steering box rebuild or replace

[Hoghead]

I am going to fix the sloppy steering while the engine is out and a couple of questions:

Dennis Welsh makes a quicker ratio worm gear. Is this too quick for street use with the stock steering wheel

The big choice is to spend the bucks and buy the complete assembly from Welsh at 1300 Sterling, or just buy the CNC worm gear with peg and all the rebuild parts from Moss. Cost difference is about 1000.00 USD so I am naturally leaning to the rebuild with the Welsh gear and peg.

 

[JAV]

I used the Welsh gear and peg, fit and worked fine.

 

[Hoghead]

standard or quick ratio

Leaning toward the quick ratio but would appreciate some feedback on if this is too quick for street use

 

[Johnny]

Have you tried replacing just the "Peg"? Perhaps replacing the Peg and replacing the bearings in both the box and the idler arm will suffice.

 

[Hoghead]

Idler box and all the other steering parts are new. Steering peg is adjusted to the max.

I have thought of replacing the peg and all the box guts, but not sure that that will cure the problem. I will be a bit annoyed that after all that work it needs to be done again.

The labour component is the same so if I am in to the job for the 300 of parts required to rebuild, the additional 400 for the worm is worth it to me for a guaranteed result.

Now only to stop the box from leaking after this is done!

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Hoghead,
Can't offer any advice on the rebuild but definitely get the Penrite steering box lube from Moss or whoever might carry it. Had the same issue with a BN6 and the Penrite oil - more like molasses - worked great. Hint- heat it up before you try to get it in the box.
Regards,
Mike

 

[Stretch]

Be sure to check for play between the rocker shaft and the steering box body both at the top and bottom of the shaft. I noticed play at the top of mine where there is no bush and requested the rebuild shop to machine in a bushing. They said it was fine and didn't need this. Now after the rebuild cost including a new D Welsh worm gear/peg and labor to remove and reinstall I still have sloppy steering. A little play in the rocker shaft translates into a lot of play in the steering that can't be adjusted away.

 

[Hoghead]

Thanks fopr the tip on the non-bushed end

I need to order the worm gear and waffling between the quick and standard ratio
Any comments

 

[57_BN4]

Go for the quick ratio and replace your top trunnion bushes with needle rollers.

 

[HealeyPassion]

I used the DWM 5 axis cut shaft ... standard ratio. I like it, don't think I'd want the fast ratio for the street... but I could be wrong, it's heavy enough (but not to heavy) the way it is... as I said, I like it.

Cheers,
Steve
https://stevesaustinhealey.com

 

[Hoghead]

Coincidentily, I have the oilite bushing in front of me looking for a torrington bearing for the top trunnion

Do you know the PN?

1 vote for std and 1 for quick
keep the comments coming as I need to order this now

 

[Bob_Spidell]

BCS has them.

 

[Hoghead]

50 ea. for a simple bearing, is a bit fresh

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Not exactly simple--the bearing is sandwiched between two machined 'cups' (for lack of a better word):

https://tinyurl.com/8jjxmdo

$43.70 Canadian (plus shipping).

 

[Hoghead]

I was thinking of a simple torrington bearing (needle thrust bearing) between hardened washers, so that the bearing takes the place of the stock oilite bushing

Like this:
needle roller thrust bearing

Still looking, but I wish I bought that from AH Spares with the big order just arrived today as that price is reasonable for a pair

 

[Bob_Spidell]

The kits from BCS and AH Spares have a torrington bearing sandwiched in the cups. I think if you just used the bearing it wouldn't stay located in the trunnion. Plus, it wouldn't be nearly thick enough.

 

[Hoghead]

Mty thought was to make up the thickness with hardened washers acting as the race, on each side of the Torrington just like the stock set up. There must be shims in the AHS kit?
Location is by the ID of the bearing and ID of the trunnion cup. I am sure that I can engineer something but at 44 for the kit from the UK why bother

In any case the AH Spares is the ticket and I just wish I saw this a week ago when I did the king pins, and before I started to re-engineer the wheel

As an aside, what about the box ratio

 

[Bob_Spidell]

thickness is made up with the hardened washers on each side of the Torrington just like the stock set up. There must be shims in the AHS kit?
...

The set I got from BCS didn't have shims, and from the photos I doubt the AHS kit does either. I was told by Dave Nock to use the shims used in the front wheel hubs to set preload on the bearings (you can get shims cheaper from places like McMaster-Carr).

 

[Hoghead]

Decided to rebuild and ordered all the parts from Moss.
Now if I only knew about the ratio