1934 plymouth sedan steering gear

I need to rebuild the steering gear on my sedan finally. Starting to get alot of play going straight down the road and from what I can tell there is no more adjustment I can get from it. Indropped the pitman arm and took the oil oil cover off steering tube along with the collar bolt and loosened column from dash. Problem is I have never taken the gear off the steering tube before. How do you take the gear assembly off inside the car?

Made some progress tonight. Pulled the wheel off by wrapping my large bearing seperator in a rag. Worked well. Pulled the key out and slid the column up and out. Next step is removing the box itself. I have a feeling a new worm and sector shaft will be needed. Anyone know of where to get those?

If I read the parts book correctly that should have a worm and roller assembly, serviced under one part number 620762 for PE and PF (my book is too old to have PG in it which may well have had a different number). PartsVoice lists a couple of vendors that claim to have that.

If you don't already have them, I'd strongly suggest getting the factory service manual and parts book for your car. It will make things like this much, much easier. Wouldn't have been too surprised to find that most of your steering play was in worn suspension components (king pins, independent front suspension bushings, tie rod ends, drag link ends, etc.) rather than the steering box but since you've gone into it you might as well finish it.

Thanks ply33. I have redone the suspension the other year and I have about 4 inches or so of steering wheel play before the pitman even moves. You can actually push the wheel and watch it bounce back and forth. I have a factory maintenance book for the 34-35 dodge pickups and that has a diagram of the assembly and how to adjust but that is it. Is this the book you recommend for the factory service manual? Thanks.

The one I have a photo copy of is titled "Plymouth Maintenance Manual * First Edition January, 1934" it is early enough that it does not cover the PG model that came out later in 1934. I suspect that Faxon and others would be reprinting a later edition that would cover the PG too but I haven't checked.

Please excuse me for jumping to the thought that you had not looked into and repaired the rest of the front end first.

Thanks for the help. NOSMOPAR has that part number in stock that you listed. I will look into finding that one. I do have a PE model.

got it all apart and this is what I found. I think I may need another worm gear. I believe its part #626513. What does the end plays get set too and is there a place to get a shim pack from? Thanks.

Got the maintanence manual in the mail today and it doesnt give any specs for end play. Just says to remove shims. Is there a number to shoot for or just go by feel?

Got the maintanence manual in the mail today and it doesnt give any specs for end play. Just says to remove shims. Is there a number to shoot for or just go by feel?

The only reference to adding or removing shims I see in my preliminary edition of the '34 service manual has to do with adjusting the mesh between the roller and the worm which is the last adjustment to do.

Automatic adjustment for end play of the steering worm is provided by means of spring washers (45) at the lower end of the lower worm bearing cup. This spring is held in place by the lower cover of the steering gear housing.

If at any time, excessive end plane in the main steering tube develops, the lower housing cover should be removed and the spring washers checked to see if they are broken or have lost their tension. Faulty spring washers should be replaced. When replacing the spring washers, the shims between the cover and the housing should be replaced as they were originally assembled, because they are not provided for adjustment of the worm bearings, once they are set at the factory.

So the play along the length of the steering shaft is set by spring washers, not shims.

Before checking for end-play in the trunnion shaft (16), be sure the steering gear housing cover nuts are tight. Turn the steer in wheel to its extreme position one way then back 1/8 of a turn.

In this position, the gear will have backlash so that the end of the pitman arm (62) can be move through a small arc. It should be possible to move the pitman arm through this arc with practically no feeling of friction, they there should be no play parallel to the trunnion shaft. If end-play exists, turn the adjusting screw (9) in until there is a slight drag when moving the pitman arm, then back off the adjustment slightly till the trunnion shaft is free. Be sure to tighten the lock nut (10) after completing the adjustment.

So the vertical play on the trunnion shaft that the pitman arm attaches to is set by a screw.

Note that the two above items, if off will allow the steering shaft and or pitman shaft to move before the steering takes effect so they need to be correct before the lash between the roller and the worm is done. Only if they are correct and you have too much slop in the steering do you need to do more.

Adjustment is provided for mesh of the roller tooth with the steering worm by means of shims (13). This adjustment should not be disturbed unless the back lash at the steering wheel in the mid-center position, is more than 1" (25.4 mm.) before the from wheels are turned.

To adjust for mesh of the roller tooth and worm, it will be necessary to remove or install all shims which are available either 0.010" (.254 mm.) or 0.30" (.762 mm.) thick. To install these shims (13) it is necessary to remove the pitman a rem, the steering gear housing cover and the trunnion shaft.

So your goal is to get the steering wheel to have less than 1" play when in the centered position.

Thanks ply33. The book I got from faxon says to remove shims for worm play and the service standard section will have specs but none is listed. I will show you what it says when I get out for some pictures. I bought a new worm and steering tube because you can see mine is worn through the case hardening. On the worm, there is a thrust washer and thin shim on each side of the tapered bearings. I wonder if someone took the spring washer out at one time. It was modified because it is full of red wheel bearing grease. I would think more of a semi fluid type is needed to keep those parts properly lubricated. I will take some pictures then.

Picked up another worm setup and its 1" longer then the one i am replacing so I am not sure what I am going to do with that. Looking at how it was installed there was 2 shims installed between the one spring washer, lower end of worm and cover plate. The shims are the same ones used on the trunnion shaft. Between the upper bearing and top of worm there was another, smaller in diameter, thrust washer that fit inside the bearing cage and you can see where the rollers where rubbing it. That doesnt belong from what I can tell. I think I need new spring washer set and I wonder if the shims need to be removed since they are not between the cover and housing.

I would like to find a different service book too since most of what you wrote there is not in the one I bought either.

I'll do some searching to see if we have the repair book for the 34 PLY.

Anyone know of a source that might have the worm and tube and correct spring washers. I have a 626513 worm and tube but that seems to be 1 inch too long. Maybe I should find a donor box that wasnt messed with like this one was.

Looks like a 620768 is what it needs. The 626513 is also for a 34 pe but not in my vin number range. Looks like some of the dodge kc/kcl's also use the 620768.

If you can't find the correct parts we may be able to repair your original worm and sector. You would have to send the whole gear in for rebuild. If we can't fix yours we may be able to find another core to get the correct pieces out of. PM me if your interested.