I have a lot of play in my steering box and I was wondering who sells rebuild kits for them. Also is the steering wheel shaft have a cupling in the middle or do I have to pull the steering wheel to get the box out.

Timmy, There is no "kit" to rebuild them.You can adjust some of the play by adjusting the screw on top of box.Back off the locknut and turn the screw up about 2 turns and see if that makes it tighter as far as play.Some play also comes from the ball stud at centre link.Take the cotter pin out of end and turn the plug clockwise until tight and turn one turn back out and replace cotter pin.There is no coupler in shaft.One piece from wheel to box.

  

You can buy shaft and worm gear assemblies or just the worm gear from Concours parts so I imagine other suppliers of 54-57 parts would have them. Another place is Job Lot in NYC - they should have everything you need and the owner usually will know just what you will need. Job Lot 718-468-8585 Concours 800-722-0009

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Mark: Should a person be able to see or feel play in the centre link, if loose & with the wheels off the ground? Thanks

Paul

Mark: Forgot to include in the previous message.. When adjusting the box, aren't the wheels supposed to be straight ahead?

Paul

Mark,

Looking at my steering box the adjustment screw is a thread or two below the jamb nut. Does this mean if I back it out some it will tighten the box? Maybe someone did a backyard adjustment on it. The steering seems ok but just a little too much freeplay. Chuck in NH

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I just had a read in the shop manual regarding adjustments of the box.It is quite a procedure to do the complete by the book adjustment.The box must be disconnected from centre link by undoing the ball stud.A spring scale is attached to wheel and pulled to check pre-load on sector shaft bearing.Preload is adjusted by adding or removing shims from under box cover.Once that is within specs sector shaft endplay is adjusted by turning screw on box cover clockwise to remove play or counterclockwise to increase play.What this is doing is moving sector shaft up or down so gear mesh is closer or further apart inside box.The ballstud is adjusted by turning plug on end of center link clockwise until tight and then backing off 1 and 1/2 turns.Replace cotter pin.Paul,the only play on centre link would come from the ballstud or idler arm.I believe very minor play in idler is normal and there should be none noticible in ballstud as it is adjustable.One thingto keep in mind is that the 3 tooth sector shaft box used in the 56 model is superior to the 2 tooth sector used in the 55.My 56 is early prduction and has the 55 box which was used until all were used up and then the better box was installed.I was able to remove a lot of play in mine by adjusting the ballstud and adjusting the sector shaft with the screw.Just don't go too tight with the gear mesh adjustment.Hopefully this may help Timmy with his.Personally if the 55 box needs new internals I would look for a good used 56 type box and swap it.Some play in linkage can be in tie rod ends also.A little wear in all 4 can be magnified at the steering wheel.There should be no play in tie rod ends and should be checked before assuming all play is in box.As Paul mentioned the adjustment to steering box should be done with the box in middle position with steering wheel in what would be straight ahead.Play in the box increases as it is turned from straight ahead.This is normal.If an alignment is done without having the steering wheel end up at the "centred" position when finished you will experience play in steering at straight ahead because the gear mesh in box is not in the most teeth engaged position as it should be.If anyone else wants to jump in with more opinions or input go ahead.

  

Hello Chuck,If the adjusting screw on yours is turned down clockwise that far you possibly have a lot of wear on the internals of the box.Turning clockwise on the screw should tighten up the gear mesh according to shop manual.Sounds like someone played around with adjustment on box previously.You could try turning counterclockwise and see if maybe that makes any difference at all.It is possible that the shaft is "down" too far and turning counterclockwise may bring it back"up" into proper adjustment range.I found on mine 2 turns down removed a lot of the freeplay and there was still lots of screw above the box.

  

Just a tiny bit more free-play than shop manual specs dictate might possibly be needed to avoid steering-wheel oscillation , if running radials?

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

You might contact the Lares Corporation at www.larescorp.com. They claim to be one of the largest remanufactures of all things steering gear wise in the world. They have an online catalog. You have to scroll to near the end of the catalog to get to the classic stuff but they list for vehicles back into the early 1930s

Wichita,KS