rattle, rattle - steering column.....

[Chris in WNC]

most of us know the rattle that the spark & throttle rods make inside the steering column. (40mph in standard drive, 50mph in OD)

I have replaced the felts on three different cars but it only worked on two of them. our Coupe continues to rattle with new felts installed several years ago.

we do not care to listen to this all the way to Lexington & back, so must fix.
REALLY don't want to put in new felts and then have the durn thing still rattling when back together.

any Rainmaker Remedies or farmer fixes to guarantee success? should I try putting on multiple sets of felt for this stubborn car? I drilled a small hole in the middle of the column and shot in some Great Stuff foam last year in hopes this would fix but it did not.

irrelevant detail- this car and another unrestored steering column I took apart had the remains of short sections of rubber hose on the rods instead of felt. was this an alternate method used originally?

any advice to guarantee success will be much appreciated......

[700rpm]

I use about a 1" piece of hose on each rod about 14" from the top of the column. Works for me.

[P.S.]

Mine rattled after being "fixed" also. If I pushed up on the sterring wheel, it stopped.

The add-on upper steering column support fixed it. Warning- These parts are cast horribly, then powder coated. If you care how it looks, be prepared to do some body work. I took mine to the local body shop for stripping, filling, sanding and primer. Then, I applied the color coats and color sanded and polished it myself so it matched the dash rail.

[pat in Santa Cruz]

I use a 1 inch piece of rubber hose, set dead center between the bearings...works fine

[johnbuckley]

Do a search on this forum and you'll come up (amongst other things )with this excellent dodge from Purdy Swoft..... Drill a hole in the column tube, just under where the clamp mounts, so that it will be hidden when the clamp is replaced. Spray WD 40 through the drilled hole, so as to coat the steering shaft and spark and throttle rods inside the column. Spray expanding foam through the drilled hole so as to surround the shaft and control rods. The WD40 will prevent the foam from sticking to the shaft and rods. I would go back and move the steering wheel back and forth, momentarily untill the foam had set. I remember when I posted this info here, one guy almost fainted and said that he would never do this mod on his model A. This mod has worked very well for me, it is hidden and easily solves the problem. If the column needed to be disassembled, even years later, for whatever reason, it would leave a guide that would make installing the spark and throttle rods easier. ....

[Phred]

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Chris,
My horn rod was making a terrible racket, see:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...ighlight=phred

Hope this helps

[spike]

Are u sure it is not the horn rod????? Try a brash bushing that is most likely missing and maybe the rattle will be gone....good luck buddy

[Chris in WNC]

this car already has the late '31 steering column support installed
(got an original so it looks good)

I also tried Purdy's fix with the Great Stuff expanding foam.
didn't help.

I'll check the horn rod next time I'm driving it but the brass bushing is in place.....

maybe a piece of foam pipe insulation modified to fit inside the column, plus some rubber tubing on the rods ?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by pat in Santa Cruz

I use a 1 inch piece of rubber hose, set dead center between the bearings...works fine

I do the same as Pat.
Rubber was the original Ford stuff, and felt is repro.

[Al]

Hi Chris

Had the same problem awhile back. Used the electrical wiring covering that you hit with the hair dryer to shrink (I'm sure it has a name, yet unable to be recalled by me)......did the trick. (Your results may vary)

Al

[Al]

On second thought, I used that on the rod in the emergency brake. Again, it worked there.

Al

[Barry B./ Ma.]

Originally Posted by Al

Hi Chris

Had the same problem awhile back. Used the electrical wiring covering that you hit with the hair dryer to shrink (I'm sure it has a name, yet unable to be recalled by me)......did the trick. (Your results may vary)

Al

It's called shrink tubing.

[400A-64]

The rattle at certain speed is likely the horn wire slapping against the inside of the horn rod. the OLD wire sheath hardens over the years and bangs ....The NEW wire is of a plastic(modern) type of sheath and can do the same. Somewhere on the "Barn" was a fix ....drill or cut the rod just enough to inject some silicone every8 to 10 inches down the rod. Be very careful NOT to cut the wire.