Technical 32 Ford steering box removal

Have a need to remove steering box and column from a 32 Ford with body and motor still on and in frame.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Undo wiring from the bottom of box by unclipping bail. Remove large nut holding pitman arm and pull arm off with U puller. Unhook wiring from column drop under dash. Unbolt column drop from dash (may need to pry protector flange back on bottom lip of dash). Remove last three bolts from box to frame. Twist assembly clockwise and downward, and sector will come out of frame hole. Pull assembly into the passenger compartment.

 

What Alchemy said. It's a PITA

 

Thank you. Precise, concise. First time to ever see this written and to the point of question. Now, the biggun...can this be done with the motor and left side exhaust manifold still in place?
Appreciate you opin.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I don't know. It's worth a try.

 

It is difficult to tell where a project like this is going to go. If you end up pulling the steering wheel be sure you don't bend the horn rod or it will never be the same again. Any chance you haven't installed the top yet? I am sure glad I have a roadster.

Charlie Stephens

 

Looking at my '32 project, the driver's side header doesn't fit very well with the chassis. The plan is to pull the header, but leave the engine, a '50 Mercury, in place when the original steering box comes out for replacement. After that I'll see what I can do with different headers, or manifolds, to clear the new box.
To add to what Charlie said above, don't use a conventional puller to remove the steering wheel. When I get to that point I know at least one person who has the correct puller to remove the '32 wheel.
-Dave

 

It will be much easier to remove the assembly whole with the steering wheel in place. Removing the horn rod is really hard. I could barely do it in my sedan (longer cockpit) and I had to bend the rod a bit doing it. I can imagine a five-window is much worse.

On my sedan I have headers and I had to remove it. Maybe a stock manifold will allow steering removal.

 

Thanks. Going to tackle tomorrow.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

40 roger on that!!

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

It was less hassle to remove the exhaust manifold and let the pipe drop down....

 

Pull the floor boards and also wrap the column in cardboard. The box tends to scratch it. I forget if one or both pedals need to be freed up so they could be tiled back our of the way. I use a bearing separator and two jaw puller to remove the wheel. Put a rag under the wheel. I never damaged anything.
I have pics of the lip seal I installed without cutting the box. It never leaked a drop again.

 

I rolled down the rear window on my 5 window and took the horn rod out that way. Yes there is a slight bend but straightened it easily going back in.

 

I like your idea on pulling the steering wheel. Similar to what I've done.

 

what lip seal without cutting?

 

I think he means the sector housing where it bolts to the frame.Ford used a cork seal originally.Over time they will leak.A lip seal can be used BUT the end of the housing has to be machined to accept the seal.I have one done by a buddy and not switched out.I can post a pic to clarify if you want.

 

I used a 1 3/8 x 1 1/8 x 1/8 seal. I put J B Weld in the cavity and machined that. I did not have to cut metal.

 

Well, we did it....me and the gang from the epicenter of Model A's...but traveled a different path...
End game was to get the body off and on to the highboy new chassis.
Couldn't get steering wheel off...(almost sacrificed it....but no).
So out with floorboards.
Then remove steering box bolts in frame, to allow column/steering wheel to rotate down towards interior floor and remove steering drop bolts behind the dash. (Did have to bend bolt shield towards firewall to get to the two bolts connecting column drop to bottom of dash).
At this juncture, as alchemy offered, to get the horn/light switch tube out of column, remove spring bale at bottom of steering box and protective cap. If you use a mirror and flashlight, looking at the protruding end out the bottom, you will see a circlip.
Push the projecting tube/rod back up into the column, it's spring loaded, and the circlip will drop out along with a spring tensioner and cup. Don't loose this stuff.
Now, in my case, steering wheel refusing to come off, above said and done, the column can be walked down lowering it to a point where the horn/light switch tube could be pulled out and taken out the back window.
We then, with all the bolts and stuff releasing the body from frame, made a simple crossover for each leg of the rotary lift, ratchet straps down to body and eased the body up with the lift, while rolling the chassis and allowing the steering wheel and column to go out under dash and through the floor/firewall opening.
Whew...it worked.
Lot of thanks to the seasoned experts for their wisdom.
Keep in mind too, this is all genie Henry stuff running chassis, fenders, bumpers, hood are available. Good stuff.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

It is a little scary to lift from the bottom of the firewall. The firewall is only attached to the body at the top center at the hood hinge fitting. It could have tilted out.

 

geeze, i hate when i see guys fuckin up a car that good

 

Absolutely correct and ordinarily true. But bear with this body/product I started with.
This body is essentially perfect. Firewall and seal perfect.
And, I have treated this like an archeological dig.
So I drilled three per side 10-32 holes in the cowl rain gutter and sinched the fire wall to the cowl/body with stainless 10-32 Phillips bolts.
Now....perfecto and safe to lift.
Side note...very surprised at how light the body is with trunk lid, glass, doors, interior....we didn't....but four guys could have easily lifted. Used the lift so we could stop and think out what's next and to test fit on highboy frame.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Having made a detailed plan/goal, done the "anal" accounting, preserved all Henry parts, body 9 on a 10, paint is 7 on a 10, interior 9.5 on a 10, built to be driven, left over rolling/running chassis, all excess to good homes... and a 6 month build. I'm three years plus project time to the good, $200k+ to the good if hired out....and I am on target, and at 75, God willing and the Creek don't rise, I'll be looking at the highways and by-ways pretty soon.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Are you going to use the steamroller 50-series tires?

 

The wide tires are going to be hard on the steering when parking.We made the mistake of putting these steam roller tires on a coupe many many years ago and it started to crack the frame near the steering box . They were just too wide and grippy and low with no flex .The only thing that just doesn’t seem to jell with whole super cool image ,just my 2c.

 

What ya see..195-15x65r front, 235- 16x65r rears....at least for now.
Target soft ride and serviceability in timbucktoo.
Wanted ribs and dirts but the dentist wins on that one...

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

You're building an Ardun powered straight axle early Ford and you are worried about getting service at a local tire shop? Don't let that be an excuse.

 

Damn, can't slip nuthin by you....

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I did the same on my coupe, only because I didn’t know how they were supposed to be fitted. I believe it will add to the overall strength and rigidity of the body.

 

This has to be one of the coolest photos I’ve seen recently !

 

The four guys from the local AACA Model A club have to be the nicest guys on the planet. Considerate to understand and appreciate my timeline and goal as well as the intent of preservation. True pleasure having them participate.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app