[Roadsters] Steering control box

[Gary and Cindy Ault]

Bill,

Sounds like you have an early box (Type"A").  The bearings you mention
are not real expensive, but the worm gear is very expensive, if it needs to be
replaced.  Those bearings, in at least one steering box configuration, are
intended to be loose, which is a good reason to not let the roller peg slip
out of the roller when taking the box apart.

I was not able to remove the
early box from my '67-1/2 with the Pittman arm in place.  I turned the thing
every which way, but could not find an angle which would let me get it out. 
(I have been told it is possible, but I couldn't do it.)  So, I bolted the box
back up, and used a link separator, a.k.a. "pickle fork", along with a 48
ounce hammer to get the arm off the steering box shaft.  I thought it wouldn't
come off at all, so, accompanied with language appropriate to the
circumstances, I let the fork have it with a real good blow.  Off it came.  I
have a couple of gear pullers, but could not get a good purchase on the arm
with the box in the car.  Maybe a Pittman arm puller has arms better suited to
Pittman arms.  I could have gone out and bought another puller, but decided to
try the link separator instead.

Couldn't get the box out of the car with the
amr in place, and couldn't get the arm off with any of my pullers.  Sort of a
Catch 22 situation.

I replaced the original box with a used unit which has
very smooth travel throughout the range of motion, and no on-center clearance
issues.  Been happy with the substitution.

I understand that a couple of
minor frame modifications are needed to fit a late recirculating ball Type "B"
box to an early car.

Gary


________________________________
From: Bill Oakes
<boakes at gmail.com>
To: datsun-roadsters at autox.team.net
Sent: Tuesday,
September 8, 2009 9:24:21 AM
Subject: [Roadsters] Steering control box
Another one step forward and two steps back on the roadster project.

I was
really excited about putting the last of the suspension back
together, putting
on hubs, brakes and wheels and putting it back down
on the ground, but
then....steering control box started binding up.
Then it completely failed,
not turning at all. I took it apart and the
little roller bearings holding in
the tab the goes into the worm
bearing (sorry for slaughtering the correct
terms there) fell out in
my hand.

Instead of rebuilding everything, I got in
touch with other local
roadster guy Matt, who had a box from a '69 that looked
like it would
fit.

You guessed it. I wrestled it for quite a while and it
looks like I'd
have to grind a small notch in the body/frame to get it in
there.

Am I right? Has anyone attempted the same thing?

Or, how
hard/expensive is it to rebuild the original box?

thanks
-bill

'68 2000
Solex
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