Hope evryone's having a good Xmas so far.

I spent Xmas eve in the garage and got the header removed in order to get at the adjuster on the steering box (as it has been reworked to fit between box and engine block) unfortunatley the screw is wound all the way in already and it still has the 4 inch of play at the wheel so something has probably busted if not worn away completely inside.

Having a bit of a nightmare with trying to get bigger parts sent over to Europe - No Limit dont want to send a power rack kit , I have mailed a couple of other suppliers to see if they will ship a worm already pressed onto a column or if the package will be too big/long... I'll have to wait and see... but as far as I'm concerned if DHL can get race cars round the world they can get a four foot box to me in France ...
- for that matter even (gulp) UPS!!

If all fails I hope that ex-pat Brit 'Limey-Steve' at Limeworks in CA will take the order for me and sort something out.

The header bolts were not tight when I went to undo them - but I removed the spark plugs so I didnt risk breaking one trying to slide the header downwards and they were torqued in like a rear axle nut!

While under the front I found a few brake line clips not fixed down and a freeze plug leaking that wasnt last weekend - but we have had the first snowfall before Xmas for about 10 years and the antifreeze mix is obviouly too weak. Also some radiator fixings are missing and other stuff I'm not happy with.

So plenty for me to do this week off work, the order from Mac's arrived too - I got stung with a customs bill for the 20% import tax , but the previous two orders they missed... some you win - some you lose

I just have to search for an exploded view of the steering box to see whats involved in a rebuild... I've seen one somewhere.

Cheers

Alex

 

Welcome to FTE

The 1948/56 FORD TRUCK PARTS CATALOG is available on a CD from hipoparts.com for around 14 euros at the current (awful for us) exchange rate.

If you contact Ford obsolete parts vendor GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH (greensalescompany.com), they will scan and then send you, by email, the illustration of the steering gearbox.

AFAIK, there is no charge for this service. Illustration Section 35, Page 64 of this catalogs shows the entire set-up for 1948/52 F1/F2/F3's...which by the way, is what the following info is for.

The loosey-goosey steering on these trucks is usually caused by: Worn worm gear on the steering shaft (it was only sold with it), the two bearings/races there-on, the two sector shaft bushings, and sometimes by the sector shaft itself.

Some of these parts are available NOS, some from Dennis Carpenter and etc.

But...using my two internet search sites for Ford obsolete parts, I couldn't find any source that has a new 1948/52 F1/F2/F3 steering shaft & worm assy (7HC3524), but I did find one NOS sector shaft (7RA3575).

Early Ford Store in San Dimas CA (earlyfordstore.com) has a huge pile of various NOS steering shaft & worm assy's.

I seem to recall the last time I sorted thru this pile, there are some 7HC3524's there.

Sometimes, just replacing the bearings/races and sector shaft bushings is all that is needed. Carpenter has these parts available, others prolly do too.

You will also need the seal & gasket.

NOTE: While Ford didn't sell just the worm gear, they did mark it with an ID number: 97 which is specific to 1948/52 F1/F2/F3's trucks.

Please, when asking questions, list all the pertinent details. Year, series, engine size and etc.

 

Thanks Bill, I appreciate your time , especially today.

I have just been sat here on DC's site along with Mac's and sifted through the lists of parts, I shall probably just order all the available rebuild stuff and do the steering box myself.

The 302 in my truck does not have any power steering unit on it anyway so it'll save sourcing that side of things to get a power rack on it.

cheers
Alex

 

Midfifty will ship that power steering rack to you - they sent mine to me no problems at all.

 

Could always convert to the Toyota 4x4 pickup PS box if they are more plentiful there. A very easy swap, same as for the 53-56 (Mid Fifty has all the needed conversion parts) except for having to drill new mounting bolt holes in the frame. Downside is that you would need to install a PS pump.