Power Steering Make Up 56 Wagon

[Jwawhite]

Okay, can't get under the car yet and it could be a myriad of things but today while backing in the driveway I heard a clunk sound while turning the steering wheel slightly L and R. Sound maybe coming from R side.

Okay those that wrench on 'em, your telepathic guess?

Wife just walked in "it's a money pit"!!!!

[Jwawhite]

Found the issue, you know those grommets on car shocks? The grommet is missing at the end of the power steering ram shaft. There is a nut, large washer and then the missing grommet then bracket.
Idea where to buy one? How do you hold the shaft to remove nut? Is the shaft under pressure with the engine off? Possible to push inwards to replace grommets?

[KULTULZ]

Get a load of this!

The OP has a dressed 56 PARKLANE in his avatar that is hard to see (especially at my age) and he didn't post a photo for site pleasure.

Anyways...

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

Found the issue, you know those grommets on car shocks? The grommet is missing at the end of the power steering ram shaft. There is a nut, large washer and then the missing grommet then bracket.

Idea where to buy one? How do you hold the shaft to remove nut? Is the shaft under pressure with the engine off? Possible to push inwards to replace grommets?

There was (is) a bushing repair kit for that cylinder.

I would think MOOG or TRW.

I can identify with the wife complaining...

[Ole Don]

Removing the nut; some had a pal nut. Remove that first, then clean the exposed threads and soak it. The end of the shaft should be squared off, to grab hold of while you loosen the nut. Usually, it will twist and be ruined for its intended purpose. Grab the shaft with a vice grip under the area where the rubber went, then the nut should come off with no major issues. With the motor off, you will be able to push in the shaft to replace the rubber and the washer on the left side of the frame bracket, the pull the shaft out and in to the bracket to replace the outer rubber. NAPA carries the rubber for the upper front shock on MOPAR products in the fifties. They fit.

[KULTULZ]

There is (was) a special socket to fit this end. Was also used to loosen shock stems (before I discovered the SAWZALL... ).

[Jwawhite]

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This is a new hobby for me, I'd never heard the term before "unmolested car". This is a molested car, it looks great but look closely and you find cut corners. I've been straightening out the corners since I've bought it. Thanks K for the diagrams, just from memory of looking at the cylinder the system has been changed. Thanks for the advice Ole, I find the repairs are smoother with it. Have yet to get car on stands for repairs but when the wife cranked the steering wheel I could determine where the noise was coming from. K, here's a photo of the car this morning.

[Daves55Sedan]

Rubber shock bushing falling off of ram cylinder shaft was my first guess.
I think it is easiest to fix this by raising both front tires off the floor just enough at least so they don't touch the ground. First, remove the locknut, the main nut and big washer off the ram cylinder shaft. With engine NOT running, you can turn the steering wheel to pull the ran cylinder shaft out of the frame bracket hole. Then you can insert your new rubber bushing on the backside of the bracket. Get someone to sit in the car and turn the steering wheel back s l o w l y, while you guide the shaft back through the hole in the bracket. Now you can insert your sleeve that goes over the shaft, new outer rubber bushing, large washer and nut. Don't forget to re-install the little locknut. DONE.

[KULTULZ]

THANX for the photo! Looks like you have a good start.

[dmsfrr]

Jwawhite,
I wish you'd let me know, I would have traded your grommet problem for this nut & bolt problem.
The blind nut inside the frame pulled thru and someone tack welded the casting to the frame, which of course didn't stay put at all. Had to open up the frame to put in a replacement nut.
.

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

The blind nut inside the frame pulled thru and someone tack welded the casting to the frame, which of course didn't stay put at all. Had to open up the frame to put in a replacement nut.
.

dmsfrr...I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but the original cast iron idler arm bracket that also holds the ram cylinder shaft end utilized the same frame bolt holes that your manual steering idler arm bracket uses and also bolts to one or more "crush-nuts" inserted into those hexagon holes in the bottom of the frame. In other words, the manual steering idler arm bracket is NOT used on cars that have power steering. The power steering idler arm bracket is a cast iron idler arm and ram cylinder holding bracket all in one piece.
One bolt to hold the ram cylinder shaft end is not enough. That's partly why it failed along with someone trying to attempt to weld cast iron.
Fomoco made at least three different power steering idler arm brackets in the mid fifties. I have a couple spare ones out in the garage with a 100% complete refurbished '55 power steering setup. The brackets I have are not correct for the full size Fords. Maybe T-bird, or truck?

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

dmsfrr...I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but the original cast iron idler arm bracket that also holds the ram cylinder shaft end utilized the same frame bolt holes that your manual steering idler arm bracket uses and also bolts to one or more "crush-nuts" inserted into those hexagon holes in the bottom of the frame. In other words, the manual steering idler arm bracket is NOT used on cars that have power steering. The power steering idler arm bracket is a cast iron idler arm and ram cylinder holding bracket all in one piece.
One bolt to hold the ram cylinder shaft end is not enough. That's partly why it failed along with someone trying to attempt to weld cast iron.
.....

The one piece PS & Idler arm bracket on this '55 project was originally held on with three bolts, but the bottom one failed.

