I had a link favorited that seems to have been deleted to someone who was selling a rebuild kit for these steering boxes and can't remember who it was now! My steering box is in dire need of rebuild, can anyone direct me to a source for such a kit? Many thanks!

 

Classic Performance products offers rebuilt boxes for $450 with exchange or $550 outright. They have a rebuild kit for $259 but would need to have a machine shop remove and install the bushings and change the roller on the sector shaft if the shaft is still good. I have heard good things about this company.

Also Lares Corporation will directly rebuild the steering box but don't know the price.

Good luck.

 

Since the box on yours is the same as the 53-56, you can get the parts through mid-fifty, concours parts, sacramento vintage, mac's, etc. You can rebuild yours for way less than the remans that are available. You do not need to buy the worm gear that is sold with the shaft, get the worm gear from mac's. The roller is also available. I just rebuilt the box in a clients '54 for less than $75, but it didn't need a roller, or bushings, just a worm, and seals/gaskets.

 

What truck series, what year is it? The OP is asking in general terms for a 1957/60 gearbox rebuild kit, but has 2006 F150 listed in his profile.

1957/60 F100 uses a different gearbox than F250's, and if it's a 1959 F250, two different gearboxes were used. F350/600's are different again as are F700/1100's.

Taking the 1957/60 F100 gearbox into account, what parts are the same as a 1953/56 F100 gearbox?

Not B7C-3504-A .. Steering Gearbox Assy vs 1956 B6C-3504-A or 1953/55 TAAA-3504-A.

Not B7C-3524-A .. Steering Shaft & Worm vs 1956 B6C-3524-A or 1953/55 TAAA-3524-A.

Not B7C-3575-A .. Sector Shaft vs 1953/56 B6C-3575-A.

Not (2) B7C-3576-A .. Sector Shaft Bushing vs 1953/56 (2) 81T-3576-A.

Only the steering shaft & worm's bearings & cups, the seal and gasket are the same.

I've listed these parts (1953/56 & 1957/60) multiple times here on FTE, and I used to rebuild these gearboxes as a side job (when the parts were still available from Ford), so I know what's fits and what does not.

And while the parts are obsolete, all the (1957/60 F100) parts I listed above (except the gearbox assy) can be found NOS at Ford Dealers/obsolete parts vendors.

How many 'rebuilt' or 'remanufactured' gearboxes are you going to find with a new steering shaft/worm and a sector shaft? Prolly none.

 

I said exactly what you just said, the gaskets, and seals, and worm are the same, the shaft length would not be the same (for 53-5 anyway). Not starting an argument here, but since the gaskets/seals, and worm/shaft are the same, then that would indicat the box housing dimensions are the same too. I was merely pointing out, that the internal parts ARE readily available, and cheaper than a rebuilt box. Since I just bought a NEW worm gear, those exist, I just checked ona NEW roller gear, so those exist, a NEW shaft, NEW bushings, NEW gaskets, so yes, they are currently being reproduced, I just bought some of these items, would you like to see the invoice?

 

Sourced from Mac's

68-3571 seering gear box worm gear bearing $7.45
B-3552 race for above upper $8.50
8A-3553 lower race for worm gear $22.50
8M-3591 sector shaft seal $4.95
7C-3581-KT gasket, and shim kit, does not include above seal $8.95
B7C-3524-X worm gear, no shaft (just used this one myself) $54.95
B7C-3576-A sector shaft bushing $3.95
B7J-3577-A sector shaft adjusting screww $6.95
B7C-3575-X roller gear, and pin ('57-60 but may fit the earlier ones, don't know) $71.95

Dennis Carpenter has all the above plus

B7C-3524-A steering worm, and shaft $200

So, there's some prices, and part numbers, on items needed to doa typical overhaul of a 53-60 Ford F-100/250 steering gear box, the only thing you won't find, are the secter shaft itself (although it is probably out there, I know the one for the 53-56 is, and since most places list the sector gear, the same for 53-60, it may be the same). You won't find the box housing, or the column tube. I have seen the side cover (the one the adjusting screw goes into), but can't remember where, the bottom plate is not available. The column bearings/sleeves are available too.

 

Mid fifty has some of these parts, so does Concours Parts, and Sacramento Vintage as well. Little Dearborn, has some, so does Mid West Early Ford.

 

B7C-3524-A .. Steering Shaft & Worm Assy / Obsolete.

Fits: 1957/60 F100.

JST AUTOMOTIVE in Lebanon TN has ONE = 615-443-3086.

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has ONE = 800-543-4959.
----------------------------------------------------------
B7C-3548-A .. Steering Gearbox Housing / Obsolete

Fits: 1957/60 F100.

