Farmall Cub

Hello! it had been a long day without having found a way to fix the free play of my steering (1952 farmall cub)
Where here are some facts>
-i took apart the steering shaft so i could see inside the steering box
-the free play between the steering worm shaft and the steering worm is OK, minimal..
-i adjust the steering worm shaft nut (#27) till it get very hard to turn the steering wheel and the free play it does not go off.
-when i adjust part #7 the steering wheel goes very hard to move, i think because the shaft tighten against the steering box..
So the only place i can think that the free play is coming is from the two steering worm, and i cant find a way to make those get closer...
Thank you very much!

Hey Nicolas!
http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20 ... 0(08-29-52)/Chassis/Page-82.jpg
Part number 8 (gasket) is has to be a certain thickness or it will cause problems. Part number 15 (gear) can be rotated to get to a unused portion of the gear. If things still can't be tightened up, you may need new bushings, part numbers 21 and 16.

RaymondDurban wrote:Hey Nicolas!
http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20 ... 0(08-29-52)/Chassis/Page-82.jpg
Part number 8 (gasket) is has to be a certain thickness or it will cause problems. Part number 15 (gear) can be rotated to get to a unused portion of the gear. If things still can't be tightened up, you may need new bushings, part numbers 21 and 16.

Thanks Raymond!
I did try to understand as i most could the way it work the steering box today.

Gasket #7 is ok, i did tight the shaft cover till the steering shaft had no vertical movement and turn freely, because if i keep tighten it will no turn freely..
The gear #15 i think by random chances is not in the same position as it has been always (ill check anyway that)
Raymond how much is the amount of normal free play? because maybe it will always have some play..
If the freeplay come from horizontal thrust of the gears is anyway to fix it? or i should forget about it..

It depends on just how much free play you are talking about. With everything connected and the tractor rolling, are we talking 1/4" turn on the steering wheel before the tractor turns or more? Does the pitman arm (23) move up and down when you turn the wheel? How much movement does it take before the pitman moves left or right? Have you eliminated the tie rod ball sockets from causing the play in the steering?
The gasket (8) you have may be too thin. If you tighten the retainer (7) down good and the steering shaft won't turn, the worm gear may be binding internally between the seal retainer (7) and the case (9).
Any horizontal movement on the shaft (13) can be fixed by parts 16 and 12. Vertical movement can be fixed by parts 16 and 21.
You can look at the gear (15) and see the wear on half of it, and rotate it to the unused side to tighten things up a bit.
Of course if the worm gear and steering gear are worn out, bushings and gaskets won't fix the problem.

http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20Parts%20Manuals/TC-37C%20Parts%20Catalog%20(08-29-52)/Chassis/Page-82.jpg

RaymondDurban wrote:It depends on just how much free play you are talking about. With everything connected and the tractor rolling, are we talking 1/4" turn on the steering wheel before the tractor turns or more? Does the pitman arm (23) move up and down when you turn the wheel? How much movement does it take before the pitman moves left or right? Have you eliminated the tie rod ball sockets from causing the play in the steering?
The gasket (8) you have may be too thin. If you tighten the retainer (7) down good and the steering shaft won't turn, the worm gear may be binding internally between the seal retainer (7) and the case (9).
Any horizontal movement on the shaft (13) can be fixed by parts 16 and 12. Vertical movement can be fixed by parts 16 and 21.
You can look at the gear (15) and see the wear on half of it, and rotate it to the unused side to tighten things up a bit.
Of course if the worm gear and steering gear are worn out, bushings and gaskets won't fix the problem.

http://www.cleancomputes.com/Cub/Cub%20Parts%20Manuals/TC-37C%20Parts%20Catalog%20(08-29-52)/Chassis/Page-82.jpg

Hello Raymond, the free play i have is about 1" aprox. before the the wheel turns.. i guess is pretty good after doing some research.
The pitman does not move up and down, the free play come from the parts (#13 and #15), is the gap between the worm.
The seal retainer is tight and good, the steering nut #27 is tight and i did put a bigger washer there to work as a shim.
How is the normal free play?
The gears look pretty good also, but i'm 100% sure that the problem is between the worm and the gear anyway..
Thank you very much Raymond! really good information!

nicolascub wrote:... the free play i have is about 1" aprox. before the the wheel turns.. i guess is pretty good after doing some research...

Yeah Nicolas, 1" is pretty good. Don't know how much you could improve on that without replacing both gears, which could get expensive!
Hope all is well for you down there!