VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 How difficult is finding NOS worm & sector 38car

I have a friend that moved to Virginia, and he stopped driving his 38 coupe due to major play from the worn out worm gear, and wear on the sector shaft.

Are these parts very hard to find? ...and how many years will fit? Thanks.

If it is a Master Deluxe both parts fit a 1938 only.
If it is a Master (leaf front springs) it fits 1938 and 1939 Master only
Sector shaft fairly difficult to find, worm shft very difficult.

Thanks for the reply. I am positive he has twin leaf front.

He said he only found online places that can just change his bushings and put in new bearings. They had no source of the gear and shaft.

He asked me if some newer box would fit, but I have no idea.

How did he determine that he had excessive wear on these parts? Have you/he checked out our index of old posts by using our Search function? Here is a sampling of some posts on this topic: Steering box adjustments

Good luck, Mike

I would bet if it is as bad as described it will need both parts.

A 1938 steering sector is currently up for bid on ebay. I can not believe the price, $40. Someone better buy it in a hurry!!! 1938 Steering Sector

Good luck, Mike

I agree. However, if he cannot find a new worm, I'd bet there could be a huge improvement with the new sector shaft and two new bushings?

On high mileage boxes, after trying to set the sector screw adjustment; you move the steering wheel back and forth and will see that the outer end of the sector shaft is moving frontwards and backwards, before the drag link moves at all.

I've never seen a box on any brand car that if it needed the 2 bronze bushings, that the shaft was not worn just as bad from the bushings wearing on it. The shaft always seems to wear just as much as the bronze.

Mike, it was sold before my friend could buy it. But!, maybe that was a good thing, as a NOS place he contacted, says it was for the Deluxe??

Here is what my friend said in today's email below:

"I've got the Master - Straight Front Axle. The 38 Sector is sold.

I called the NOS company back, he doesn't have correct one. However, he was kinda emphatic that the one in that picture below is for Independant suspension, not straight axle. He said also that "the book" calls specifically for 38 straight axle,
not 37 (I thought 37-38 were alike, guess not).Straight axle sector has 3 teeth."

Hi I have the parts needed to repair your problems. Thanks mark

Hi Mark, I sent you a PM last night, but I don't see a reply yet in "my stuff" section.