1930 president FE sector shaft

[tgarrison]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know where I can source a good sector shaft or complete

known good used steering box? Or any ideas how to update the one I have.

When did they start using a bearing instead of the pin that wears?

Thanks for looking.

[Gary_Ash]

Alas, your car is one year too early for the steering box with the bearing!  So, you'll need a box from a Model 80, 90, 91, or 92 (1931-33).  The FE/FH cars and the later ones used the same Pitman arm, so maybe it's a bolt-in replacement, though the reach rods have different part numbers.  Talk to Rex Miltenberger (Studerex on this forum) about a later box; he is likely to have one.  

 

Here is a link to my efforts on an FE/FH box.  I wound up using a lever arm from another box with less pin wear.  

 

[tgarrison]

Thanks for the reply Gary. I will contact Rex. I believe we have

his info on file. 

[Buffalowed Bill]

I may be totally incorrect, but I really don't think so. I own a 1931 80R President Four Season Roadster and formerly owned two 1933 and a 1934 Pierce Arrow. As I recall all four cars used the same or similar Ross steering box. Whether they were identical or just similar I really can't say. Obviously if the box isn't the same it wouldn't make any difference if the Pitman arm is different. I know that PA used a Gemmer box during the first years after Studebaker bought the company. I believe that they changed to the Ross box about 1931. A short time spent looking through an old Hollander interchange manual could also broaden your search.

 

If it turns out that the PA box is a direct match you need to contact John Cislak in Ma. He and his brother in law run a thriving business selling used and repop PA parts.

Classic Auto Restoration

33Briggs St.

Indian Orchard, Ma. 01151

413 543 9017

 

I'm sure that Gary, Rex or someone else will correct anything that I got wrong.  

[studerex]

I have more but this is one I rebuilt for one of my cars and did not use.

[Gary_Ash]

Here are the drawings from the 1929-40 parts catalog.  The 1929-30 steering boxes had a fixed single pin to ride in the worm.  From 1931 on, there were bearings to follow the worm.  The later boxes also had an adjustment screw to take up any looseness in the cam lever arm while the earlier boxes were adjusted by removing shims from the back cover -very tedious. 

 

Also be aware that FE and FH cars had different housings and steering post jackets, as well as other parts.  Was one longer than the other? My FE steering box housing had the casting number 222982.

 

Steering box for 1929-30.

 

Steering box for 1931 and later.  Mounting flange may have changed from year to year.