VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 '48 Fleetmaster Strg Effort and Odd Noise

I have a new issue that I don't recall being discussed before. I have an issue in my '48, as I turn, the effort to turn left is greater than on RH hand turns. This bind gets so bad sometimes (like today on Woodward in SE Michigan) the wheel gets stuck on a full left turn. At times there's a noise that I would swear is the strg wheel hopping it's spline, but I put a paint index mark on the nut, wheel, and shaft and it's not moving, and the wheel doesn't loose it's index. You would think given the noise that it would be several deg off. I am thinking (hoping really) that it might be the mast jacket bearing. It sounds and feels high toward the wheel, and not low toward the linkage or box, and early on in the project it's possible while sandblasting I may have introduced a few sand grains. If the roller bearings are a little out of wack and fighting each other, only to be knocked back into alignment and operate normally again, I could see how this might be it, especially if there's sand in there. The strg effort has never felt smooth. It binds in both directions, but especially on left turns. I usually read about a different failure mode for the bearing (chucking for example) but what do you think? I have a NOS bearing and think I may change it and hope for the best. I occasionally get an intermittent horn toot as well. I look forward to your input. Bowtie

I would suspect the binding is from the steering gear....probably the sector shaft, roller or thrust bearings.It the gear oil in the box?If not I would fill with #90 and see if it helps.The #90 may leak out but will seep into the pitman shaft busing and ball bearings where as chassis grease will not.If it does leak top off with cahssis grease and the two will mix.....best bet is to pull the gear apart - could be dangerous.
Horn problem could be "ring" adjustment or upper bearing wire or?

Suggest you pull the pitman arm off the steering gear to determine if the binding condition is in the column/gear or lower in the steering linkages before you disassemble the column/gear assembly. As Chevgene suggested, this condition could be dangerous and needs to be identified and corrected.

Thanks for your input - as always it's appreciated. I will take a look at the fluid / lube situation in the morning. There's not much of an on center feel to the car as you go down the road, but it doesn't shake or otherwise feel wrong, other than the above described bind with harder turns, that louder click / pop noise and associated feel in the wheel as if it was hopping it's spline, and what I would describe as a general loose / wandering strg. For all I know, that's just how there cars drive. What has me scratching my head is the fact that the wheel doesn't loose it's index after one of these episodes. If there was an actual slippage or over riding of a gear somewhere why wouldn't you see that in the strg wheel alignment afterward? I am with you though relative to the urgency. I have not driven it too far, but do need to get it addressed. I have too much invested to wrap it around a tree. Bowtie

You may have a bad steering mast bearing, as you said possibly getting grit into the bearings. The other thought is that someone hammered on the top of the steering shaft in order to get the steering wheel off. Thus forcing the shaft down through the worm gear (it is pressed onto the worm gear), and destroying the gear box bearings. I know as I recently rebuilt a 47 steering box with all of those problems for a friend. The mast is adjustable at the bottom for horn adjustment.
for more info contact me via email or call, I live in Brighton, MI

Thanks Walt. I think today I will check the lube, and change the mast jacket bearing. If that doesn't get it done I will give you a call. I wouldn't want any mishaps on Woodward this weekend. Over the life of the car, it's hard to say who might have done what to it. I know I never forced the shaft as you described, but the car sat for many years before I got it a few years ago and finally got it running last year. Most of the work done to it before I got it seems to be quality work - - we will see. Bowtie.

well....drum roll please....
I found one of the three mounting bolts for the strg box stripped, and the other two had backed out a bit. The box was not net to the frame, and as I hand twisted the strg shaft inside the mast jacket, I could see it rock. I went up, got three nice new grade 8 bolts / washers and tightened up the strg box to the frame. Also, there was a good bit of thicker lube inside, almost a grease, so as you suggested I topped it off w/ 80/90 gear lube. I am painting the mast jacket while I have it out. This was something I had been meaning to do anyway. When I get it all buttoned up tomorrow I will let you know if it worked - but I have high hopes. Bowtie.

As much as I hoped the obvious would be the root cause of my issue, in this case it's not the whole story. As I take the front wheels off the ground and spin the strg wheel, the effort through the turn, both left and right is reasonably constant. As the wheel gets to full right turn, there's a solid positive stop. As the wheel travels toward full left there's a not so solid stop. You can, with nominal effort take the wheel past full left and hear the pop that I was trying to describe above. Something's still not right. Walt I will take you up on your offer and will probably give you a call during the week. I think I have about had it for this weekend. I appreciate you offering, I have never gotten into one of these before. Now that you have done it once, you probably know all the ins and outs. Am I to assume that the parts that you needed to rebuild the '47 (bearings, ect) are available for these old strg boxes?? Bowtie.