Steering play

[Gick70]

My 1952 f1 has some play in the steering,what kind of play was in it back in the day? Maybe I am just use to modern cars,let me know what was factory?Where would be the first place to look for such play?

[vilanar]

Check the idler arm bushing ,it is usually worn out. And usually steering box adjustment is wrong , its little tricky to adjust , but if you get yourself factory shop manual there is right procedure to do it. Even after that it is little loose when centered , that is how they were....
Though I haven't tried when they were new , wasn't born yet .....

[flatheadmurre]

As stated have someone shake a wheel while up in the air check shaft coming out of steeringbox for sideplay...if it moves you need bushings.
Next if that seems to be tight take a firm grip of the steeringwheel and try pull it up and down...any axial play there...you need to shim the steeringbox...taking some of the papergaskets away.
If above is okay yu can adjust the sectorshaft...if should be tight with an increased force needed to move the steringwheel in straighforward position...but must be loose in right/left position...or steering wheel won´t return to center by itself.

[deuce lover]

Don't think F1's had idler arms.Jack the truck up to take the load off the wheels.Center the steering wheel.On the side of the steering box there is a plate.Remove the the cap nut in the center of that plate and you will see a slotted adj screw and a star washer.Remove the star washer and then if possible turn the screw in until you can't then back off a hair.That usually removes the play in the box.Turn the wheel from lock to lock to make sure its not binding.If binding you might have to back the screw out a bit more.Put back the star washer and cap nut,lower the truck back on the ground.Test drive.

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

Don't think F1's had idler arms.Jack the truck up to take the load off the wheels.Center the steering wheel.On the side of the steering box there is a plate.Remove the the cap nut in the center of that plate and you will see a slotted adj screw and a star washer.Remove the star washer and then if possible turn the screw in until you can't then back off a hair.That usually removes the play in the box.Turn the wheel from lock to lock to make sure its not binding.If binding you might have to back the screw out a bit more.Put back the star washer and cap nut,lower the truck back on the ground.Test drive.

Solid advice. I recently did just this on a '47 Ford.

[flatheadmurre]

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If the bushings are bad or the worm gear preload needs adjusting that should be adressed first...after they are ok you can adjust the sectorgear to wormgear.

[JSeery]

What flatheadmurre said, the sectorgear adjustment should be the last adjustment, not the first.

[1948F-1Pickup]

I've got my box out right now and am working on it.
Before removal, my immediate conclusion after evaluation was pre-load was
off at the very least. Even so, slight adjustment at the sector screw took
about 30% of the slop out...... purely as a stop-gap measure for the week or two I was waiting for parts.
Once inside the box, there was quite a bit going on. NONE of it particularly good. I'm going to end up replacing both worm and sector, as well as all
the usual stuff (bearings, races, bushings, etc.)

Here's an attractive looking worm-shaft for your viewing enjoyment.....

[terry]

My F-1 was a 48. As suggested, I removed a shim from the front of the box. My steering wheel had around 2 or more inches of free play. It tightened the wheel up nicely. i did check first for any looseness of steering gear arm and the connections to it with the front wheels off the ground. Terry

[FortyNiner]

Call me silly, but if you haven't looked at the conditon of the drag link (a wear item), nothing you'll adjust in the steering box will matter.