Unknown accessory steering gear

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Unknown accessory steering gear
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 03:46 pm:

I just bought an unmarked accessory steering gear for Model T. The seller (from northern Sweden) didn't know what it was, only clue was a handwritten tag it once came from Örnsköldsvik, but that doesn't tell us very much. Anyone ever seen anything similar?

Steering gear
steering gear 2
steering gear 3

Almost no grease inside - it's no wonder it is very sloppy. I'll check if the secondary axle is eccentric and thus adjustable for wear..?

Odd someone bothered to create this since it isn't irreversible - by the time it was made (maybe early 1920's, the heyday of model T accessories?) all other cars had irreversible steering gears.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donnie Brown on Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 08:13 pm:

Im assuming you bought it for yourself, but if for sale I would love to have it for my speedster project. let me know if you decide to get rid of it. Nice find....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 08:17 pm:

I think it might be Chevrolet!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donnie Brown on Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 09:17 pm:

I think its made for a T, as the mounting is the same, the pitman arm looks to be same design as T, and it has holes for the throttle and timer rods.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 12:34 pm:

CheXXy didn't copy the Model T down to the hole pattern for all three screws to the frame, did they? Even the anti torque bracket fits right to one of the pan bolts. Metz did copy the bolt pattern to the head (almost) - what does a Metz steering gear look like?

The secondary axle is eccentric, full adjustment didn't take all the play out, though - but after adjustment it felt more like the usual play in a used Ford planetary unit. Ratio is about 5:1, so it may have been made before Ford went to 5:1 in late 1924? I may try it out, so no swap or sale just yet (ok, a good speedster carb setup might persuade me :-) )


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 01:01 pm:

Ok, ratio is 169/36 or a little higher than 5:1 (4.69)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 01:22 pm:

I had a similar (but not identical) version in a speedster I built. I never knew exactly what it was, but various "pundits" said Chevdolet, some said Dodge. It worked reasonably well. Mine had the steering shaft as part of it, so obviously not the same. The advantage is get rid of the "springy ness" of the T steering column. You still don't gain the "anti kick back" of a worm style box


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Eagle Ida Fls on Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 01:29 pm:



Not an early Metz. 1913 model 22 used a gear and quadrant. Spark and gas rods did not reach that far either.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chuck Hoffman - Gold Country of Calif. on Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 07:58 pm:

If you use the T column, aren't you double gearing it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Monday, October 28, 2013 - 12:11 am:

Chuck: Yes, but that's not the idea, I think. The resulting 18.8:1 or 23.5:1 gearing wouldn't be very practical :-)

My other accessory steering gear (identified as a swedish made "Stridar") has a straight shaft going through the Ford planetary housing directly up to the steering wheel.
This unidentified unit has a 3/4" square input axle, so an ordinary u-joint made for the 13/16" square on the drive shaft won't fit right. I'll have to find another type of coupling and fabricate a shaft going through the standard Ford steering column.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jem Bowkett on Monday, October 28, 2013 - 03:12 am:

It is said that Germany required Fords to have a non-reversible worm gear. Has anyone ever found one?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Monday, October 28, 2013 - 04:24 am:

I don't know if 18:1 is all that impractical: that's the ratio of 1937-48 Fords. I made the one for the ol' brass picup 10:1, which I like much better than 5:1.


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