850 with rubbing steering arms

[Hammer850]

Hello I just recently purchased a 1956 850. I didn稚 notice it before I bought it but both steering arms have been rubbing on the transmission housing. By the marks it looks like for quite some time. Manual steering no power assist. There does not seem to be any play in the arms. Maybe bent?

 

[Michford]

Welcome to TBN. I have the same thing on the right hand side of my 1955 860 Ford. On mine, it appears that the arm itself is closer to the steering box on the side that rubs. These old hard workers are more than 60 years old now and some of these may have had some work on them done in all those years. Maybe its possible someone had the the arm off the steering box at one time and reassembled it without a spacer or washer that would move the whole arm out from the steering box. I have never really dug into the steering box on mine, it steers nice and easy and I don't use mine for snow removal anymore. But I will have to figure it our someday when I repaint it so the new paint does not get rubbed off.

 

[Soundguy]

Could be a bent arm, could be spline wear id or of, letting it set closer, could be a replaced draglink end with longer pin.

Seen it often, usually not a terminal issue to ignore.

 

[zzvyb6]

Arm on backwards ?

 

[Hammer850]

I thought bent arm but what are the chances that both arms are bent. It does have a loader on it if that helps.

 

[Soundguy]

Loaders put very excessive forces on all the steering and front end components.

The arms and sector splines probably got loose from wear forces and have had the arms hammered on farther to find an unworn spot.