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Good news; shop rebuilding my 302 completed the work and appears to have done a very nice job. Bad news; initial test drive by them confirmed my suspicions; previous shop messed up my steering box (that’s another story) . Down the road, I’ll probably replace with an IFS, but for now looking for something less invasive and a quicker fix.
So, I’m seeking advice, comments, and suggestions concerning these options (or others you might offer); have the steering box rebuilt locally using Dennis Carpenter or CPP rebuild kit, buy/exchange rebuilt box and shaft from CPP, install new Borgeson Saginaw Steering Box (universal) with steering coupler or knuckle to existing steering.
I’m open to buying parts from others on this site. Suggestions to potential venders is appreciated too. Summit Racing and CJ Pony Parts have the Borgeson box and couplers.
I’ll get the details on Monday. Their first impression is that there’s issues with the worm gears and/or bearings. I’m guessing a good rebuild will do the trick, but would the money for the rebuild kit and rebuild labor be better spent on a new Bergeron box and coupler. Again, I’ll know more on Monday when I visit the shop and actually see the box.
Good news; shop rebuilding my 302 completed the work and appears to have done a very nice job. Bad news; initial test drive by them confirmed my suspicions; previous shop messed up my steering box (that’s another story) . Down the road, I’ll probably replace with an IFS, but for now looking for something less invasive and a quicker fix.
So, I’m seeking advice, comments, and suggestions concerning these options (or others you might offer); have the steering box rebuilt locally using Dennis Carpenter or CPP rebuild kit, buy/exchange rebuilt box and shaft from CPP, install new Borgeson Saginaw Steering Box (universal) with steering coupler or knuckle to existing steering.
I’m open to buying parts from others on this site. Suggestions to potential venders is appreciated too. Summit Racing and CJ Pony Parts have the Borgeson box and couplers.
Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge!
David T.
I'm kind of dealing with the same dilemma on my 53 right now myself Dturk. I want to lower the truck, add power steering and front disk brakes. That's quite a bit of coin, and then still end up with 75-ish year old handling technology as compared to that of a cv, jag or aftermarket front end swap.
So I've decided I'm going to try to do the front end swap this winter instead of wasting that much money on an aftermarket power steering set up, disk brake set up and different front springs, and then still having it driving and handle like a 75-ish year old truck.
Idk Dturk, for me personally it doesn't mater what I'm working on, I like to upgrade as much as possible. I would at least put the money into a power steering set up instead of having the old box rebuilt. But that's just me.
As a followup, the symptom is the output shaft. When the steering wheel is turned all the way to the right, you can feel it go past the normal stopping point (up to about another 4-6” past the stopping point); it starts to bind and the output shaft deflects off horizontal (usually upward). It doesn’t do this when I turn to the left. It stops.
Having never rebuilt a steering box, I’d have to look inside to see if anything out of place and/or worn. Could it be the worm gears, the bearings, bent steering column?
If you see movement at the pitman arm and sector shaft, the most likely culprit is worn sector shaft bushings. Whatever else is bad inside will only become apparent when you open it up. But while you're there, you might as well replace everything, bushings, gears, bearings, etc., unless you find parts inside without undue wear.
If you see movement at the pitman arm and sector shaft, the most likely culprit is worn sector shaft bushings. Whatever else is bad inside will only become apparent when you open it up. But while you're there, you might as well replace everything, bushings, gears, bearings, etc., unless you find parts inside without undue wear.
As a followup, the symptom is the output shaft. When the steering wheel is turned all the way to the right, you can feel it go past the normal stopping point (up to about another 4-6” past the stopping point); it starts to bind and the output shaft deflects off horizontal (usually upward). It doesn’t do this when I turn to the left. It stops.
Having never rebuilt a steering box, I’d have to look inside to see if anything out of place and/or worn. Could it be the worm gears, the bearings, bent steering column?
Idk Dturk, without taking things apart it would be hard to know just what it might be.
Have you tried loosening the steering box adjusting nut and tightening the steering box adjustment to take the slack out of the gears? If not there is a possibility that that might help the issue.
Fwiw, I've never rebuilt one of these particular boxes, but I've rebuilt some others, both power and straight steering boxes. If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, they usually aren't to difficult of a rebuild other than possibly having to have a machine shop to press a couple things on and off for you. Just pay close attention to how things come apart, that will help with reassembly.
I've searched to see what others say about the rebuilding of these particular boxes, and they generally agree that the rebuild process isn't too terribly difficult.
Right in the middle of the same issue on my 51 F1. Got a rebuid kit from california performance parts. Comes with everything including sector and steering column shaft. Have a local machine shop that's going to do the actual rebuild, press, hone, etc. But I'm still trying to get my pitman arm off. have a heavy duty pitman arm puller, heat kroil, etc. On the third day of that effort. going to try freezeoff today, then alternate with heat and kroil. heat and cold alternate is also helpful for my aching shoulders from banging on this thing! good luck
Right in the middle of the same issue on my 51 F1. Got a rebuid kit from california performance parts. Comes with everything including sector and steering column shaft. Have a local machine shop that's going to do the actual rebuild, press, hone, etc. But I'm still trying to get my pitman arm off. have a heavy duty pitman arm puller, heat kroil, etc. On the third day of that effort. going to try freezeoff today, then alternate with heat and kroil. heat and cold alternate is also helpful for my aching shoulders from banging on this thing! good luck
you could heat up your pitman arm with a butane/propane torch. That might make it come off easier.
In the process of grinding off the stubborn pitman arm I also boogered up the sector shaft. So now looking for a replacement 48-52 f1-f3 steering box. ugh
In the process of grinding off the stubborn pitman arm I also boogered up the sector shaft. So now looking for a replacement 48-52 f1-f3 steering box. ugh
Does a box from a F4-F5 fit like the F350-F600 box I put in my F100? That would broaden your search and a larger box would make steering easier.
Does a box from a F4-F5 fit like the F350-F600 box I put in my F100? That would broaden your search and a larger box would make steering easier.
It does not. I've looked into it since I have everything one would need from both sized trucks and thought it would be a cool addition to my Mercury. Everything is larger on the F4-6 boxes, from the sector shaft, pitman arm, and drag link and ball ends. Nothing interchanges. There's no easy way to make one fit without creating from scratch non-existent parts like a custom pitman arm with a smaller ball, or a custom drag link with 2 different sized ball ends.
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51 F1 steering box options
. Down the road, I’ll probably replace with an IFS, but for now looking for something less invasive and a quicker fix. 
