MTFCA Forum

Hi folks,

Just got my '25 Roadster up and running, but I have a steering issue that I can't figure out. I've looked in the T-1 manual and searched the forum with no luck - would appreciate some assistance from the team.

With the front end raised, wheels straight, I can only get a quarter turn to the right on the steering wheel before lock. To the left, I get a good three-quarters of a turn before lock. On my one trip around the block, the wheels turn well to the left, but my ability to make right turns is limited. There is no binding in the front end. I suspect some adjustment is needed in the steering gears and/or steering shaft.

BTW, the front end is aligned, caster, camber, and toe-in are good. All front end bushings and have been replaced - the front end is properly tight. I pulled the steering shaft thinking a solution would appear, but nope.

So, I'm stumped and will appreciate you smart fellers' suggestions.

John

If your wheels move through a normal range with the pitman arm disconnected the problem must lie in the steering shaft. With the pitman arm disconnected does the steering wheel turn freely? If not it could be binding in the lower bushings but the most likely explanation is some binding between the gears in the quadrant.

I could be whistling out of my patootie but, if I remember correctly, don't the 25s have the "over-center pin" in the gearbox? Thus, if the pitman arm/steering linkage wasn't centered, AND the gearbox was assembled, the over-center pin would stop before full travel of the pitman arm.

I think the problem is in the gearbox.

Check if the Pittman arm is straight down with the wheels straight ahead. If not you could have the wrong length drag link...

If ok, I agree with Terry.

I think the problem is the drag link. There are various options

As Tim said, "Look for binding" in those gears. Another suspect is the longer limiting pin backing out or the timing was out when installed. Meaning once upon a time, someone might of had an issue with a worn out pin hole and reposition the triple gears. Something sure ain't right for sure.

Hope this Helps,

Hank

Hello John,

My guess is the drag link is may be to long, they came in several lengths over the years:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/17 ... 1322077087

I would disconnect the drag link at the pitman arm, center the front wheels, then center the steering wheel and measure the approximate length needed.

I hope this helps.

Terry

Thanks, gents. Most helpful discussion.

With the drag link disconnected, the ball arms travel is limited by the steering gear - more to the right than the left. The problem seems to be there.

John

Thanks, gents. Most helpful discussion.

With the drag link disconnected, the ball arms travel is limited by the steering gear - more to the right than the left. The problem seems to be there.

John

My first thought was maybe the steering box. There are three small gears held in place by three pins. One pin that is longer than the others that works as a steering stop. My guess is that the steering shaft is not lined up with the gears properly or the one long pin is in the wrong place. Just my guess of course but it is, at leased, someplace to look.

Scottio wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 17, 2019 11:51 pm

My first thought was maybe the steering box. There are three small gears held in place by three pins. One pin that is longer than the others that works as a steering stop. My guess is that the steering shaft is not lined up with the gears properly or the one long pin is in the wrong place. Just my guess of course but it is, at leased, someplace to look.

The long pin is indexed to the key slot for the pitman arm. Moving the long pin would put it 60 degrees from the keyway. The slot in the gearbox for '25, I believe, ends about 55 degrees from vertical. That would let the pitman arm move only one direction.

Maybe the gearbox was replaced and installed upside down. The slot for the locking screw would be at the bottom rather than at the top.

Another possible problem is what I found in my car. My gearbox had 4 broken teeth. If one of them fell into the gearbox, the steering would have locked up. I replaced the gearbox.

Remove the drag link from the pitman arm ball. Pull the pitman arm off the steering shaft.

Get in the T and turn the steering wheel to lock one way, and note how the key is aligned.

Now turn it the other way to lock and note location on the shaft of that key .

When you have the steering wheel/shaft at the proper mid-point of wheel travel, the key should be on the back side, center, of the shaft. The key way is indexed to the long 'stop' pinion in the upper end of the steering shaft.

Once you set that, mount the pitman arm over the key. Then place the drag link, should be good working order now.

But, if the steering case cluster was placed upside down, as the groove in the case must be up, when mounted to the steering column, then other issues.

If you don't like how the spider looks on the wheel, pull the wheel and reset it on it's key, for the best wheel position.

Hi folks,

Just to complete this post for the benefit of others...

I found that the problem was a twisted steering shaft when I removed it again for a closer examination. The keyway at the steering arm should be 180 degrees out from the steering stop pin at the other end - it was not, by about 20 degrees. This allowed oversteering to the left and prevented full travel to the right. Oddly, the shaft shows no sign of trauma and is straight. I replaced it with a reproduction shaft and the problem is resolved. I appreciate everyone's' help in figuring this out. Another T is back on the road!

Thanks,

John

Thank you for providing closure on this thread! Glad you found and fixed the problem.

Wow! 20° of twist? You've got to wonder how that happened...

Oldav8tor wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 24, 2019 11:09 am

Wow! 20° of twist? You've got to wonder how that happened...

When superman came to earth he found a model T in the barn to drive to town but someone locked the steering to prevent theft.

Or, people were just a lot stronger back then from the hard work they did every day.

I would have thought the amount of force required to do that would have ripped the screws holding the wheel to the spider right out. It just doesn't compute...

Maybe it wasn't made correctly in the first place? Dave

Thanks for closing the loop on this challenge, John.

Have been following your challenge and it's great to hear of the positive outcome.

Joe