Jubilee Steering Box Surgery

   / Jubilee Steering Box Surgery #1  

Kendog

New member
Joined
Apr 28, 2005
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1
I stumbled on to a Jubilee for dirt cheap. The steering box is shot, and when you turn the wheel, the steering wheel rod walks up out of the steering box (unscrews if you will). What does it take to get into the box, what is typical to break in there, what am I in for? The tractor runs great - just can't steer it! Thank you.
 
   / Jubilee Steering Box Surgery #2  
The NAA steering box is almost identical to the late 8n steering box. Biggest difference is topcover/steering tube.

Sector seals and bearings are identical.

If it unscrews completely, and will come completely out of the box.. you'r in for money, and it may just be better to buy a complete box.. 've sene them in the 250$ range. If it only unscrews anout a half inch or so and then actually starts to steer.. then you are probably in business.

Main problem is the top bearing in the box dies from lack of lube. Steering shaft is a worm, and has a recirculationg ballnut that rides it... that ballnut engages the left (front)sector and drives it.. the front sector then drives the rear sector. The worm shaft sets on a bearing, and the race is mounted in inthe bottom of the box under a welsch plug. This bearing usually stays oil emersed unless the case is bone dry. The top bearing sets on top of the worm and it's race is held in place with the small cast top cover and steering tube. This bearing usually disintegrates. Same top and bottom bearings and races. you pull the top cover, pull the race if it is bad, and drop in a new bearing. Easy to weld the old race out with a mig welder.. a half inch bead makes it fall right out.

There is also a bushing/bearing int he top of the steering shaft that holds the wormshaft straight.

Top bushing is about 28 bucks.. bearing/race sets are about 20$ top, and 20$ bottom. Can't remember sector side seals.. but many rebuils and install a 0# grease like JD cornhead grease instead of 140# oil.

Seperate hood side torpedos from center rear hood, remove steering wheel, disconnect gauges and linkages.. pull hood rear dash, unbolt top cover.

Sector side covers are evidant.. 2 bolts each. There is a backlash adjustment stud on each side.. this adjusts the gear meshga and will tighten the steering up. Jack the front end up to do this.

I've got a NAA inthe barn I'm getting ready to tear down for this same job, I'm just dropping in the bearings and bushing.

Just did my 8n late last year.

Not a hard job.. just a greasy job.

If that's allyour needs.. you don't even need to crack the sector side covers.. just the top cover.. add new bearing, check top bushing reinstall cover and check steering. tighten sectors as needed, with adjustment stud.

If you do pull side covers, follow directions about getting everything meshaed back correctly.. there is a
master tooth ont he double sector.. makes it easier.. then you count teeth on the other and mesh at a certain point, etc.. same with ballnut.. count teeth and mesh with double sector front side..

The I&T F0-19 manual has a decent pictoral.

Soundguy
 
   / Jubilee Steering Box Surgery #3  
Know the problem well. Your top bearing is gone. I can give you a .50 fix. take off the rod and find a few washers that that fit just over the rod (in place of the bearing) stack the washers and then grease them and fill the box with grease NOT Fluid.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I stumbled on to a Jubilee for dirt cheap. The steering box is shot, and when you turn the wheel, the steering wheel rod walks up out of the steering box (unscrews if you will). What does it take to get into the box, what is typical to break in there, what am I in for? The tractor runs great - just can't steer it! Thank you. )</font>
 
   / Jubilee Steering Box Surgery #4  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I can give you a .50 fix. take off the rod and find a few washers that that fit just over the rod (in place of the bearing) stack the washers )</font>

Wow.. that's the most horribly repair I've heard yet. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Considering the bearing by itself is a few dollar item, and as long as the race isn't eat up ( usually is serviceable ), then you can be in and out for 6-7 bucks at napa instead of stacking washers that will eventually permanently ruin the bearing surface on the expensive steering worm shaft.

A quick search turns up this:

8N 3571 Bearing (Steering Gear Worm Thrust Roller) 1948-54 $12.00
( this is the bearing from a well known online parts house.. this same bearing is available at napa if you can get the number crossed. Same bearing top and bottom

8N 3552 Cup (Steering Gear Worm Thrust Bearing) 1948-54 $7.00

This is the race for each bearing.. if needed ( usually not.. and if needed.. usually only top needed..)

8N 3517 Bearing Assembly (Steering Column) 1948-54 40$

This is the bushing/bearing in the top of the steering column I talked about. This is also available other places for half as much, again.. if it is needed.

And lastly.. here is the whopping price on the steering shaft/ballnut worm assemble that will eventually be totally ruined by stacking washers on it:

NAA 3575B Shaft & Ball Nut Assy. (Steering) 1953-54 $<font color="red">200 </font> <font color="black"> </font>

Soundguy
 
   / Jubilee Steering Box Surgery #5  
As a side note.. I'll agree that grease is an acceptable refill lube if the sector seals won't hold 140wt oil.

However.. Id recomend a 0# grease.. like JD corn head grease... it flows back into the sector gears after a few seconds.

The NAA steering top cover plug is just the right size for a large 1/8 pipe thread grease fitting adapter.

Soundguy
 
   / Jubilee Steering Box Surgery #6  
My repair suggestion is for when there is no other option. Parts not available and stuck out in the middle of nowere on a weekend. It worked has worked for over a year so far when we did it on my friends jube.
 
   / Jubilee Steering Box Surgery #7  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My repair suggestion is for when there is no other option. Parts not available and stuck out in the middle of nowere on a weekend. . )</font>

Parts are available... that bearing is available online many places, thru napa and car quest, as well as crossing to a timken number for any seal/bearing house to get. CNH has it as an IN stock item at many locations.

Some repairs, just to get you out of the field are accemtable.. This isn't one of them.. the top bearing disintegrating merely makes for hard steering.. it doesn't prevent you from turning.. you turnt he worm shaft untill the ball nut tops out against the top bearing carrier.. the shaft probably unscrews and extra half inch.. the left turn will probably be hard, as the ball nut is not meshed perfectly with the leading sector.. but it will "get you out of the field", without having to do a hack n slash butcher job on the steering box.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It worked has worked for over a year so far when we did it on my friends jube )</font>

Just goes to show that this repair wasn't being used as a 'get it out of the field' repair.. if it's been going for a year.

By the way.. what the SN on that NAA.. I want to make sure I never purchase it, or if I do.. that I need to figure the price of a reman steering box into the purchase price.

As a side note, there are a few companies manufacturing a nylon bearing replacement for the top bearing that dies from no-lube... it's cheap, and fairly crappy, and usually fails pretty quickly.

If I had to do one of those farm repairs to get it steering.. I think that is what i would use.. a big hunk of hard rubber or plastic, anything to keep the metal bearing surfaces from being permanently scored.. like metal washers would do.. etc..

Soundguy
 

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