The steering spark and throttle rod spring cups, throttle rod lever and spark rod lever are all 'frozen.' Is it worth the effort to try and get the pins out or is it common to just cut the rods and replace? Thank you in advanced.

Incidentally, aren't the rods suppose to be brass plated on a 12? Or is that just early 12's?

The rods would have been brass plated from 1909 through 1916. You will find evidence of the plating under the quadrant and in other areas not exposed to the weather.

You can drill out the pins easily and have the rods replated. I think it is worth the effort to save the original parts if it is possible. Those look nice to me.

Royce, I detected a typo in your answer. It seems your computer put in the word "easily". Having just completed this task I now type carefully enough to prevent my keyboard from making that slip up.

To remove those rods you do have to remove the pins on the spark and the throttle rods, the pins on the springs AND the pins on the cast brass quadrant/steering case. You have to then pull the steering case out to get the levers out.

The levers have to come out if you are going to plate them.

When you are done you have to replace all the parts including new pins.

It can be done, but it is one bear of a job to do well. I ended up having to weld on replacement sections of the rod after the original broke during the re-peening process. So my suggestion is to not do the job if you don't have to. If you must, cutting the rods will be easier than trying to strip it all down.

Robert, you have options, please let us know what you end up doing.


----Warning, thread drift----

I've been trying to find some way to brass plate parts and would love to hear from anyone who has been able to do that.

TH

I have disassembled two early 15 columns,and have found no evidence of any,repeat Any plating anywhere. I asked Bruce about it and he confirmed most were probably just steel.

Being a veteran of many "wars on rust" that job is much easier than many. yes it takes patience, penetrant, heat and persuation but it can be done and original parts saved. i doubt the repro parts are exactly like the originals anyway.

brass plating wears away quickly, i have parts on my car that were nickled that have no sign of plating whatsoever.

do not destroy good useable parts

For both cup pins and lever pins, I'd cut them off flush with the rod with a small grinder and drive them out with a punch. Only if that didn't work would I drill them out.

Use the blue wrench on them aka Acetelyne.

Take you time and save those rod and levers, those are good shape. Let Kroil do its wonders on those fittings.

The cups are not made to match those originals, and the springs are fine. Those levers can be re-used.

Removing the rivets is fun.

Terry,

I've done all that a few times. I enjoy rebuilding a steering column. It is straightforward easy stuff for me to do with the tools I own and the experience I have. Not saying it is easy for everyone. Take a look at Dan's pictures, he knows how to do it.

Being a retired maintenance mechanic/locksmith, careful use of heat would be what I would do.
Heat the parts to a dull red and cool off.
Do this 2-3 times then use some type of penetrating oil and carefully file or grind off one of the ends of the levers flush.

Then use the correct size punch and drive the pins out.

Robert-
Do not cut the rods. Clean then up with wire wheel, electrolysis, or media blasting and take it apart like Dan says.

Terry-
I brass plated my gas and spark rods using a Caswell Plug 'n' plate. The plating is not nearly as good as a professional could do, but the alternative to to take the whole thing apart and replace the rods with solid brass and I am not ready to do that. The plating is probably about as good as Ford's original plating, which was not up to today's standards. But my steering column is restored to factory standards.

Here is before:


During:


Finished:


: ^ )

Keith