[AT] grease in steering gearbox

Roger Welsch captneb at micrord.com
Thu Jun 9 05:45:04 PDT 2005


Welch plug?  Has my fame spread?  Word of my recent health problems?  What
is a Welch plug?  And please, no smart remarks.....


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Britton" <c.britton at worldnet.att.net>
To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 7:11 AM
Subject: [AT] grease in steering gearbox


> >I would think that it would easier just to replace the seals, most  seals
> >can
> >be found at your local Bearing and seal store.  I just replaced  the
seals
> >on
>
> I'm going to guess you don't work on ford steering boxes too often..
nothing
> easy
> about the ordeal at all.  First.. there are 2 style boxes on the 8n, early
> and late.
> In either case.. the seal doesn't go bad due to a bearing.. but rather a
> bushing.
> R&R procedure is to remove the grill, remove the headlamps, remove the
fuel
> line,
> drain gas tank... remove steering wheel, remove hood and integral gas
> tank... This
> is a tad bulky as the hood, doglegs and gastank and tank frame come off as
a
> unit..
> block and tackle is helpfull, or a few friends.. as the hood has to come
> more or less
> straight up due to the radiator clearance between the hood and the gas
tank.
> Next is battery, battery box .  Then you pull all the instrumentation,
tach
> cable, oil line,
> oil gauge, remove wires to the ammeter, voltage regulator wire
> terminal/ignition reesistor,
> ignition switch.. etc.  Next you pull the dash cowling.
> After al this, the steering box is visible... to pull the sector seals you
> have to pull the draglink
> arms from the sectors.. usually not easy.. they never pop right off even
> with a 3-jaw puller
>  then remove the top of the box and the side covers, then you pull the
> sectors, and the wormshaft
> and ballnut.
>
> At this point you then remove the box from the chassie, and hammer out a
> welch plug int he bottom
> so that you can snatch the lower thrust bearing race.  Also have to snatch
> the top thrust bearing race from
> the box cover... it's usually easier to simply weld a bead around the face
> of the race and let it draw and
> fall out.. then tap new races in using a socket or seat tool.
>
> Now, on the old style box, there is no real sector backlash adjustment, so
> you use the sector side covers as the backlash adjustment, as they are not
> perfectly round.. but are eccentric.. so as you turn them in the housing,
> you can try to find a more snug spot on the sector bushings.  if all the
> adjustment is gone, you have to drive out the bushings , size new ones,
and
> then reinstall.. at the same time you change the worn seals.  On the new
> style boxes the bushings are a tad less important with the adjustable
> sectors... however it is good measure to remove/size/install new bushings
> and seals anyway.
> Clean sump, and reassemble box.  The leading sector has a master tooth and
> must be mated correctly with the ballnut and trailing sector or the
steering
> will be off.  With new races and bearings, you have to set the preload by
> using metal shim/gaskets between the box cover and the box.  There is also
a
> bearing at the top of the steering tube.. usually good measure to r&r that
> as well.  Refill, and then reassemble tractor in reverse order.
>
> Parts wise.. if your sectors are bad, or if the ballnut/wormshaft is bad..
> it's usually cheaper to buy a complete box from a salvage yard..  The
> wormshaft/ballnut assembly alone is a couple hundred bucks..   I've seen
> boxes complete go between 250 and 450.
> The issue is with the sector shaft.  If the shaft seal diamaters are
worn..
> and they usually are.. due to the leaky seal... then you replace them..
that
> gets spendy real fast.  It doesn't take too much wear to still have an oil
> leak after a rebuild.. that's why the cornhead grease works so good.  it's
> actually designed for gearboxes, and is made to flow back into the sump
and
> is very sticky.
>
> Again.. it's not an easy to get to deal as with a cub, wher ethe box is
> setting out to the right of the tractor.
>
> >my Old Sun-Master rotary mower took 1 day to get them at Napa. Now  I
don't
> >have any leaks so I won't be worrying about the thing going dry and
wiping
> >out
> >an expensive gear box.
>
> We've found that grease is very acceptable.  Many of us have N's with
grease
> filled boxes that are going on decades old... that's not too bad for an
> otherwise worn out part.
>
> >Like I keep saying, short cuts in  mechanical work can only get you in
> >trouble later on.
>
> Later on..Yep.. like 10 or 20 or 30 years...  I'll take those numbers...
> Considering that the grease costs about 6 bucks, and gets you years to
> decades down the road in about 20 minutes.  As with anything.. it's a
> cost/benefit.  you have to run the numbers.
> You have to take into consideration use and condition of the tractor.  If
> it's the machine that you drive a couple times a year to do this or that
> around the hunting camp.. it's hard to justify 200-500$ in parts, and a
> couple full days labor, and a few specialized tools, or some machine work
> costs to get it to a point that 6$ and 20 minutes of grease will.  Yes..
> it's a pay me now.. or pay me later... but inthis case.. the pay me later
is
> no more expensive than the pay me now price.  Whereas in general.. pay me
> now/later problems get more expensive as time goes on.  Once your steering
> box parts are worn enough to leak.. especially the early ones.. it's
pretty
> much a swap out or 100% new parts... so the pay me later issue is moot..
> costs the same now or later.. and 6$ of grease can make later years and
> years away without any other detriment to the system.
>
> Soundguy
>
>
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