My black '51 has been under my roof for 18 years now.
For whatever anal reason in my brain wiring ( or lack thereof ) , I have always paid close attention to the spokes of the steering wheel, wanting them to be at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position.
The steering wheel has ALWAYS been in that position, until this past weekend.
Took the car out of the garage, went to get gas, the wheel now is at 11 o'clock and 5 o'clock position.
Any thoughts as to why ?
1951 Chevy Styleline Deluxe 2 door sedan / purchased from second owner 6-19-2000.
This same thing happened to another member/friend with a 1951 several years ago. This is what he found. The worm gear on the end of the steering shaft shifted. He took out the shaft repositioned the worm gear, and found a better way of securing it.
Back then I was doing a Q&A for the G&D and did an article about it............If I could find the article I would run it again in the G&D because the 1949-1952 models have become popular and this could be dangerous.
This same thing happened to another member/friend with a 1951 several years ago. This is what he found. The worm gear on the end of the steering shaft shifted. He took out the shaft repositioned the worm gear, and found a better way of securing it.
Back then I was doing a Q&A for the G&D and did an article about it............If I could find the article I would run it again in the G&D because the 1949-1952 models have become popular and this could be dangerous.
Re-running the article would be good for all involved.
I'm unclear as to how the steering shaft attaches to the worm gear, as installed at the factory.
I initially thought you were saying the worm gear somehow jumped a tooth on the sector, which made no sense to me.
I now understand where you are stating the problem occurs, but the actual physical connection between the worm gear and steering shaft is still unclear.
1951 Chevy Styleline Deluxe 2 door sedan / purchased from second owner 6-19-2000.
Gene, and others, As long as the article appeared in 1995 or earlier edition of the G&D it is searchable. I have tried to get others excited enough to extend the years but without success. It has probably been over 10 years since my last attempt. Don't think with the aging VCCA population, many not computer savvy another attempt would succeed either. I would be elated if I were wrong.
What DZAUT is taking about is the roller on the pitman shaft, not the worm on the actual steering shaft. The other member that I refered to repsitioned the worm on the shaft and resecured it better than what was originallly done.
The article Bill puled up s for replacing the pitman shaft seal.
I think the reason the steering wheel (SW) shifted is because the car hates you and when you touched the SW it shivered a bit too hard and cocked itself out of position.
The way to fix this is to jack up the front end and turn the tie-rod ends equally until the SW is aligned straight ahead again. Or, if the pitman shaft is off enough, reposition it on the splines.
I don't know about the safety issue Gene mentioned but that may mean you need to look into why is really shifted. You wouldn't want it to shift going down the road. Plus, a off-center SW is annoying, just as you mentioned.
That 51 of yours looks real good. Sharp as a tack. I like the outside visor on those models. They look good as opposed to those added to thirties and forties cars.
On the last page of this pdf, at the bottom, the author states:
"Contrary to rumor, the worm gear is not welded to the worm shaft. The two are mated with a 2.5 inch splined taper."
While the article is for the 53-62 Corvette Steering Gear assembly, I would think the worm is attached to the steering shaft in the same manner on your '51.
Originally Posted by bobg1951chevy
Still wondering how the steering shaft makes its connection to the worm gear.
In the parts manual, the worm was only available with the steering shaft (group 6.524).
If it's removed from the car, I wonder if a machine shop can repress it in position and add a pin or some other means of securing it?
Originally Posted by bobg1951chevy
Still wondering how the steering shaft makes its connection to the worm gear.
Dana, Good to hear from you ...... for the life of me, I cannot understand HOW the steering wheel moved to an off center position, if the worm gear is either pressed onto the steering shaft ........ or if the steering shaft and worm are, in fact, one piece.
1951 Chevy Styleline Deluxe 2 door sedan / purchased from second owner 6-19-2000.
On the last page of this pdf, at the bottom, the author states:
"Contrary to rumor, the worm gear is not welded to the worm shaft. The two are mated with a 2.5 inch splined taper."
While the article is for the 53-62 Corvette Steering Gear assembly, I would think the worm is attached to the steering shaft in the same manner on your '51.
Originally Posted by bobg1951chevy
Still wondering how the steering shaft makes its connection to the worm gear.
