Steering Gearbox 'Squeak'

[kevin powles]

Hi, Has anyone had problems with there steering gearbox squeaking when the brakes full on at 165 degrees or there abouts?.

Mine started squeaking so I stripped it out and put in a rebuit one but have the same problem still, although after playing around with the shims on the steering wheel shaft it appears better, It cant be excessive load related as in the past when driving it without this problem I have pulled that wheel round till me arms dropped off to get it to behave, no squeak!.

Adjusting the downshaft end float screw has no effect or varying the clamping gap on the down shaft to the splined upright.

The bearings are all ok and yes there is oil in it, although I am looking for a suitable oil seal for the steering wheel shaft. Any comments or help appreciated, shame the gearbox is not british design as the British Chigwell book is pretty explicit on overhaul as is setting up the steering if people are unaware.

thanks kev.

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[Lynn Eades]

Is the box tight on the bracket, and is the bracket tight on the hull. your worm adjustment should be done when every thing is disconnected. When unworn it should be adjusted and tightest at the centre of travel. Basically there should be zero end float in the worm, before you wind in the screw, which pushes the sector shaft into mesh. Make sure also that the bearing mount on the floor is tight, good nick, and lubed.

[Doug Lavoie]

Lynn,
Would you have a current manufacture`s part number for the oil seal on the steering wheel shaft in the gear box as Kevin was asking?
Thanks,
Doug

[Lynn Eades]

Sorry, I dont. You might have to do it by size. The Canadian box is made by Ross, I think the same company who did steering boxes for Willys Jeeps. It is similar.
How is the steel work going?

[kevin powles]

lynn, box is tight on the bracket and I put in a new self aligning bearing on the bottom, so it is just a matter of selecting the required shim thickness to eliminate the worm shaft end float when the four bolt seal housing is tightened up?. Not sure if the Canadian ford manual has info on setting up the correct float?. Seems to be ok and not squeaking at the moment but is a little tight so will perhaps add in a thou shim when i change the seal.

kev.

[Lynn Eades]

you could work out the shim pack before you install the seal. I would set it up with a nice easy to turn feel, slightly on the preload side of zero preload (so that it cant move out of alignment under load) It should turn smoothly and easily. This will need to be done with the sector shaft (shaft and peg) lifted clear which will require removal of the box from the carrier.
Of course non of this is achieveable unless the components are in good condition.
There is probably a mark on the spline of the sector shaft that needs to be aligned with a mark on the vertical tube it fits into.