The Ford Barn

john charlton · 08-07-2018, 05:22 AM

Some early 30 commercial vehicles were fitted with the 7 tooth steering box and the 30/31 steering wheel .Does this set up require a different light rod to suit . My regular rods 30/31 two tooth do not fit .Too long and proud at the steering wheel hub.

John in sunny Suffolk County England

rocket1 · 08-07-2018, 07:53 AM

les Andrews book states the 7 tooth steering box was carried over to early 1930,your steering wheel should be on a splined shaft,the shortest horn rod would be a gemmer at 44 31/32 long or a gemmer at 45 inches.If your 30 steering wheel is not on a splined shaft but keyed thats the root of your problem,not suppose to be.

john charlton · 08-07-2018, 08:13 AM

The steering wheel is splined so the 30/31 wheel fits the 7 tooth shaft .I dont think there was a keyed shaft for the 7 tooth only the 2 tooth box . My problem is that I know I can get a 7 tooth rod which will fit perfect but it will have the 28/29 style top with the switch lever on which will not fit the 30/31 wheel so there must be a special low production rod for this no doubt a bit like a hens tooth .

John

rocket1 · 08-07-2018, 08:27 AM

As far as I know there were only 5 horn rods,2 are the 28-29 style,the shortest 30-31 style is 45 3/4,possibly someone on the barn has more info.

jw hash · 08-07-2018, 09:21 AM

John you can make a original horn rod any length you need. just by cutting the horn rod then using some 5/16" brass tubing. clean the parts real good, put some soldering flux on the brass tubing, drive the tubing into the rod make it the length you want and sweat the solder into it like you are doing copper plumbing. the reason I use original horn rod to do this they are steel and the reproductions are aluminum. the light rod should extend 1 1/4" past the lower end of the steering box when finish.

Pmsqrd · 08-07-2018, 10:10 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

7 tooth steering boxes (28/29 or 30) use a 45 3/4" rod.

john charlton · 08-07-2018, 10:58 AM

Thank you all for the information.It looks like A3616F would work.I have to use a Ford shaft not a Gemmer as they did not make the 7 tooth only Ford . The only A 3616F I have is bent but it looks like it could be the one .When I fit a test shaft the top does not fit flush with the wheel and is about 1/2 inch proud so I guess Ford was happy with that this with no nut fitted .

John

Juggler · 08-07-2018, 11:20 AM

P1190020

P1190021

john charlton · 08-07-2018, 12:05 PM

As you see the light rod sits proud in the 7 tooth compared to the 2 tooth so I guess that is just the way it is. No nut fitted the top comes hard up to the shaft ..Maybe Ford thought OK on a commercial vehicle . The piece of tag string is not holding it off.

John

jw hash · 08-07-2018, 07:05 PM

there should not be any differences of the top of the seven tooth or two tooth steering shafts, when it come to height, the horn rods rest on the top of the steering shaft. why is the one steering shaft coming though the steering wheel so far?

john charlton · 08-08-2018, 01:06 AM

That is the mystery .The top picture is the 7 tooth with the splined hub wheel ,the shaft potrudes further than the keyed hub wheel .One fix would be to pull the wheel and try to fit a splined washer under the wheel another fix would be to crop the threaded end of the shaft . I wont try these I will live with the way it is .The gap between the levers and the wheel hub are the same for both wheels .

John

08-07-2018, 05:22 AM	#1
john charlton Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,304	Light rod question Some early 30 commercial vehicles were fitted with the 7 tooth steering box and the 30/31 steering wheel .Does this set up require a different light rod to suit . My regular rods 30/31 two tooth do not fit .Too long and proud at the steering wheel hub. John in sunny Suffolk County England

08-07-2018, 07:53 AM	#2
rocket1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Midland Park,N.J. Posts: 1,108	Re: Light rod question les Andrews book states the 7 tooth steering box was carried over to early 1930,your steering wheel should be on a splined shaft,the shortest horn rod would be a gemmer at 44 31/32 long or a gemmer at 45 inches.If your 30 steering wheel is not on a splined shaft but keyed thats the root of your problem,not suppose to be.

08-07-2018, 08:13 AM	#3
john charlton Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,304	Re: Light rod question The steering wheel is splined so the 30/31 wheel fits the 7 tooth shaft .I dont think there was a keyed shaft for the 7 tooth only the 2 tooth box . My problem is that I know I can get a 7 tooth rod which will fit perfect but it will have the 28/29 style top with the switch lever on which will not fit the 30/31 wheel so there must be a special low production rod for this no doubt a bit like a hens tooth . John

08-07-2018, 08:27 AM	#4
rocket1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Midland Park,N.J. Posts: 1,108	Re: Light rod question As far as I know there were only 5 horn rods,2 are the 28-29 style,the shortest 30-31 style is 45 3/4,possibly someone on the barn has more info.

08-07-2018, 09:21 AM	#5
jw hash Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auburn Washington Posts: 2,552	Re: Light rod question John you can make a original horn rod any length you need. just by cutting the horn rod then using some 5/16" brass tubing. clean the parts real good, put some soldering flux on the brass tubing, drive the tubing into the rod make it the length you want and sweat the solder into it like you are doing copper plumbing. the reason I use original horn rod to do this they are steel and the reproductions are aluminum. the light rod should extend 1 1/4" past the lower end of the steering box when finish.

08-07-2018, 10:10 AM	#6
Pmsqrd Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 216	Re: Light rod question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) 7 tooth steering boxes (28/29 or 30) use a 45 3/4" rod.

08-07-2018, 10:58 AM	#7
john charlton Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,304	Re: Light rod question Thank you all for the information.It looks like A3616F would work.I have to use a Ford shaft not a Gemmer as they did not make the 7 tooth only Ford . The only A 3616F I have is bent but it looks like it could be the one .When I fit a test shaft the top does not fit flush with the wheel and is about 1/2 inch proud so I guess Ford was happy with that this with no nut fitted . John

08-07-2018, 11:20 AM	#8
Juggler Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Phoenix AZ/Bath UK Posts: 481	Re: Light rod question P1190020 P1190021

08-07-2018, 12:05 PM	#9
john charlton Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,304	Re: Light rod question As you see the light rod sits proud in the 7 tooth compared to the 2 tooth so I guess that is just the way it is. No nut fitted the top comes hard up to the shaft ..Maybe Ford thought OK on a commercial vehicle . The piece of tag string is not holding it off. John

08-07-2018, 07:05 PM	#10
jw hash Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auburn Washington Posts: 2,552	Re: Light rod question there should not be any differences of the top of the seven tooth or two tooth steering shafts, when it come to height, the horn rods rest on the top of the steering shaft. why is the one steering shaft coming though the steering wheel so far?

08-08-2018, 01:06 AM	#11
john charlton Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,304	Re: Light rod question That is the mystery .The top picture is the 7 tooth with the splined hub wheel ,the shaft potrudes further than the keyed hub wheel .One fix would be to pull the wheel and try to fit a splined washer under the wheel another fix would be to crop the threaded end of the shaft . I wont try these I will live with the way it is .The gap between the levers and the wheel hub are the same for both wheels . John