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Discussion Topic:
36 steering box leak
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bgalla |
03-21-2012 @ 9:42 PM
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Member
Posts: 36
Joined: Jan 2010
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Restoring a 36, put the steering box back in and filled it with gear oil and it leaks from the side cover where the eccentric rivet and eccentric lock are. I think it needs a new gasket. I have loosened the cover nuts and the eccentric sleve or lock nut seems to be holding it on. How do I get this off? I don't understand how the eccentric lock works. Do I back off on both the lock and sleve?? Thanks for any help. Bruce
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40 Coupe |
03-23-2012 @ 4:36 AM
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Senior
Posts: 1683
Joined: Oct 2009
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The eccentric is a major, very sensitive, adjustment of the steering box, if the adjustment is moved be prepared to follow Fords adjustment procedure to readjust. The adjustment stud is the only one that enters the box and can leak oil, if it is not sealed when installed into the box. The adjustment under the nut has two parts: The outer hex offset adjustment split sleeve and inside of it is a cone. both parts are on the stud and when the nut is tightened on the stud it drives the cone into the split hex adjuster expanding it and locking it in place. To remove you have to remove the sector housing and then drive the split adjuster out. You may want to remove just the adjuster nut then double nut the stud with the adjuster in place and see if you can remove the stud then clean and add a sealer to the stud threads and reinsert. Of course this has to be done with the oil out of the box, so you will have to remove the plate and horn rod tube to empty it. All of this will only fix the leak if it is coming from the stud and not the sector housing gasket. If you want to change the gasket remove the four nuts and lockwashers and tap the housing slightly and the housing should come off the studs with the adjuster in place.
This message was edited by 40 Coupe on 3-23-12 @ 4:49 AM
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supereal |
03-23-2012 @ 7:23 AM
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Senior
Posts: 6819
Joined: Oct 2009
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Good advice regarding the complexity of assembling and adjusting the steering gear. Almost always, the leak will return if oil is used. It seem to be the nature of the design. That is why many years ago, some filled the box with chassis lube. If you add an emulsifier,such as STP, etc, it will lessen the wear to the central contact area of the worm, but slow down the leak. In short, tearing down the box just to reduce the leak is apt not to be worth the effort.
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bgalla |
03-23-2012 @ 10:52 AM
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Member
Posts: 36
Joined: Jan 2010
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Thanks immensely for the education on the steering box. I'm almost certain that the leak is from the cover plate gasket,for when it was in the car the highest point of oil was the front cover nut. So as I understand it I remove the three cover nuts and the eccentric lock nut and don't touch the eccentric sleve and the cover plate should come off to allow gasket replacement. thanks Bruce
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