Im rebuilding the steering gear box on my 55 F100 i got it all apart easily and am working on gettin' it back together, but i have a few questions before i finish the assembly. I am re-using the sector shaft with the roller gear housing but replaced the roller gear and the pin that holds it in place, is the roller gear supposed to be able to spin freely? Or if not freely, should i at least be able to make it move a little by hand? The roller gear went in fairly easily, ive taken it out and put it back in several times with the new pin but once it is in, i cant get it to spin at all by hand. Is this a problem what should i do to fix it if it is a problem?
Also, when i took out the old roller gear the factory pin was slightly mushroomed on both ends, since i dont have a 100ton press available to me to try and do the same to the new pin, is it ok to lay a tac weld from the roller gear housing to the pin, or will this create a problem?

Thanks, i appriciate any suggestions i can get on this matter

 

If the pin is mild steel you don't need a press to mushroom the ends, a 16 oz ball peen and 1/2 hour will do the trick. I really have no info on your spinning question tho.

 

The roller must be free to turn easily.

 

To add to that . It should have almost NO end play .

 

Here are the adjustment instructions from the 48/52 repair manule, I think its the same box as yours. Somebody please correct me if im wrong. I adjusted the end play by adding or subtacting end gaskets, and I used a decent fishing scale atached to the steering wheel to set my preload. It seemd to work for me. There is also alot of stuff on the net under Geller steering boxs if I remember correctly. Good luck EDIT thats Gemmer steering box, not geller

 

No such thing as a worm (roller) gear on a sector shaft.

TAAA-3524-A .. Steering Shaft & Worm ~ 1953/55 F100/250.

7HC-3524 .. Steering Shaft & Worm ~ 1948/52 F1/F2/F3.

B6C-3524-A .. Steering Shaft & Worm ~ 1956 F100/250.

 

I recently went through this same issue as my roller would not freely spin. Got a new one, had to take it to a machine shop to get the old pin pressed out. They reset new roller, ground and tack welded new pin. While you have it apart, take the time to replace the copper bushing that the sector arm goes through in the steering box. I had them press that in for me as well while they were at it. Whole thing cost about $35 in labor.

 

thanks everybody i really appriciate the help.