1957 steering box trouble

[curtkane]

I recently purchased this bird. I had about 3in of steering play. Adjusted as far as could now about 1.5in. All so notice a small leak from box. Checked little or no lub. Filled box with grease now a bigger leak where the steering shaft connects. I guess the only answer is to replace it. Can't seem to get if it's a big job to do myself and where to get good rebuilt box.

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[cokefirst]

The box can be rebuilt by Straight line steering in San Jose ca. About $650. The bad news is that you may have to take the column loose to get the box off. I just did two of them.

 

[curtkane]

Thanks. I do believe the column does have to pulled out some. I have a small garage with no lift. May be too much for me to do thanks for the lead on the rebuild

 

[Tom Alpers]

Do you have power steering? If so, some play is normal as there has to be movement at the valve on the linkage to actuate the power part. 1.5 sounds ballpark to me for PS. Not sure what it should be like for manual.

 

[cokefirst]

Yes, 4 Early Thunderbirds, all have PS. There is a small amount of play in the ball stud that attaches to the pitman arm. This is necessary to operate the mechanism in the control valve to direct the fluid in the proper channels to give you the assist.

 

[curtkane]

The car was originally power steering but it is manual when I got it. I didn't notice any leakage until I adjusted the screw all the way down. It had about 3 in of playat first.

 

[Tom Alpers]

The car was originally power steering but it is manual when I got it. I didn't notice any leakage until I adjusted the screw all the way down. It had about 3 in of playat first.

If it was originally PS and is now manual and they left the PS control valve in you have the worst of both worlds. You have no PS and the full play of a useless valve. If the valve is still there at the end of the pitman arm you can buy a replacement part to get rid of it and the movement.

 

[curtkane]

the control valve is not there. something dosnt seem right. i had to turn the s
adjust screw almost 2 complete turns to get the play a little better.

 

[Tom Alpers]

 

[George Ford]

Thanks. I do believe the column does have to pulled out some. I have a small garage with no lift. May be too much for me to do thanks for the lead on the rebuild

I installed a piece of angle to the ceiling joists with 2 through bolts and attached a chain hook to hold the column while the gear was out. Easy job assuming you have access to the framing. I have an attic.

 

[dadspony]

I have a 57 'bird and it did not have power steering. Had same problem and I know an old Ford mechanic and he said to drain box, flush it out and then fill with grease. I took a small plastic funnel, put it in lower screw hole and stuck grease gun into funnel. While holding end if gun tightly to funnel, pumped grease in until it came out of top hole. Put screws back in and two things happened. One it turned easier and two, took out some of the play. By no means is this going to replicate power steering but it does help a little for very little cost.

 

[Jim P]

Straight Line in San Jose....
Did mine in a afternoon.
Great Guys.
Using a lift is really the best way to do this job. If your adjusting the screws to take out play.....only do a quarter turn at a time.....

 

[Frankie the Fink]

Are you saying it was power steering but is not now ? If so, the conversion might be boogered up.
Otherwise you are prob in for a box rebuild. If you mean you turned the lash adjustment screw 2 turns with no effect, then its absolutely messed up. If not before you cranked on it, then definitely afterwards. Adjustments over 1/8" at a time are all you should ever try without proper equipment.

 

[curtkane]

The bird went under a restoration before I go it. The ps was removed and most of the front end steering parts are new except the steering gear. I adjusted the screw a little at a time and checked but it didn't make much of a difference. It started with about 3 in of play. That and the fact that it leaks at the steering shaft connection seal, I assume it needs to be rebuilt.

 

[cokefirst]

It if it leaking, no amount of adding fluid will fix it.

 

[cokefirst]

It if it leaking, no amount of adding fluid will fix it.

 

[Frankie the Fink]

The bird went under a restoration before I go it. The ps was removed and most of the front end steering parts are new except the steering gear. I adjusted the screw a little at a time and checked but it didn't make much of a difference. It started with about 3 in of play. That and the fact that it leaks at the steering shaft connection seal, I assume it needs to be rebuilt.

I question the conversion, I'm a Corvette guy but I'm not sure the Pitman, idlerr arm and relay rod are the same from PS steering to manual, others with more bird experience may know...

 

[curtkane]

I am inclined to believe the conversation is good. The steering parts are new except the steering box. I have been told it's the same box for ps and manual. All of the old ps parts came with the car in a box. The new ones on the car look to be the correct ones for manual steering. I am resigned to having to remove e it and get it rebuilt. Not a job I'm looking forward to but it seems to need to be done.

 

[cokefirst]

The pitman arm is the same, but the manual steering cars use a different idler arm. They also use a different drag link. I have both a manual steering drag link and idler arm that I will be happy to exchange if you do not want to turn the car back to power steering. Maybe I am misunderstanding part of this conversation, but if you have a power steering control valve in your set up now, that means you have to have a power steering drag link, since the manual steering drag link has no provision for mounting that valve.

 

[curtkane]

you have misunderstood. No control valve all other steering parts are new and correct for manual steering. Only the steering gear box is not new. I have the old original ps parts in a box that came with the 🚗