"I believe my problem is in the steering gear box located directly under the steering wheel. I have not been able to remove the steering wheel as yet. I do not have a wheel puller and it seems that someone has put some liquid weld in there." Actually I had/have multiple problems! The drag link was bent and is now straight, the gear box under the steering wheel dose not a long pin and I may have a pitman arm that is to short (6" over all length"), plus I still need to get the steering wheel pulled to see if (what I believe) if it's missing the key. However thanks to my very good friend Dick Welch, I now have the steering rod out off the car and today I will remover the steering wheel, so I am making progress!
Happy days are here again,
Dr. Warren
Appears that you have some serious wear on the bottom end of your steering shaft where it runs through the brass bushing on the lower end of the steering bracket - be impossible to install & ream a new bushing to it !
Steve is correct.
It looks like the end of the shaft right before the taper for the pitman arm is thicker than where the bushing was - could he not just turn that down a bit and then have a bushing that fits inside the steering bracket but that also fits the shaft?
If the budget allows, this could be the perfect time to swap in a new 5:1 steering kit:
http://www.modeltford.com/item/3516ES.aspx
You can save that shaft if you have access to a lathe or machine shop. Mine looked similar, just turned it down a touch and made new bushings from aluminum bronze. Saved me from buying a repro shaft.
Warren, You said you haven't been able to remove the steering wheel, but the pictures show you have already gotten that far. If I'm wrong, getting the steering wheel nut loose, even if Loctite was applied, shouldn't be impossible. Likewise, the steering wheel, if tight on the taper shouldn't be that much of a problem. Just remember that it is keyed in position on the shaft by a half moon key. If the steering gear housing cover won't budge, make sure you remove the threaded set screw in the side of the cover, before you attempt to unscrew it from the steering gear housing.
Thanks again to everyone for their helpful suggestions. I heated the liquid weld up (just enough to start in bubbling) and the steering wheel came right off. It had the key in it, so I have no idea why someone put liquid weld there. Also I found no play in the steering rod going through the bottom brass bushing. I have ordered a new set of pins for the steering box from Lang's, which should be here tomorrow. I did have to remove the complete steering column, in order to get the steering rod out. This afternoon I will start reassembling everything.
Wish me luck, as putting the steering column back could be a 2 man job,
Dr. Warren
Warren
Check the key and the slots. JB weld may have been put in to take up slop.
Thanks Bud, now I need to find a way to get the wrong pin out of the steering rod so I can install the correct one. Any Ideas?
Happy Motoring,
Warren
Warren, simply knock out the wrong pin and press in the correct one.
Stephen
Got my parts from Lang early this morning and now have the proper long pin installed. Tomorrow I will reinstall the steering column and drag link.
Happy days are here again,
Soon to be Dr. Warren
Just a note Warren. Be sure the screw that keeps the housing just under the steering wheel from unscrewing and contains the reduction gears is long enough and secure. My cousin was driving his speedster last week and found himself holding the steering wheel. Fortunately the ditch that the speedster drove into was smooth and he got it stopped before anything seriously happened.