How to change a steering worm gear?

[Jacksonlll]

Ok guys, I have not been down this road before. I need to put a new worm on my strg shaft. Is it a big deal? Hard? What keeps the worm from turning on the shaft besides the press fit? Are there serrations? How far to push it on, or is it obvious?
Any hints and tips would be great. jack

[SeaSlugs]

Mark where the old one is and takes pictures, then use a big press to press it off and press the new one on. I dont believe there are any splines - just press fit. I cant remember the best way to press the new one on (as in grip the shaft hard enough). You dont want to beat it on or push on the end of the steering shaft and bugger up the steering wheel nut threads / distort the tube as it is hollow.

Im sure someone will chime in with a tried and true method...

My advice is to thread the steering wheel nut on the opposite end so just in case you drop it or whack it against something it wont damage the threads.

[RonC]

You can buy the complete shaft with worm installed. I think all the worms shafts and sectors come from MACs but they work very well.

[Mitch//pa]

There is a key way for the worm..
http://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread...highlight=Worm

[Afordman31]

The picture of the worm being pressed on is the block I made using the pictures that James Rogers posted on Fordbarn. You can also remove the worm using this block. I PM'd him and he was very helpful as to the dimensions.

[tbirdtbird]

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have used Mitch's method and it is slick as can be

[katy]

Does anyone have the length of the steering shaft? I'm wondering if one will fit in our 20 ton press as I plan on rebuilding the steering box of our '31 CCPU this winter.
TIA, Ken

[Licensed to kill]

From the top of the steering wheel threads to the bottom of the steering box is 45" on my '31 DD.

[Doug in NJ]

You can weld some pieces of scrap to the shaft close to the worm end, to give the press something to press against. Then you cut them off and grind the welds down (doesn't have to be perfect, since it will be invisible). It worked great for me:

http://31ford.dougbraun.com/brakes/IMG_5818

Doug

[Richard Lorenz]

I recently put on a new worm on a new shaft using a 20 ton press. It was much harder to put on this worm than 2 or 3 others I put on in the past.

I think that it was a tighter fit than before. I used just about all of the twenty tons to press it on. A new worm on an old shaft might not require this much pressure.

[Terry, NJ]

I heated and hammered (With a brass and a lead hammer) for three days. It should have been all the way on. It wasn't , it had maybe an inch to go. There is a picture in the album My A, with a micrometer on the shaft. Nothing worked! Then I tried Mitch's method of threading the shaft (Internally, with a 7/16 14 tap) and a nut and had it on within the hour.
Terry

[Jacksonlll]

Thanks to all of you. I think I will tackle it. $65 is a lot better than $450. Thanks again. jack

[tbirdtbird]

i think Mitch refers to using a 5/8 tap

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by Afordman31

The picture of the worm being pressed on is the block I made using the pictures that James Rogers posted on Fordbarn. You can also remove the worm using this block. I PM'd him and he was very helpful as to the dimensions.

Very nice repo.

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by Jacksonlll

Ok guys, I have not been down this road before. I need to put a new worm on my strg shaft. Is it a big deal? Hard? What keeps the worm from turning on the shaft besides the press fit? Are there serrations? How far to push it on, or is it obvious?
Any hints and tips would be great. jack

Without the proper tools you can ruin more than you can fix. I found the tool that A Fordman 31 shows to be invaluable to install the worm and have never ruined a shaft since I made it. Don't try to do it without this tool, the shaft is too long to press on and will bow permanently.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by tbirdtbird

i think Mitch refers to using a 5/8 tap

Yes 5/8th

[larrys40]

For removal, If you read Mitch's post ( pasted below and he has posted above) I have a method I use to remove them quickly if you have difficulty or don't have the same type puller.
I cut them off lengthwise being careful not to nick the shaft. a little tap in of a cold chisel in the middle when close makes them pretty much fall off. My post on this is on Mitches link he has. I have done many and haven't ever had an issue yet. Mitch's install method is the way to go.

Larry Shepard

[Terry, NJ]

I told you I forget some things! Never take anything I say as Gospel. You've just seen an example of what I go through every day! The "Golden Years"! Horsecrap! They're brass plated lead!
Terry

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Yes 5/8th

[katy]

Originally Posted by Licensed to kill

From the top of the steering wheel threads to the bottom of the steering box is 45" on my '31 DD.

Thanks, I'll check our press. But it sounds like Mitch's 5/8" thread trick is the way to go.

[Licensed to kill]

Originally Posted by katy

Thanks, I'll check our press. But it sounds like Mitch's 5/8" thread trick is the way to go.

Yes. I think Mitch's way is the way to go also. However, if you don't have a bearing puller to take the old one off and you DO have a press that's tall enough, you could thread the bolt in as Mitch suggested and, resting the worm on your press table, push the steering shaft off the worm by pushing on the bolt.