jerseycj8

Thank you JBNeal.....I didn't see that on DCM.

Brad - I am stalking yet one more of your threads. In the photo of the steering column and bracket, there appears to be a large felt coupler cushion between the shaft and 2 brackets. I bought my project mostly in boxes, so I now know what that inner bracket, but don't see a felt coupler. Any ideas? Thx, Evan.

Had an extra one in the parts bin and installed with the rubber lip facing in towards the gearbiox. Whew.

Crap. Hopefully I can remove and salvage.

Brad - Got a local machine shop to do the heavy work; however, the reaming of the bushings looked like my dog chewed them from the inside out. As such, I found ID bushing material that they milled OD down to spec and I installed today. Question - I installed the sector shaft seal, but having second thoughts if correct orientation. Attached is photo. Is this correct?

Thank you, I am leaning this way after reading all the replies. I am too young to have old inner tubes laying around....:)

Working on the 51 b3b and wanted some feedback on what products have been used with success to seal the multiple floor board joints/seams. I spent lots of time cleaning off what appeared to be a caulk gun applied bitumastic sealant. I plan on coating the underneath and inside cab with berliner after install, but with the 5 piece floor board system in this truck, I gotta assume all these seams should be sealed when assembled.

Thanks for the heads up, never saw the wedge carb plate before. I think I am good. Others talked me off ledge and I welded up the spring perches today such that pinion angle was same, but opposite, the trans output angle.

Didn't say it was my first beer.....

Ok, and all the reading I have been doing about this has made my head spin. So, if I read your response correctly, don't fret and match my diff pinion angle (up) to how the motor/trans (down) is sitting now. Then grab a beer.

Adding some pics to show what I tried to explain. Again, these are taken with motor weight on frame and frame sitting on rear axle without bed. Cab is sitting on frame.

Brad - I received my kit this past week, but sorry to say that I will not be using.....until you are completely done and sharing all of your trials/tribulations!!!! I am cheering you on tho.

Question (or likely several) for the master builders on this forum.. Leveled the B3B frame, welded motor mounts and installed transmission cross member. Motor/trans is about 2 inches offset to the passenger side. When frame was level and motor/trans mounts installed, the engine intake was almost perfectly level. Put the vehicle on the ground, on tires and now the engine intake reads 1-deg too high (i.e. trans needs to drop 1-deg) resulting in a transmission angle of 2.5 degrees down (when measured with a digital cube angle finder placed on the vertical face of the output shaft). I can reduce the trans poly mount to 1/4" thick, and/or add 1/4" thick spacer to raise engine mount. Q1 - Am I over thinking this? My next step is to weld new spring perches onto a Chrysler 8.25 from Jeep Cherokee. I have the axle centered on rear frame (same distance between springs on both sides) with the weight of the frame (no bed) on the axle. The perches are not welded yet, and i need to set my rear pinion angle. Using a floor jack, i plan on rotating the pinion up to correct angle. Q2 - What is the correct angle for the pinion......assuming the response is entirely dependent upon what I need to do for Question 1.

So with the mig tack welds, it is not the intention to weld the pin to the housing, but just to add material beyond the diameter of the pin so the pin doesn't come out, correct? The pin should still move freely.

I am a couple weeks behind on this same rebuild, my rebuild kit was shipped yesterday. Learning quite a bit, so thank you to all. What about having the machine shop provide a new pin that extends 1/8 on each end beyond the supplied one and notching for c or circlip?

Appreciate the info and time you took to start this rebuild back up. I am placing my order with CHS on Monday, so not that far behind you. Also going to be looking around for local machine shops as well. Will let them get the roller pin out and install the new roller and pin.

With a bored out 318, I think a few hundred $ will be a good investment in making sure manual steering is 100%. I Agree that worm and tooth dont look that, bad, but dont want to rip apart later and rebuild.

Thanks for the update, please post a pic or two of the process and let me know any issues you come across. I am hoping to place my order for the rebuild kit from CHS this week, so not that far behind you. Also, if the press pin isn't too beat up after your use, interested in selling to me? I don't have a lathe.

Gramps1951 - yes, I came across bkahler's write-up and have contacted that company. They confirmed part kit referenced is still available.

Thank you bkahler and Dodgeb4ya. So guessing by the pics I posted, no way of telling. I really don't know about any sloppiness right now because didn't ever experience driving. Is there anyway of telling on a bench test?

Thank you JBNeal, appreciate the insight. So fingernail test on bushing with Nick doesn't pass. I have to find a local machine shop to fab a new bushing. Can't seem to find the right ones for a 1.125 shaft anywhere. The worm and tooth edges and ridges are smooth. The worm valleys have some very, very minor signs of pitting, but contact appears to be on sides and ridges, not valleys. If you zoom into the pics, I think you may see that too.

I would like some feedback from those who have rebuilt the gemmer steering boxes. I have searched and read all the info on this site, and lots of great info. BUT, I have not seen any direction/feedback as to when the worm, shaft tooth or bushings are considered "needed to be replaced" prior to installing new bearings, seals, gasket and shims. I did not have the luxury of being able to test the box for steering slop since I bought a parts project. Attached are photos of the worm, shaft tooth and bushing. The top bushing has a small Nick, but the the shaft really doesn't wiggle. Would love some feedback. Thanks.

Can the swap be completed without modifications to the firewall. Seems that a few people indicate that moving the radiator forward would avoid firewall modifications.

I bought the engine already removed from vehicle, so no luck there.

Also got my donor motor and trans from a Diplomat (1986). Any chance you have any sketches of the motor mounts and crossmember you built? I only ask because I have not ventured into welding as of yet, but know a couple of good fab guys. Would prefer to have pieces fabricated while i am working on other stuff if possible.