MikeC5

Yes, any top post 12V battery should work. The box is large so no need to skimp on battery size. You may want to check what polarity it is running now (is positive post going to ground or not)

Hi Don, I can't remember if I made any adjustment after installing the box back on the car. It can be done though. I am sure I adjusted it on the bench though. Before you remove the box from the car, use a punch or the like and put a dimple mark on the end of the sector shaft where the drag link arm bolts on and a corresponding dimple on the drag like arm (so you mark the current position of the drag link arm on the sector shaft end before taking it apart). The other thing to do, with wheels off the ground is steer full left & right and note how much of an angle the drag link arm changes relative to wheels straight ahead. You may also want to try and note the angle of the drag link arm at straight ahead wheels position relative to the steering box itself and the clamp position that connects to the steering column shaft to the box (if you want to preserve the current position of the camp and steering wheel). This information may come in handy if, after getting things apart and cleaned up, you decide to rotate the sector gear to take advantage of less worn gear area (the bonus of having a full circle sector gear). If you do this, you most likely will want to rotate the sector gear by 180 degrees from it's original position so that the full range of steering motion uses the 'new' sector gear teeth. In other words, you don't want one portion of the steering range on 'new' teeth and the other portion on worn teeth. Once you get the box back together and add lube (or at least smear grease on the moving parts), you can experiment with the sector gear adjustment by rotating the eccentric bushing as described in previous post. Bolt the drag link arm on so you can easily see and feel small movements. Rotate the steering shaft clamp (worm gear) by hand CW and CCW. Feel for backlash when you reverse direction (a dead spot where the drag link arm doesn't move). Tighten the adjustment until the backlash goes away but be sure and rotate the steering through the full range of left to right (using the angles you recorded). See if the resistance to turning changes as you go through the full range. You may find you have to back off the adjustment a notch (castellation on eccentric bushing) to prevent binding at the expense of a little backlash. You may be able to take a file to restore some semblance of flats on your eccentric bushing. You may then also need to come up with a custom wrench to get between the drag link arm and frame of the car once the box is reinstalled on the car (an adjustable wrench is a bit too thick) since you may end up with a somewhat smaller distance between the flats if you file to repair the damage. I believe there is a DB tool that was originally part of the tool kit that came with the car to make the adjustment. I'm not an expert at this but this procedure seems to have worked well for me. I have also installed new tie rod pins & bushings, new spring bushings and shackle bolts and have very little slop (backlash) in the steering (I estimate it at less than 1/4 inch at OD of steering wheel)

Yea I would say that's a pretty excessive leak. Replacement packing material is cheap and well worth a try. When I rebuilt my water pump, I installed oil seals that fit and have no leakage now. I can dig up the part number for them and you can order them on-line from many places. But you have to take the pump apart to install them and will most likely put a new shaft in at the same time. I don't know what type of fuse they're called but I do know that they were used up into the 60's, at least (I had a '67 Mustang that used the type). Someone on the forum should know what to ask for and I would think a well stocked auto parts store with people behind the counter who actually know their business should be able to supply them (I would try Napa).

Probably repacking the water pumps seals is the best short term solution and you don't need to remove the pump to do this. When the driving season ends and you pull the pump off, it's a good bet that the shaft will need replacement. Somewhere along the line of ownership some one probably over-tightened the gland nuts which ends up with grooves worn into the shafts from the packing. New shafts are readily available but it isn't a job you want to rush (a good winter project). I'll bet Myers could dig up a good replacement fuse clip for you.

Adjustment is very straightforward. The long brass eccentric bushing is used to adjust the sector gear closer to/farther from the worm gear by rotating it CW or CCW . The castellations are used to lock it in place. It will be obvious how it works once you get it cleaned up, open the side cover.and then remove the adjustment pin lock & cover plate (see photo). You can then put a wrench on the flats at the protruding end of eccentric bushing and rotate it CW/CCW and see the sector gear move towards/away from worm. Sorry I didn't take a photo of this before I installed it on the car... It will be obvious how it works once you get it apart.

Great stuff!

I'm not sure what is available in terms of bushings or thrust bearings. I was lucky that mine didn't need replacement. I would start with Myers and Romar in looking for good used parts or once in a while I've seen a steering box on Fleabay.

And not a spec of rust!

These are good tips! Thanks guys.

I noticed a problem with the search function too. I was trying to find a post I made a few years ago on "steering gearbox" and it was not found. I then dug out the link I had saved and found that the topic/post still existed. I was also trying to find some info on Gemmer steering boxes that I'm sure was posted in the DB forum but no luck....

I believe the Brothers themselves made them at this time. I think it was 1927 when they went to Gemmer boxes. This link shows some photos when I took my '25 gearbox apart. I haven't seen any info on the meaning of the numbers. https://forums.aaca.org/topic/188689-25-steering-gearbox-teardown/

I saw no evidence of paint on mine.

ply33, that does make sense but I am sure the pre-1926 Dodge Brothers cars were not equipped with shocks from the factory. The springs I'm re-painting had most definitely been lacking lubrication for a good part of their existence based on the wear patterns I see. I understand these areas, near the ends of the leaves, are somewhat thinner than they were originally. However, being near the ends of the spring (rather than near the axle loading point), I think the bending stress is much lower near the ends. In order to prevent spring bind in these wear pockets, I have ground down the wear ridge formed so the sliding leaf above (or below) will not 'bottom out' in the wear ridge. I have also filed a small radius on the ends of the springs to avoid this from happening. As for lubrication, there is no doubt it will slow this wear process down but, as you say, it will change the coefficient of friction between the leaves which may or may not have a detrimental affect on damping/handling. If I find this negatively impacts either, I always have the option of taking the springs back off and cleaning off the oil...

Thanks Tom. I did miss that in the MIM. Oil it is.

Yea that huge header tank should be a giveaway.