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