Removing steering box

[Darbone85737]

May have found the problem and thought I'd share to keep all you from worry.  I took the steering box apart this morning and removed the worm gear.  The box was full of fresh grease which indicated to me someone had been in there recently (prior owner)..   I pulled out the worm gear, cleaned it up and went to try and fit it to the tube so I might see how and why it was so loose.   It wouldn't go on- The fit between the key and keyway was too tight. (?)   Examining the gear I noticed the key in the bore only extends around 1/2 of the way into the bore of the worm gear. If I turned the gear around backwards I could slide the gear onto the shaft until the keyway just engaged the end of the key but then easily pull it out.   

 

My thought is that someone took the steering box apart and put the worm gear in backwards.  The tip of the key would go slightly into the  keyway, just enough to lock the gear on the tube and have it operate the steering but without being the tight fit as if the key and keyway were fully engaged.  Pulling back on the steering wheel and tube would then disengage the tube from the gear, giving me the symptom I described.

 

I'm going to take the steering tube out and bring it to a friends shop where there is a press.  I'll know then if this was the problem. 

 

Thanks for the brainstorming. It was helpful, especially the pictures of the disassembled worm gear and tube 

 

Larry in Tucson

Edited April 23, 2014 by Darbone85737

[Dodgeb4ya]

I do not think the shaft and worm where normally serviced as separate parts (swapping worm and steering tubes) as the parts book shows the worm and tube as one part number.

The worm must be put on the correct way and carefully pressed on flush to the tube end.

It should press on very tightly too.

[Darbone85737]

Done !   I spoke with a machinist friend who advised against trying to weld the worm gear onto the tube. The gear is hardened and would be prone to cracking. After looking at it he suggested I try using Locktite 680, a retaining compound intended to hold loose bearings and sleeves in place.  It will fill a gap of up to .015 inches and has a shear strength of 4,000 lbs.

 

I cleaned and dried the parts and coated the entire mating surface with it. Put the gear on the tube and left it to sit for 24 hours.  There is no way that gear is coming off of there now.

[RobertKB]

I hope it was still a really tight pressed fit. I would not trust loctite alone to hold the worm gear on the tube. There is an incredible amount of force put on the steering system when in use. I would still look for an NOS worm gear and tube or a good used one. Just my two cents worth.

Edited April 26, 2014 by RobertKB