Bolt heads - they were originally inserted from the outside of frame with nuts & washers on the 'bracket' side. In photos 1 & 2 they are temporarily inserted backwards, to hold the bracket up in place.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

The one piece PS & Idler arm bracket on this '55 project was originally held on with three bolts, but the bottom one failed.

Correct. The bottom bolt (20649-S) is designed to not allow the actual bracket 3511 to flex or fail due to the strain @ the point the PS cylinder exerts pressure on it (as evidenced by the fastener failure). The upper two bolts just mounts and stabilizes the bracket for the idler arm.

BTW- The mounting bracket B5S 3351-A is used on all three BIRD model years.

That tack weld was ugly...

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

The one piece PS & Idler arm bracket on this '55 project was originally held on with three bolts, but the bottom one failed.

Bolt heads - they were originally inserted from the outside of frame with nuts & washers on the 'bracket' side. In photos 1 & 2 they are temporarily inserted backwards, to hold the bracket up in place.

KULTULZ Sticking His Nose Where It doesn't Belong...

dmsfrr-

I was looking through this thread this morning and looked closely at your photo above.

It seems (to me anyways) that the retaining bracket cap screws lost their torque value allowing the bracket to move on the frame as evidenced by the cap screw heads wallowing and digging into the frame rail and the bottom fastener pulling out of it's retainer.

Maybe a couple of GRADE 5 flat washers under the heads to distribute and maintain torque value?

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

... It seems (to me anyways) that the retaining bracket cap screws lost their torque value allowing the bracket to move on the frame as evidenced by the cap screw heads wallowing and digging into the frame rail and the bottom fastener pulling out of it's retainer.

Maybe a couple of GRADE 5 flat washers under the heads to distribute and maintain torque value?

No telling how long it's had that problem, and the idler arm bushings are shot as well. I was barely able to put 100 miles on the car before I had to pull the engine. All the suspension bushings need to be replaced too, once the engine is running again.

Yes, the bracket will get better hardware when it goes back on.

.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

The blind nut inside the frame pulled thru and someone tack welded the casting to the frame, which of course didn't stay put at all. Had to open up the frame to put in a replacement nut.

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan 02-08-2018 Post #17

dmsfrr...

The power steering idler arm bracket is a cast iron idler arm and ram cylinder holding bracket all in one piece.

One bolt to hold the ram cylinder shaft end is not enough. That's partly why it failed along with someone trying to attempt to weld cast iron.

The 55/57 BIRD 3351 MTG BRACKET only utilized a single cap screw at the bottom of the rail, the FORD applications two. Why I would not know.

Same amount of stress exerted (allowing for vehicle weight).

Fomoco made at least three different power steering idler arm brackets in the mid fifties. I have a couple spare ones out in the garage with a 100% complete refurbished '55 power steering setup.

The brackets I have are not correct for the full size Fords. Maybe T-bird, or truck?

Shown below is the early (pre-57) FORD bracket (1st photo) with the reliefs for the nut inserts as you described previously.

Also shown is he 55/57 BIRD bracket (2nd photo).

That CASCO kit (combined 3C590 and 3C589) is worth it's weight in gold...

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

Shown below is the early (pre-57) FORD bracket with the reliefs for the nut inserts as you described previously. Also shown is he 55/57 BIRD.

That is correct. The first picture shows the factory bracket for full-size cars and wagons. The second picture shows the bracket for T-Birds.


dmsfrr NOTICE that what you have on your Bird is a factory manual steering idler arm bracket and a separate cast iron bracket to hold the ram cylinder shaft end. It appears to be a factory Bird bracket with the idler arm bushing collar cut-off of it. Having these separate like this could result in mis-alignment of the ram cylinder with relation to it's proper position on the frame. Do the factory holes in the bracket and frame line up???

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

..... The second picture shows the bracket for T-Birds.

dmsfrr NOTICE that what you have on your Bird is a factory manual steering idler arm bracket and a separate cast iron bracket to hold the ram cylinder shaft end. It appears to be a factory Bird bracket with the idler arm bushing collar cut-off of it. Having these separate like this could result in mis-alignment of the ram cylinder with relation to it's proper position on the frame. Do the factory holes in the bracket and frame line up???

Yes all three mounting holes line up.

I'm confused. The PS/idler arm bracket on this '55 Bird is one cast piece (photos below) and looks just like the Macs image that KULTULZ attached above, and also at this link....
https://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_t...g-1955-57.html

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

dmsfrr NOTICE that what you have on your Bird is a factory manual steering idler arm bracket and a separate cast iron bracket to hold the ram cylinder shaft end. It appears to be a factory Bird bracket with the idler arm bushing collar cut-off of it.

Having these separate like this could result in mis-alignment of the ram cylinder with relation to it's proper position on the frame. Do the factory holes in the bracket and frame line up???

Dave-

He has the correct MTG BRKT (3351) for the 55/57 BIRD. Go back and check his posts/photos.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

The blind nut inside the frame pulled thru and someone tack welded the casting to the frame, which of course didn't stay put at all. Had to open up the frame to put in a replacement nut.

I forgot to mention this, but there is a replacement fastener whereas you don't have to go into the rail itself-

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

I forgot to mention this, but there is a replacement fastener whereas you don't have to go into the rail itself-

Thanks, I thought of that but the cast bracket on the car doesn't have a recess in it for the outer lip of the nut, and I didn't want a spacer between the bracket & frame.