Want to get my steering box rebuilt

[Cold Blue]

Hey Guys - My 1948 Plymouth's steering box is OK, but the steering is stiff in turns. I acquired this car not too long ago, and the steering has always been this way. Checked the lube level in the box, and it had very little. Filled her up with that very thick STP stuff. Really no change...I think the box needs rebuilt. It tracks down the road just fine, but is hard to turn in the curves. I would like ya'lls recommendation here..Send the box off and get it reconditioned? Get a rebuild kit (are they available?) and do it myself? Or another alternate? Any input appreciated!!! Blue.

[knuckleharley]

8 minutes ago, Cold Blue said:

Hey Guys - My 1948 Plymouth's steering box is OK, but the steering is stiff in turns. I acquired this car not too long ago, and the steering has always been this way. Checked the lube level in the box, and it had very little. Filled her up with that very thick STP stuff. Really no change...I think the box needs rebuilt. It tracks down the road just fine, but is hard to turn in the curves. I would like ya'lls recommendation here..Send the box off and get it reconditioned? Get a rebuild kit (are they available?) and do it myself? Or another alternate? Any input appreciated!!! Blue.

I think that if possible,you should find someone else with a late 40's to early 50's car without power steering,have them drive your car,or both,and then make a decision. It may be working perfectly normal,but since you have never driven a car without modern suspension and power steering,you might think there is something wrong with your car.

 

Even then I would try to find an alignment shop with experience lining up the front ends of 40's cars,and have them align it for you.

 

There may be nothing wrong with your front suspension that an alignment and correct air pressure in your tires won't fix.

 

BTW,if you car has radial tires on it,they will make the steering harder.

[Cold Blue]

Thanks Nuckle! You might be right, but the steering does feel a bit notchy in the turns. I will see if I can find an alignment shop that will align it for me. It has bias ply tires on it, so no radial tire problems...I will check the tire pressures. Thanks!

[John Reddie]

Also, make sure that the steering components ( king pins, tie rods, etc) are properly greased. These Plymouth's have a bunch of grease fittings on their steering and front suspension parts so it's important that each one is lubed periodically.

John R

[DJ194950]

I wonder if the previous owner adjusted the steering box too tight??

 

They are made to be slightly tight when centered only. If it was not centered when adjusted it will act like you describe. If so the correction of this is easy as outlined in your repair manual,

just start over with the adjustment.

 

DJ

[Plymouthy Adams]

many folks crank the centering lug a bit too tight when it is obvious it is time to adjust the bearing position by shimming....and sometimes they just to far gone for either to help much.

[James_Douglas]

I second that.  The gear is hour glass shaped.  It is designed so that as it wears one can take up the clearance at the center and when on turns it will not bind.  If it is tight on the turns then it is very likely that someone who did not know what they were doing adjusted it too tight.

 

As an aside, tire size makes a BIG difference in steering effort.  What I changed the Desoto Suburban to the Yokohama R700-15 tires it felt like I added power steering to the car.  Those tires have the same contact patch as the factory tires.

 

The other thing is thick oil grease does nothing and will actually cause wear as the grease cannot get deep into the worm bearings and races. Use factory specified lubricant.

 

I would recommend pulling the box out.  Replace the bushing on the sector (output) shaft as the are almost always worn out.  Also, but in a new seal so the prescribed oil does not run out.  Usually the worm gear bearings are ok, but, their pre-load is determined by paper shims on the end plate.  You can get an old hand pull scale on ebay if you look around.  Then follow the Service Manual, or look at the booklet on the Imperial Website (http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/028/index.htm), and set the worm gear and sector shaft as they tell you to. 

 

I suspect that a good cleaning, the work I stated above, and careful attention to detail and the thing will be good for another 100K miles.

 

James.