VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 1950 Bel Air steering gear rebuild

My steering gear needs rebuilt. The adjustments have been made and still to much play. Does anyone rebuild these or sell parts?

Go to the early corvette forum. There is a guy there that rebuilds early corvette steering boxes. Do not remember his name but if you post a thread there someone will hook you up with him.

Thanks

The Filling Station and Chevs of the 40s both have parts to fix your steering system. Looseness can be anywhere in the system. You mentioned the steering box. That might be the issue. However be sure to check the idler arm, the drag link and the tie rod ends. Any looseness anywhere in the system will cause your steering to feel loose.
In the steering box, I have found that the bronze pitman shaft bushings are frequently the problem. See if you can move the pitman arm shaft, that sticks out of the steering box, try moving it towards the front and rear. There should be no movement. Replace the bushings if there is.

Note a change was made in the steering gear in 1950. The late cars had a raised X ih the cast iron housing.
I have a new pitman shaft for the late design. It comes wiith the bushngs. Ialsohave a bearing kit.

Mine has the X. I will see what mine needs and get back to you. Thanks

If you have not done a full “end-to-end” inspection of the steering system I encourage you to do that before you go for a rebuild of the steering gear.

I know this sounds crazy but I start with making sure the wheel bearings are properly adjusted.

The way I do it takes 2 people. I do the first test with the car on the ground. Then I lift the car and check everything again.

One person has the very difficult job of turn the steering wheel back and forth or from end to end of full travel.

My experience is that the inspection with the car on the ground is the most important. I start at one side of the car and watch each location where there has to be rotation or movement. As the person in the car moves the wheel back and forth until they feel resistance you will watch to see when that pivot or joint starts to move.

My friend with a ‘54 3100 was convinced that he needed to replace the steering gear. That is until the “on the ground” test showed that the pitman arm was loose on the sector shaft. We torqued that nut and he drove away happy. It has not loosened up in the 2 years.