early/late steering gear swap

[thom]

Will a later two tooth steering box swap into our '28 Coupe with the seven tooth box? Is it a bolt in swap? Will my new steering wheel fit the later column?
Thanks.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Yes, yes, no.

[kenparker]

follow up on Brents "yes, yes. no". Your old 7 tooth steering shaft will have a splined shaft where the steerring wheel attaches- upper end. The 2 tooth shaft will have a keyed shaft on the upper end where the steering wheel attaches. Seven tooth booxes require a splined steering wheel = two tooth boxes require a keyed steering wheel.


The two are not compatible, BUT. I think Snyders does now offer a 1929 style steering wheel with a keyed center. Check it out - call Snyders.

[big job]

We installed a F1 pickup in a 1930. I read about cutting welding a F1 Box?? we did
nothing like that just drilled one hole. We spliced the F1 shaft to the A shaft for the
steering wheel. the spark and throttle on the column is just for looks because it has a
1935 V8 in it. Horn wire goes down the shaft good to go. for now a remote head-lite
switch until we fab up something for the real switch. You want power steering; this is
the ticket I tell you this made this a lady. Can't give details but my kid is a surgeon, not
bragging but he is a master body and fab guy he can't play a note but my youngest
is a master piano organ drums name it. He plays and smokes keys I can't see his fingers like lightning. So go figure: the old kid takes after me and my father the young
one takes after my grandfather payed in Paul Whitemans band in the 30s forever. guess its called DNA. Sam
I tend to ramble too much she says LOL

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by thom

Will a later two tooth steering box swap into our '28 Coupe with the seven tooth box? Is it a bolt in swap? Will my new steering wheel fit the later column?
Thanks.

The 2-tooth style column was introduced in mid-1929 to work with the '28/29-style steering column. If you can find one of them, it has the better design gearbox on it and the rest of it looks like your '28 column.

Then they modified the column to work on the '30/31 cars.

So look for a 2-tooth column made for the '29 vehicle and it is a "bolt in" upgrade.

[thom]

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OK, tell me how to recognize a 2-tooth that will bolt in my '28 and allow me to use my '28 wheel please. Thanks.

[Steve Plucker]

Your 1928 steering wheel is splined within the hole...Is it not?

Therefore, the steering shaft must be splined to fit the steering wheel.

Pluck

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by thom

OK, tell me how to recognize a 2-tooth that will bolt in my '28 and allow me to use my '28 wheel please. Thanks.

ALL 2 Tooth steering are KEYED. Your spline wheel WILL NOT WORK with 2 tooth.

You have a couple of outs to get 2-Tooth steering.

1. Purchase a complete 1929 "Gemmer" 2-tooth steering including "open sectors" spark and throttle lever setup. You will need a 1929 Black (or Red) keyed wheel. This would be closest to what you have now. You may have to do a COMPLETE REBUILD of this steering box as it has the non-tapered cone bearings which were obsoleted and replaced with taper rollers about August 1930. You will need to examine your box for functionality as a non-taper bearing may be shot - or it may not be. Mine is not shot and I'm still going.

2. Decide to "mix & match" and settle on a 2-tooth steering column from a 1930-31 Model A but which is more likely have a "rebuildable" 2 tooth box - which may or may not need rebuilding. As this box/column will have "closed sectors" at the top and a different wheel than yours now, it will be a decided change - but possibly a cheaper change since the box rebuild if required is more likely to be routine.

It really is not possible to FORCE FIT a 1929 keyed wheel onto a keyed 1930-31 column as the column lengths are different and you may have interference or stick-out. So you really can't swap parts between 1929 and 1930-31 in a steering column/wheel mix/match to seek the cheap way out.

According to the Judging Standards the five following 2 tooth steering units were used

1. Gemmer/Pat.Pend in raised setters
2. Gemmer/Pat.Pend in sunken letters
Both of these were used from Feb 1929 through May 1929

3. Gemmer/Patented in sunken letters
This one used April 1929 through mid 1930

The units above are most likely to have the 1928-29 style "open sectors" column which you want. I would assume all of these are "non-rebuildable."

4. "A-3550-C" in sunken letters
5. "A-3550-C" in sunken letters and "F" in raised letter.

Both of these used Jan 1930 through end of production
SOME of these are NOT rebuildable - the change came in August 1930 - but all have the 1930-31 column and wheel.

Hope this helps.

Joe K

[thom]

I guess the smart thing to do would be to find good clear step by step instructions on adjusting the steering box I now have and then determine if I need to upgrade to a two tooth box. Mine might be good for many more miles with proper adjustment and lube. I have found several articles and videos on two tooth adjustments but it seems info on the early seven tooth boxes are hard to find. I just got the A and don't have any manuals, yet.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by thom

I guess the smart thing to do would be to find good clear step by step instructions on adjusting the steering box I now have and then determine if I need to upgrade to a two tooth box. Mine might be good for many more miles with proper adjustment and lube. I have found several articles and videos on two tooth adjustments but it seems info on the early seven tooth boxes are hard to find. I just got the A and don't have any manuals, yet.

Specifically where in western NC are you located? Isn't there an Asheville club that might could help? If not, I am in Elizabethton TN if you are close by.

[thom]

Thank's Brent. I'm in Hudson, near Lenoir, Hickory, and Morganton. South of Boone just off of Hwy 321. Do you know Model A Mac? Good guy to deal with.

[1929 Red Tudor]

There is not much adjustment that can be done on a 7 tooth. I just upgraded my 29 with a 2 tooth, it makes a huge difference. The bottom end is common on all 2 tooth columns, you need the upper 29 tube for your car. I had to get everything separate, all the vendors sell the 29 keyed wheel. The costs added up but it is so much better to steer now, definitely worth it.