Steering gear warning

I just wanted to post some warning pictures of the damage hammering on the "pitman" arm can do. Also hammering on the drag-link can cause the same damage. Always use the right puller when removing the steering pitman arm or drag-link. This steering shaft came out of one of my 1952 REO M35 trucks. I'm working on a power steering project and needed the housing. I just torched off the pitman arm as I didn't need it, but I could see the evidence of hammer marks on it. After I cleaned up everything I saw this damage to the screw threads on the shaft. You can see the metal has actually cracked and broken off in places. The steering still worked but always had a tight spot. Now I know why. Eventually the broken metal would have come off and could have caused total steering failure. Jamming the sector shaft. Not a good thing to have happen especially if driving down the freeway !

What type metal is that do you think? Interesting color

thats a wear coating/surface treatment

I have a steering box with the column cut off if you need one sent out.

gimpyrobb said:

I have a steering box with the column cut off if you need one sent out.

Click to expand...

I sure could use it ! Thanks Chris.

This thread is good "sticky" material.

gimpyrobb said:

I have a steering box with the column cut off if you need one sent out.

Click to expand...

I have an entire steering system in Ft. Lauderdale for you.
It is just about as far away from you as one can get in the USA.

It is here if you need it.

Thanks for the warning.

I am now in this process, see the last three posts of this thread. Still did not get the Pittman arm off. However, the box is finally free (loosened the drag link instead) and will be going to inspect the gear once we have it inside the shop very carefully.

Below a first pic of how the cam looks and details of some of the debris that was inside the gearbox. At first view, your cam looks much better without the wear on the edges like mine has.

Robo McDuff said:

Thanks for the warning.

I am now in this process, see the last three posts of this thread. Still did not get the Pittman arm off. However, the box is finally free (loosened the drag link instead) and will be going to inspect the gear once we have it inside the shop very carefully.

Below a first pic of how the cam looks and details of some of the debris that was inside the gearbox. At first view, your cam looks much better without the wear on the edges like mine has.

View attachment 706982 View attachment 706981

Click to expand...

That cam gear is totaled ! I'm sure your whole steering gear is shot then. Try and find a good used one.

rustystud said:

That cam gear is totaled ! I'm sure your whole steering gear is shot then. Try and find a good used one.

Click to expand...

Easier said than done. The nearest scrapyard is more than 600 miles from here. They are looking for a used set for me, but at most they maybe have a used old Ross HP70, not the newer M809 series. I talked with Dave from Easternsurplus, but shipping costs alone from the USA to the Czech Republic would be somewhere between $ 700 to $ 1500 (over 200 lbs) for the set, regardless if new or used.

Have to find an M39 or M809 series wreck here somewhere in Central Europe. Or build something completely new.

Robo McDuff said:

Easier said than done. The nearest scrapyard is more than 600 miles from here. They are looking for a used set for me, but at most they maybe have a used old Ross HP70, not the newer M809 series. I talked with Dave from Easternsurplus, but shipping costs alone from the USA to the Czech Republic would be somewhere between $ 700 to $ 1500 (over 200 lbs) for the set, regardless if new or used.

Have to find an M39 or M809 series wreck here somewhere in Central Europe. Or build something completely new.

Click to expand...

Well that totally sucks !
I remember someone who lives in Europe once mention a huge U.S. military surplus yard in Denmark ? I believe. He said they are well known there. Might be worth a try.

this one it is
https://www.reomie.com/

I thought it would be this one, but am checking with some Danish to see if we missed something. Reomie actually is in the Netherlands. The octogenarian owner is doing US trucks, his older brother in the north of the Netherlands is doing the more modern NATO Dutch and German trucks.

Perhaps and just maybe I should change my avatar
but no place else to put this.........................

Recirculating ball versus rack+ pinion
.............and how fast can you go

Spent my whole life surviving so for me anything over 50 is pushing it
in 7 ton ......
For others, .................
Holy Toledo
10 ton at 1000mph
Some test pilots have ejection seats, not all

Bloodhound


http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39847472

http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/project/car/controls/steering

Rustystud, gearbox is out and I found the big problem.


Frank8003, nice articles. See also this a bit older video on steering

Robo McDuff said:

Rustystud, gearbox is out and I found the big problem.


Frank8003, nice articles. See also this a bit older video on steering

Click to expand...

Looks like you ran out of oil causing wear. You then tightened the sector shaft causing even more extreme wear.

Answered in the other thread on my steering problems, to keep that problem and its solutions in one thread.