Robert Smith Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Howdy all. I bought the steering rebuild kit from Andy Bernbaum recently. I took it to a good shop in town and they were confident it wouldn't be too complicated. Well, I get a call this afternoon and they said that the worm gear is more or less shot. Pretty worn down. I had a feeling it would be. The slop in the wheel was getting rather bad. So, I have a few lines on worm gears for this car yet, I want to be sure of exactly what I'm getting. A buddy has a '40 Plymouth P-10 that has a good one, he said I could have it if I drove out to his place and pulled it my self. I called Andy Bernbaum and they said they have it in stock right now but, it's the entire assembly and it's not economical for me at this point... I know it would be best to replace as much as possible, but the mechanic said everything looks pretty good but, that worm gear. Do the experts know if that single part is the same for Dodge and Plymouth? Or, were there subtle differences? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Rob........I have a 1940 US Dodge Parts List manual and a 1936-42 USA Plymouth Master Parts List Manual.........neither list nor show the worm as a separate part, only available as a unit under Group 19, Steering Tube & Worm........the 1940 Dodge D14 Steering Tube & Worm Assembly is # 857479, the D15 version is # 857478(last number is the difference)......it does not show or state what the difference is between D14 and D15 part could be.........although my understanding is that the D15 is the Plymouth based "export" model......the Canadians used the D15 so it would have been LHD, we here in Oz also had D15's which my car is and is Plymouth based(see attached pic).......D15's were the junior( by John Lee's Standard Catalog of Chrysler 1924-1990) Dodge and used PLYMOUTH body and chassis.......the Plymouth Parts books shows the Steering Tube & Worm Assembly as part # 871425 and listed for P9, P10, P11,P12 and P14......that is for 1940 thru to at least 1942, which makes me wonder that it could have continued thru to at least 1948 as 1948 models essentially were 1942 under the skin...........so?.........you've followed all this and taken notes?............lol................unless you find something specifically stating that they ain't the same then I'd be thinking that a 1940-42 Plymouth used the same, if not VERY similar and useable worm assembly as a 1940 Dodge............however as I am 10,000 miles away you are entitled to state that I am full of it without me taking offence..........lol...........so does this confuse the issue.........lol.....just a thought also....if the worm is the same but shaft length different it maybe possible to either press the worm off or cut/shut the shaft to suit the Dodge............regards, andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Smith Posted July 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Howdy Andy! Thanks for the work! I sure appreciate it and no, you didn't loose me. LoL Neil in Seattle Washington said he has NOS worm gear and tube assembly in stock. So, he asked me to give him the measurements of mine and he'd check the ones he has in stock. So, I'll also send him the part number you gave and see if that narrows the search for him. Thank ya much Andy! ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 No probs Bob........let me know the outcome.........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Watson Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 The 1940 Dodge D15 was the export Plymouth-based Dodge which was built in Detroit and Windsor, both producing LHD and RHD versons. The Canadian D15 was the Kingsway, based on the Plymouth P9, Roadking. The export DeSoto version of the P9 was the SP9 and P10 the SP10. Chrysler Canada also built the Dodge D16 DeLuxe, LHD only, based on the P10 DeLuxe. For the steering tube and worm assembly unit : 857478 (not Canada) LHD - P9, SP9, P10, SP10, D15 857479 (Canada) LHD - P9, SP9, P10, D14*, D15, D16, S7*, C25* (* - except 7-pass sedan) These parts were also used on early-production US-built and all Canadian-built 1941 Plymouth and Plymouth-based cars - P11, P12, SP11, SP12, D20, D21. 857478 was replaced by 871425 on US-built P11, P12, SP11, SP12 and D20, plus D19, and used in 1942. For 1942 the Canadian-built Plymouth and Plymouth-based models, and D22, used 871427. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadkingcoupe Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 (edited) There were two size of worm gears used and there were some left and right hand (thread) versions. After that the steering tube numbers differentiate between the length of steering tube and the style of attachment to the steering wheel. (splines or keyway). The actual worm gear was pressed on to the tube and they are differentiated by a number (i.e. #4 #5 etc.) stamped on the worm gear. In other words if you ID the size and thread of your current worm gear it can be spliced, pressed, swapped or the tube can be welded to accommodate the new worm gear. Edited July 9, 2015 by Roadkingcoupe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 Roadking........re that pic of the worm, it appears to be a NOS piece, yet I have seen pics of supposedly NOS worms on ebay that appeared to be just the worm, your pic shows what seems to have a very small length of the steering shaft with maybe a slight stepdown end to allow it to be inserted into the remaining shaft.........am I misreading what you have?.........LHD and RHD worms and pitman shaft/sector shaft/rollers are specific to each other, all other steering box bits interchange, bushes, bearings etc...........but NOS RHD worms etc are VERY hard to find................andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadkingcoupe Posted July 9, 2015 Report Share Posted July 9, 2015 (edited) PM me about the item in the photo The picture was posted as an example of the worm gear....not as an offer for sale. I am not interested in straying into the grey area of having the thread locked or moved Yes the photo is of a NOS steering worm gear. Edited July 9, 2015 by Roadkingcoupe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadkingcoupe Posted July 10, 2015 Report Share Posted July 10, 2015 your pic shows what seems to have a very small length of the steering shaft with maybe a slight stepdown end to allow it to be inserted into the remaining shaft.........am I misreading what you have? The worm gear in the photo has a small "stub" with splines and was used on early 1960's cars Still the same worm gear just a different variant on the steering tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted July 10, 2015 Report Share Posted July 10, 2015 Roadking, apologies if I implied that you were selling it, didn't mean to do that........that's interesting that the worm is the same as used up to early 60's......I learn something each day.........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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