Who's running stock steering boxes in their 33/34 Fords?

If yes, what motor you running? Just curious how you like how it steers. Also, was the box rebuilt? I'm less interested in "it drives crappy, but the box needs rebuilding" responses.

I'm going this direction, but I wanted to poll the users for feedback on their set up. Vega steering is out, so don't even go there

 

When I first built my 34 coupe in the 70's, I ran a rebuilt stock box - stock drag link, dropped axle and all that jazz. I ran a 286 cube flatty - with and without a blower, 39 trans, etc.. I had a fairly small Grant steering wheel (about 12" or so). I can't say that I liked the way it steered -- pretty stiff all around, but workable. In my current rebuild of the car, I'm switching over to a Vega style - as there is absolutely no room for a stock box and the 392 Hemi and I have a LOT more front end weight with the blown elephant up there.

Hope this helps!

Dale

 

Yes, that helps, thanks Dale. My wheel will be a lot bigger, so that should help. 12"!!! man that's tiny for a manual steering set up.

 

i am-was anyway.
nice low mile (never apart) original box under my full fendered 34 pickup with sbc.

the truck drove GREAT! NO complaints at all buzzin around town or driving any 2 or 4 lane under 65 mph. one thumb on the wheel very relaxed & comfortable at 60-65 & straight as an arrow down the road. (ask anyone that followed me i had many comments on how straight down the road it went)
(no bump steer. the front was set up nice with split bones. 7 degrees on the axle.)

sitting still or crawling it turned way to hard & once over the 65 or so mph it was toooo quick of steering. i was then "alert" at 70 mph on up.
i blame this on the short pitman arm i was running.

as of a couple of months ago i replaced it with a 56 f100 box havent driven it yet.
>>>>> i do however wonder WHY THE FUK i ever took that box off??!!
i really dont know?? i HOPE its as good or better.
i was putting 1000 miles a month on the truck.

------- i should also add i am runnin BRAND NEW original torque thrusts & brand new radial tires. everything under the front was new & aligned excellent!

 

I had a '33 Sedan with stock box.
Flathead V8

Easy to steer and no Problems around 100 mph..... 75mph was normal highway speed

I wouldnt use anything else unless space is a problem.

I use a stock box in my '32, too.
Michael

 

I have had T's, A's, and Deuces with stock boxes...'34 steering was a step up in my '32 frame w/'27 hiboy body. I did go to a '56 F100 box that I trimmed down the flange, and bolted it into the '32 rails. (Chrysler hemi) The box was converted to needle-bearing secter, (no bushings) and steered great, even at slow 10 mph speeds. 9 degrees positive caster, 1 degree positive camber. Like night and day!

 

Thank Micky and Mike. I was originally going to go with a F100 boxy too, but I want to try this out and see if it will work.

 

Well, there were plenty of little old ladies wheeling those cars around when they were new, the cars not the ladies. Ford actually promoted the 3W Coupes as Ladies Cars, old or young.
What makes steering hard on pre-35 Fords? Worn-out unadjusted boxes, wide front tires, too little air pressure in front tires, poor alignment, bad(out of round) steering balls on spindle arms and pitman arms, spring-loaded tie rod ends without grease and worn out parts, lack of lubrication on a timely schedule.

 

Understood pasadena, but our hot rods have a little more HP and if a bigger mill, often times more weight. That's why I asked what mill people were running. But you're right about worn out parts.

 

There's a guy in OK who has a quick ratio conversion for the stock 1933/34 steering box - spendy though at $550. He says it makes the car feel as if it has power steering - 17:1 ratio. If I can find his info I'll post it.

 

you might consider using a `37 hudson box. same configuration as a `33 &`34 box [worm on top of sector], but the hudson box uses a roller sector [less steering effort]. some modification is required, mounting flange needs to be changed and the O.D. on the stub for the mast jacket needs to be turned down.
edit; should have added that the hudson box was manufactured by gemmer [ also made ford boxes] so internal parts are shared with `37 -`48 ford boxes.

 

That would be a SLOW ratio conversion, actually! I believe the Hudson box is same generation Gemmer as '37-48 type Ford, but configured just right for early Ford use.
Don't think there are any significantly shorter early Ford pitmen to ease effort on '34, but I seem to remember the '49 arm is pretty short. Anybody got one to measure?
An issue seems to be the lack of good gears; the early Ford steering guru says the available Argentine cogs lack proper center configuration, don't mesh well, and about 10 other things. I've never used them, but it can be a struggle to find originals to refit and readjust. Many have been run dry or with grease instead of oil and destroyed. If the guy with the ratio conversion is making gears that are actually right, that adds a bunch of value right there!
There is a good website on '31 type Gemmers with instructions on refitting slightly worn gears before readjustment.

 

Just what are the ratios of original Ford steering boxes anyway?
The later Ford Falcon/Mustang/Comet/Maverick boxes have a 21:1 manual gear and a 16:1 quick/power gear.

 

The early box was 13:1 '32-3, 15:1 '33-4. I think the '35-6 (two different) versions of this setup stayed at 15.
I think '37-48 was 17:1...but book I have here says 18.2...that may be overall ratio and not box ratio??
There are two ratios: Box ratio is degrees of turn of steering shaft to degrees at pitman shaft, overall is steering shaft degrees vs. degrees of steer at the wheel. Ratio can be slowed for ease or speeded up for response in a number of ways at spindle arms or pitman. Easiest is often to find a different length pitman arm.
I think Model A's were 10:1, and T's were 3:1...sneeze while driving a T and you can find yourself suddenly going north instead of south...

 

My '34 Tudor uses a refreshed original box with 15:1 ratio. I say refreshed, as I used new bearings, but good used worm and sector from another box. It steers nice, albeit a bit heavy at low speed, using an original wheel, but does have the 'Argentine syndrome' as mentioned by Bruce - it isn't centred correctly but as it is RHD I couldn't find any fresh parts at the time.

I think Mart used the Hudson box on his Old Rusty build - you may find more on that if you search back far enough.

 

Some really good info. guys, thanks. I think I can live with a little heavy steering at slow speeds. Can't be worse than my '71 F-250 4x4 with 33x12.50 off road tires! I got used to driving that. By comparison, my '61 F100 with a stock box is like driving with power steering. I was mostly concerned with durability. I'll be running an Olds 324 mildly warmed over.

 

I ran a worn out original in my '34 Tudor a few years back. Had done royal kingpin conversion (helped a little) and a bearing in the upper mast (helped a little more) - all in all it wasn't too bad, but if I'd have kept it, I'd have converted an F1 box to use...