Does anyone have Ross Steering Catalogs to post on the forum? How many models were made for the "T"? Ross made steering for other vehicles. How does one tell the difference?
Gary
Ross made a "cam and lever". Essentially it is a 1 turn lock to lock very coarse pitch variable rate screw with a lever with a large pin that runs in the screw. As far as I know they only made one version for T
Gary - this isn't what you asked about, but one statement you made "jolted" my ever-failing old age memory:
"Ross made steering for other vehicles"
Yes, back in the '60's when I drove a truck for awhile in Chicago, the fuel oil outfit I drove for had a fleet of trucks, mostly Internationals. They also had ONE Hendrickson, which was equipped with "Ross Cam & Lever Steering". What I remember most about that truck was that guys used to almost fight about who got to drive it, as the steering was so much better! Understand of course, that that was still back in the days when a truck driver needed to be a pretty good sized guy with some "muscle". Now days of course, a petite little 102# girl can handle the new ones with ease,......harold
Les - Ya' beat me to it! You type faster!
My '29 Nash has a Ross steering box.
It says so on the casting.
I don't care if it is cam & lever or rack & pinion or worm and sector, the overall steering ratio is what makes a car hard to steer, easy to steer or quicker or whatever. That is providing it uses roller or ball bearings in all the high friction areas.
Because of the simplicity of the rack& pinion it normally has less free play by design than other systems.
I installed a rack & pinion on my '26 touring a few years ago. I don't like it. It gives some bump steer and it is so slow that when the car is loaded and standing still I can turn the wheel lock to lock with one finger.
I have '35 Ford steering column I intend to install when I have time. That will eliminate all the bad points of a wrong ratio rack & pinion.
I found this copy of an add for the Sprague Worm steering Drive in the book Model "T" Ford
Authentic Accessories Vol.I
Copyright By James Kenealy of Lake Forest Park
(Seattle) Wa. in 1976. His books are out of print
but all 3 vol. contain many Adds that he had found.
Bob