B 53 power steering box

[Mike Stormo]

I have a 1965 B 53 with factory power steering. I am wanting to know who made the steering box, I need to adjust up the slack in the steering and that is one of the places there is extra movement. Also if any body has a diagram of that steering box and could post it here I would be very grateful.

[davehummell]

All the info you need is on that box chances are it is a ross or sheppard box right around the output shaft housing should be numbers. You got to clean that box up to see them. Once you find the numbers do a search on the web you will find your info.

[Phase 1]

This one has a Sheppard. 

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by Phase 1

[Mike Stormo]

I went to the shop and checked the steering out a little farther. I found that all the play is in the steering box. I can turn the steering wheel  1/4 turn before the control arm moves. Could some one outline the method of adjustment for a shepperd box, I don't wan't  to turn the wrong adjuster screw and mess it up further.

[Rob]

You will need to know the model of your Sheppard steering gear. It should be an M-XXX series and there are different procedures for different gears. To adjust for play you need to have the truck on stands and an inch pound torque wrench to measure over center torque. After this is set, then you need to adjust the relief plungers and they must be done in a particular order. There is a round collar around where the pitman shaft, (sector shaft) comes out of the gear and the pitman arm attaches to. This will be stamped with numbers to identify your gear.

[Mike Stormo]

After  a lot of checking and measuring  I can't get to that area with the numbers unless I pull the engine and take the steering box out as the box mounts on the inside of the frame and the pitman shaft goes through the frame. From the stamping on the bottom of the box I believe it is a Sheppard, and from what I have read probably a model 49 came in this model Mack. After doing some searching I believe there is supposed to be play in the worm shaft to allow for the sensing  valve to operate. If this is not correct please give me your opinion.

[Rob]

16 minutes ago, Mike Stormo said:

After  a lot of checking and measuring  I can't get to that area with the numbers unless I pull the engine and take the steering box out as the box mounts on the inside of the frame and the pitman shaft goes through the frame. From the stamping on the bottom of the box I believe it is a Sheppard, and from what I have read probably a model 49 came in this model Mack. After doing some searching I believe there is supposed to be play in the worm shaft to allow for the sensing  valve to operate. If this is not correct please give me your opinion.

Any play in the worm and gear is incorrect. The "play" you mention is internal to the sensing valve and is about .090 each direction of the centered position. This routes the hydraulic fluid to the proper porting but is not something you can adjust. it is a design feature. The adjustments you have access to are depth of mesh in the pitman and worm gears, and hydraulic pressure relief valves which cut back system hydraulic pressure when the wheels are cut fully one way or the other.

In Sheppard's old numbering system you very well could have a model "49" gear which I believe is still supported. Snap a photo and I can probably identify it. Clean off the sector, (Pitman) shaft also and look for numbers stamped into the flat area of the splined shaft.

Edited April 14, 2018 by Rob

[Mike Stormo]

I thing that Mack built the truck around this steering box, even with the hole nose off of the truck you can hardly see it and taking pictures of it is even more difficult.

If you guys can help me with taking up the clearance between the rack and the sector I think that will make a difference.

[Rob]

They are tight to work with and on. It's easier to remove the gear if the engine is out of the truck for sure but it can be done with the engine in the the chassis also.The B series always was one you climbed all over it to work on it's innards. That is an R.H. Sheppard gear for certain. Sometimes the identification numbers were stamped into the ptiman shaft as I stated earlier. Take a stiff wire brush and clean that area off to see if there are numbers stamped. Adjustment procedures are online and Sheppard has a website. Look up RH Sheppard steering gear to help you along. It will be geared toward their newer stuff but much is the same as old.

I'm old enough to remember when you had one of those come into the shop, you ordered gaskets and seals, removed it from the truck, disassembled the unit replacing worn parts and reinstalled/adjusted the things. It's heavy but not hard.

In you first photo you see that locknut with a screw in the center of it? Don't touch that or the one in the other end of the gear as those are the pressure relief adjustments. Very easy to hurt yourself, or someone else if these are not set correctly as internal system pressure is controlled with these. Just removing the play in your over center action of the steering wheel is the tip of the iceberg as there are many more factors at play; slightly too tight and the steering wheel locks in a turn and sometimes manhandling it won't bring it out. You really need to obtain an adjustment procedure and do the adjustments correctly as life can depend on it.

[Mike Stormo]

You have me so scared I think I will just leave it alone, I can live with the play. I just thought that it was a good time to fix the slack while the fenders were off.

[41chevy]

8 minutes ago, Mike Stormo said:

You have me so scared I think I will just leave it alone, I can live with the play. I just thought that it was a good time to fix the slack while the fenders were off.

Did you look to see if the play was in the box or in the u joints/ yokes. ? Just tossing it out because it is easily over looked.  Paul

[Rob]

I don't mean to scare you at all; I'm not interested in killing you either. Messing with something as important as this is leaves little room for experimentation. Get onto Sheppard's website as what you are wanting to do if the gear is not worn out, (hard parts) is quite simple but you really do need to know and follow the procedure(s). Us that are old enough to remember working on these types of repairs know what happens when the inexperienced get hold of these things.

As 41 chevy has mentioned and I assume you have verified the "play" is in the steering gear? The integrity of the drag link, tie rod ends, king pins, thrust bearings, wheel bearings, need evaluated also. A good old fashioned grease job and short drive to seat parts before checking is always nice.

[Rob]

Didn't think to mention but a lot of B-53's had large tires on the steer axle and were hard on the leaf spring pins/bushings in the front and rubber isolators at the rear. I've seen them actually move in their mounts and the drivers swear the front end is loose. Well it is when the spring pack allows the axle to walk almost a half an inch.....

[Mike Stormo]

The ujoint and all other parts are tight the play is all in the box. As I said the wheel turns about 1/4 of a turn before the control arm moves  (not that bad)

[Rob]

6 minutes ago, Mike Stormo said:

The ujoint and all other parts are tight the play is all in the box. As I said the wheel turns about 1/4 of a turn before the control arm moves  (not that bad)

Do you mean the pitman arm?

[Mike Stormo]

Sorry Yes the pitman arm

[Rob]

No big deal, just wanted to be clear. Have a helper stand and watch the pitman arm and shaft as you rock the steering wheel side to side to check for any wear in the shaft bearings. If that shaft moves up, down, side to side at all, there is nothing you are going to do about play in the gear. If it's ascertained the shaft is only rotating and not oscillating in it's bearings, have the helper watch the leaf springs at the front hangers as you move the steering wheel about 1/2 turn each way of center. Verify there is no play fore and aft there. Look at the frames where the rear of the front springs mount. If the rubber isolators are "splayed" out of the spring anchors there will be steering play. I assume you have had the front wheels off the ground and checked the king pins, and thrust bearings? The thrust bearings have limited adjustability to them.