52 Coronet steering

[Jamie Anderson]

I have a 52 Coronet I drove it today 100 miles and it ran great parked it in the drive came back out and the steering is locked to the left any ideas thanks in advance

[Plymouthy Adams]

I would look very close to the links beneath the car and the pitman arm....did you or the PO just prior to selling to you adjust the worm gear backlash in an attempt to remove excess paly and now have the gears meshing when turned to the extreme ends...my first place to look is the back lash adjuster....these gears could now be galled internally if improperly meshed....I can say this...you lucky it happened in the driveway and not on the cruise somewhere....

[Jamie Anderson]

25 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

somewhere

Yes sir I am very aware I have not ajusted  any thing steering wise just installed the Langdon hei it works great how do I go about freeing it up and if it's toast where could I look for a replacement

[Plymouthy Adams]

first things first...jack up the car and support it with proper jack stands and get the weight off the wheels...see if you can now free up the steering...if so..then proceed with the proper trouble shooting procedure for the steering adjustments in the sector.  If you do not have a repair manual I recommend getting one for your car if you intend to do your own repairs.  Meanwhile, the unit should be on the internet and you can check this out by searching...should be a Gemmer sector....

[Jamie Anderson]

Had it jacked up both wheels off the ground it's still bound up I'm going to wait till tomorrow morning to further investigate the situation I'm not the best mechanic but do like doing my own if possible

[Los_Control]

My first thought, thank that angel flying behind you, that this happened in the drive way and not the highway.

 

I would disconnect the watchamacallit  to the steering gear box. Isolating it from the rest of front end .... I would bet it is in the box.

 

I had a old ford work truck, going down the driveway one morning, something snapped and it took all I had just to drive back up to the house.

Thankful it was not on the highway. It gave no warning, I did adjust it a year or so earlier to take slop out.

Unless you have something visually bent underneath, I see no other way for it to be locked tight.

 

And that is just my opinion, good time to inspect all of the components and repair/replace for safety.

[Jamie Anderson]

Update I found the problem this morning the passenger side shock was broken and  was against the tire preventing it from turning but on inspection of the gear box there is no oil in it that I can see will 80/90 work?

[Plymouthy Adams]

90 is the preferred oil, can go 80 in very cold climate.. but some like to fill with a product known as corn head grease for lube as it is till fluid enough for lubrication but not so fluid that it will easily leak past an old seal/gasket....I would fill with the oil and monitor it prior to the second approach....fluid should be flush to the filler hole...

[Jamie Anderson]

Thank you I've never heard of corn head grease any idea what replacement shock would be

[James_Douglas]

Just use 90W and if need be keep it filled. My 1947 Desoto that I drive every day here in San Francisco has a slow leak and I have a new seal in it! I just stay on top of it. When I check the oils once a month, I check that.

 

People use the grease in the boxes, I personally do not think it is appropriate and does not put a good oil film on the bearings or the gears.

 

Also, go here and read booklet number 28:  http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/index.htm

[Dodgeb4ya]

If you do use grease because of a leaking seal issue you don't want to fix...you can use a NLGI 00 Extreme Pressure grease.

It is a semi flowable grease.  Flows out like apple sauce.

Corn head will work too but for warmer climates...  It is a NLGI 1.

Both commonly used in heavy duty industrial drive gear boxes and other power drive high load equipment.

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by Dodgeb4ya
Spelling Air

[falconvan]

When I rebuilt a 58 Dodge steering box the place I got the parts from recommended mixing 90w and axle bearing grease until you got a consistency between the two and using that. Worked well and didn't leak.