TR2/3 Steering Box Overhaul - Page 2
Macy's Garage, ltd.
A Family Tradition Since 1932
|
|
|
|
|
| Use caution if having parts chemically or heat stripped. These joints are sweat soldered. | Concours restorers should take note of the yellow paint marking on the drop arm and the date code stamped on the end plate. | Here's a different steering box with the same yellow paint marking on the drop arm. | More yellow paint marking on the steering box. I've found this on every box I've ever inspected. |
|
|
|
|
|
| If any wear shows on the rocker shaft peg, it can be replaced. Wear on the shaft just above the splines means that a complete new rocker shaft is needed. | Using a deep socket to support the rocker shaft arm, press the old peg out of the arm. I just love the lifetime guarantee on Craftsman tools! | Take your time to assure that the new peg is lined up perfectly before pressing it into the rocker shaft arm. A large vice is ideal. | Back to the press, use another 1" O.D. washer and assorted sockets to press the new rocker shaft bushing into the steering box. |
|
|
|
|
|
| The new rocker shaft bush will have to be reamed out to fit the shaft. I'm using an adjustable 7/8" reamer, ENCO # 334-113. GO SLOW! | Install the new lower oil seal next. | Install the 2 anti-rattle rings on the inner (one-piece column only) next. I forgot to order these, so I cut acceptable substitutes from 5/8" heater hose. | Install the upper bearing race and bearing. Be sure that the race is fully seated and the bearing is orientated correctly. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Slide the inner column and worm gear into place, and check that the bearing and race remained in place. | Install the lower bearing and race, gasket, shims, and end plate. Add or subtract shims until there is no end play. A small bit of pre-load is O.K. | The felt upper column bush is next. Any small children in the area will receive a vocabulary lesson when you install this on an adjustable wheel column! | Now install the rocker shaft. Check to see that the peg is fully seated in the worm gear. Then install the top cover. Leave the top adjusting screw finger tight for now. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Install the mount casting in the proper orientation, then the drop arm. Align the drop arm with the marking on the end of the rocker shaft. | Install the locking washer and nut to retain the drop arm. One side of the washer is bent down over the drop arm, and 2 other places are bent up along flats on the nut. | Now that everything is back together, and you're done wrestling with this monster, it's time to paint. | Install in your car, fill with oil, and adjust the top adjusting screw so that you feel just a slight drag on the steering wheel near the center of its travel. Above all, enjoy your improved steering! |
Don't have access to a press or don't want to buy a reamer? Send your disassembled steering box and rocker shaft here and we'll install the rocker shaft bushing and ream to size for you.
Not interested in doing any part of this yourself? Box it up and ship it here for the crew at Macy's garage to overhaul for you. For basic service, we completely disassemble your old steering box, evaluate the condition of all the parts, bead blast and paint the box and column if you desire, and replace the lower bushing and oil seal, (which are always bad). We have a good supply of parts in stock, so turn around time is normally 48-72 hours. There's a 50/50 chance that the rocker shaft peg and inner bearings/races will need to be replaced too. We keep these parts in stock as well, including bearings and races which are presently unavailable from any of the well known USA suppliers.
Once in a great while, the complete rocker shaft will have to be replaced, and once again we do keep new replacements on hand. If your worm gear is bad, we'll make every effort to find a good used shaft and worm before purchasing a new part, but supplies of serviceable used parts are drying up as fast as you can read this, and a new one is going to cost you $300 on top of everything else.
If you're interested in having Macy's Garage overhaul your TR2/3 steering box, or have any questions about doing it yourself of need some of those hard to find parts, call or send an e-mail to discuss in greater detail. We'll be happy to help you out! If you have any spare steering box cores that need rebuilt or can be used for parts, we're interested in purchasing these to add to our inventory as well.