Good info in this write up. Thank you. If I understand correctly, this taper fit between the worm gear and the steering shaft would have to be somehow become stripped, if the taper fit has a keyway or splines or such. If its simply a taper fit, without a keyway or pin or splines to secure the taper fit, I'm in trouble here.
1951 Chevy Styleline Deluxe 2 door sedan / purchased from second owner 6-19-2000.
As Gene stated above, he's heard about this before. On the other Chevy site, in an older post, 2blu remembered hearing of someone that could move the steering wheel back and forth a bit (toward and away from driver). The problem was the worm was loose from steering shaft. I suppose the roller or sector holds it in place good enough, for a little while.
As to why it happens, anything can happen after 67 years :-)
Might be worth setting the car in straight ahead position, and check the toe. Or at least visually see if the front wheels look like they are pointed correctly. If someone has adjusted the tie rod recently, maybe they didn't tighten it so that it would not loosen. I can't remember off hand if it is clamped, locking tab, or locknuts.
If you get a bit of fore and aft movement with the steering wheel, I think that would point to a problem in the box.
If the worm is loose, I would think a good machine shop could fix it, and also provide a pin or some other means of securing it.
Good luck.
Originally Posted by bobg1951chevy
Originally Posted by drtyler
From the other Chevy site, DZAUTO states the worm is pressed on the shaft.
"The worm gear is pressed onto the shaft, thus, it will have to be pulled off and pressed onto the other shaft."
In the parts manual, the worm was only available with the steering shaft (group 6.524).
If it's removed from the car, I wonder if a machine shop can repress it in position and add a pin or some other means of securing it?
Originally Posted by bobg1951chevy
Still wondering how the steering shaft makes its connection to the worm gear.
Dana, Good to hear from you ...... for the life of me, I cannot understand HOW the steering wheel moved to an off center position, if the worm gear is either pressed onto the steering shaft ........ or if the steering shaft and worm are, in fact, one piece.
When I bought my 54 convert if you pulled up on the steering wheel it would come up several inches,I guess the worm gear was loose on the shaft,I replaced the column and box with another unit.
I overlooked the line, suggesting the worm and steering shaft are connected with a SPLINED TAPER.
Now that is reassuring, but the fact remains that the wheel went off center, with no other symptoms.
Front wheels are straight ahead, no in or out movement with steering wheel itself, meaning any movement towards the dash or towards the drivers seat.
No one has done any alignment or adjustment to front end.
I have NOT ever had the steering column apart, it would be very helpful if a member out there can verify this tapered spline setup exists on the passenger vehicles, as there is on the early Corvettes.
1951 Chevy Styleline Deluxe 2 door sedan / purchased from second owner 6-19-2000.
Gene, I just looked at all G&D issues from 2007 through 2011 and didn't see your item. (I think that I searched every issue except one. - I'll check on that again.)
In the meantime, I noticed that our G&D Articles database never got transferred to the "new" web host last year. It had over 1,000 of these older articles and Tech Tips scanned in to it.
Here's a description of it from Feb 2009.
Bill Barker Previous VCCA CHAT Administrator (VCCA Member: 9802)
"From your profile it appears you may not be a member of the VCCA. Too bad...a year or so ago we wrote an article for our monthly magazine about horn problems. As I recall the horn contacts are adjustable but will not compensate for play in the stering shaft. We traced the problem to the worm gear on the end of the steering shaft having loosened. This allows the entire steering wheel and shaft to 'rise' up toward the driver and then the horn contacts don't touch. Try pushing down (firmly) on the steering wheel, pushing the wheel towards the steering box. If the shaft slides down the horn contacts should work. The fix is to remove the steering box and secure the gear to the shaft. We welded the one we repaired."
Originally Posted by Bill Barker
Gene, I just looked at all G&D issues from 2007 through 2011 and didn't see your item. (I think that I searched every issue except one. - I'll check on that again.)
In the meantime, I noticed that our G&D Articles database never got transferred to the "new" web host last year. It had over 1,000 of these older articles and Tech Tips scanned in to it.
I like the outside visor on those models. They look good as opposed to those added to thirties and forties cars. 