ANTIQUE AUTO SUPPLY in Arlington TX has ONE = 817-275-2381.
---------------------------------------------------------------
B7C-3575-A .. Sector Shaft / Obsolete

Fits: 1957/60 F100.

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS in Concord NC has ONE = 800-476-9653.

JST AUTOMOTIVE in Lebanon TN has ONE.

ANTIQUE AUTO SUPPLY in Arlington TX has TWO.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
B6C-3575-A (replaced TAAA-3575-A) .. Sector Shaft / Obsolete

Fits: 1953/56 F100/250.

FAIRVIEW FORD L/M in San Bernardino CA has ONE = 909-884-9261.

BOB ALLEN FORD in Overland Park KS has SEVEN = 800-676-0675.

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has EIGHT.
--------------------------------------------
TAAA-3575-A .. Sector Shaft / Obsolete

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS has ONE.
-------------------------------------------------
C3AZ-3591-A (replaced 8M-3591) .. Sector Shaft Seal / Obsolete

Fits: 1948/52 F1/F2/F3 / 1949/56 Mercury Passenger Cars / 1949/64 Ford Passenger Cars / 1955/60 Thunderbird.

 

So what are you saying, I bought a part that is imaginary, and doesn't exist? I can show you a picture. Just bought one of those non-existent sector seals too. I understand what you are providing, don't get me wrong, I love the wealth of information you provide, but I want to know why that I just purchased parts that you say do not exist, or are no longer available because they are not reproduced by anyone, anywhere.





So, the point is, there is more to repair work than original NOS parts, sometimes, you have to stray from NOS, and look to reproductions.
The parts are available, bottom line, and can be purchased anytime 24-7 through the internet, or by mail order, or toll free number, and they will be correct parts to rebuild the steering box, without having to replace the steering shaft, or box housing. Bushings, seals, gears, all available right now. Just did exactly this, personally, last week, with new worm gear, sector shaft seal, and gaskets, etc.

 

Where exactly did I say that you bought an imaginary part? I did not!

A lot of what you think is reproduced is actually genuine Ford, because Carpenter made a deal with FoMoCo to buy parts they were/are planning to obsolete.

Plus, the bearings, bushings and seals were also available from autoparts stores.

Ford replaces 10's of 1000's of part number EVERY year! The C3AZ-3591-A seal replacing the 8M-3591 seal is a typical example and I listed the info as an FYI.

There are 100's of these still available from dealers/obsolete parts vendors, but did not list the sources, because it would have been redundant.

You said "you won't find the box housing. or the column tube." But, I found one of the former, two of the latter NOS.

 

Correct, but it's available aftermarket, through restoration suppliers. I did not buy from Carpenter, I refuse to, they are over priced for the same quality of stuff available elsewhere, at least in my opinion. All I'm saying is, that the guy is looking to rebuild his box, the worm is the same, I just bought one, without shaft, and installed it, the bearings/seals are all available, along with the bushings. The sector gear, and shaft, is available, irregardless of who made it, or what the number is, it is all available. If his tube, and housing are still good, the other stuff is available, and it is cheaper than buying a reman box. This is what I have found, currently, for searching, and researching the exact same need.....rebuilding an original steering box. Personally, I could care less about NOS parts, they are not in the realm of reality for the majority of people in this hobby, since the price of NOS, is often way more than it's worth, and aftermarket quality is often (not always, but often) better than NOS. So, the box can be rebuilt, with parts that are available, if the person rebuilding does not care whether or not the parts are NOS.

 

95% of the aftermarket parts are made in China. You want this stuff, well go on ahead and buy it. I wouldn't buy it and never have, because I prefer NOS...or even used...if I cannot find it NOS

The tensile strength of Chinese steel is less than 40% of US steel...so buy at your own risk.

I dunno how long you've been in this hobby, I've been in it since 1956, have owned 337 vehicles. People I know prefer NOS over autoparts store/repop sellers Chinese made crap parts.

 

These were labeled made in the U.S., so I think it will be ok. 95% is an awfully high number, considering most parts available through our frequented restoration suppliers are made in the U.S. There are very few that are China made, and most of those are clearly labeled, and an American alternative is available, for only a little more.

 

I spoke with DC's rep Pat Ford last June at the F100 Western Nats. I asked him point blank where DC's parts are made.

He said DC makes weatherstrips in the US of A, but most everything else is made in CHINA.

Since all the repop sellers sell to one another and to the general public, most of the repop parts are Chinese.

It's too expensive to make these parts in the US any longer due to the high price of materials and labor. The average Chinese worker makes less than a buck a day.

There has been a US law on the books for over 100 years that says all foreign made goods sold in the USA have to have the country of origin marked on them, but...

From what I've seen over the past 30 years, the country of origin is marked on a sticker that is adhesive backed...can be peeled right off.

 

I hope the gentleman got an answer to his question. Didn't hear back from him.