TR2/3/3A TR3 Steering Box Rebuild Service?

[newmexTR3]

Hey Guys,

Who else besides Macy's Garage offers a rebuild service or even rebuilt ones for sale? I have the 3A split column box.


Cheers,
Gavin

 

[Don Elliott]

I have just re-built the original steering box that came with my 1958 TR3A. It has 180,000 miles on it. I removed the valance and steering wheel then I took out the entire steering column with the box because I have the early one-piece steering column. Yous would be simpler with the two-piece steering column.

I used the pitman arm puller that "moseso" sent me from Wisconsin and it worked fine. That's one strong puller Moses. Then I rotated the tapered peg 90 degrees to the faces where it was not worn. I used a big 6-ton hydraulic press to push it out and to put it back in again. A new tapered peg costs about $20.00. Everything else was in good order. But I followed Randall's advice and checked the end play. It measured 0.006" with a dial indicator on a magnetic base. So I removed two shims (0.0025" thick each) and now I have 0.001" end play which is what is recommended. I put it all back in yesterday and when I move the steering wheel 1/8" one way or the other, I can see the ends of the tie-rods move ever so slightly. I have no slop in it for the first time in 40 or 45 years.

Before this , I would move the steering wheel 1" either way before I could see either of the tie-rods start to move.

If you have a place to work on it, you can do it yourself providing that the worm is not chipped or otherwise damaged. If you pull off the top cover and look inside you could see if the worm is worn or chipped. I can put you on the list for the "Forum" puller that Moses sent me, on condition that I pass it on when someone else on this forum needs it. It's gone to Adrio in Ottawa now and he plans to use it next month.

 

[Moseso]

Hurray, Don!

It's not hard to do it yourself, Gavin. There are several threads full of advice, which you search for on this forum. Plus, if you stay in touch with Don & Adrio, they'll send you the puller needed to get the thing apart. I got it from Tinkerman -- and a great tradition was born!

 

[TR3driver]

So I removed two shims (0.0025" thick each) and now I have 0.001" end play which is what is recommended.

Where does it say that, Don? My factory workshop manual says "While a slight amount of pre-load is permissible, in no circumstances must there be any end float."

 

[newmexTR3]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm more of a mind to just buy one and send mine back as a core. Reason being that when I bought the car many years ago it had no stator tube and I didn't realize one was necessary until this year. So basically it's been running dry for a number of years, leading me to believe that the worm gear could have some serious issues.

Second, while I don't drive every day, it is my only car and I have limited access to a space where I can tear it down and leave it for a few days, as I live in Brooklyn...

I do most everything myself, but on this one I'm willing to bite the bullet and just want to compare prices.

 

[Twosheds]

There is more work involved in removing and replacing the steering unit than there is in rebuilding the unit. You have to R&R it whether you send it out or rebuild it yourself, so you might as well rebuild it. It's not hard to do, just kind of "fiddly".

 

[newmexTR3]

Meh. You guys are killing me with the peer pressure to do it myself!

What do I look for if I inspect the worm gear? Chips are obvious, how does one tell what is usable vs. unusable wear?

 

[TR3driver]

Also worth noting that the shims are not necessarily all the same thickness. Mine has several steel shims that ISTR are .010", plus a couple of brass ones that are probably the .0025" that Don mentions.

Does take some special tools, but the puller is the main thing. If you don't have access to a press (try asking at your FLAPS), you can drive the peg out with a BFH & punch (use a big nut or suitable socket as a support).

A little shopping around should produce a usable dial indicator and base for under $30, which is likely less than it would cost you to ship the box to someone. For example, here's a
dial indicator and base from Enco for about $26 plus S&H. Or here's one on eBay for $29 with shipping.

But I think you could make do without the dial indicator by doing a trial assembly without any shims, tightening the bolts just finger tight and adjusting until the gap is even all around; then install shims equal to the measured gap. For some reason that never occured to me until after I bought the indicator ... but I'm glad I did.

 

[Don Elliott]

Randall - I was going on my memory based on what I "thought" you had written earlier. I never found it written in any book. Thank you for reminding me.

If I removed one more shim it would have been a steel shim 0.010" thick and I couldn't leave it that tight, or else I'd have to buy more thin brass shims 0.0025" thick, then I would have more tightness than "slight", so I left it "loose" by 0.001". I am pleased with what seems to be a huge improvement, but it'll be a month before I can test it on the road. The snow is starting to melt here.

 

[TR3driver]

What do I look for if I inspect the worm gear? Chips are obvious, how does one tell what is usable vs. unusable wear?

For a simple go/no-go test, see if you can find the tight spot in the center when adjusting the peg. Mine was worn badly enough that there was not a single tight spot, but rather two of them on either side of center. So I did get some play even after the rebuild, but IMO it wasn't too objectionable (and it still steered a whole LOT better than before).

FWIW, I also had a lot of chips at the edge of the worm, apparently due to improper adjustment before or perhaps from the badly worn peg. But the new peg didn't touch them, so I left it that way.

 

[TruCraft]

There is more work involved in removing and replacing the steering unit than there is in rebuilding the unit. You have to R&R it whether you send it out or rebuild it yourself, so you might as well rebuild it. It's not hard to do, just kind of "fiddly".

I agree!
Just did my TR3.
If the bushing is OK, then it is real easy.
Plus, by doing it myself it kept me out of the bars, off the couch, saved money.......
Lyle