Steering tube

[Matto]

I'm pulling the steering wheel off the Jeep. It has the usual open cracks at the base of the spokes, which will get filled and painted. I've pulled a couple off before and know what to expect (#&@$!!)

 My question is this, is it easy to pull the steering tube off? I'd like to clean it up and paint it. The drivers side fender is off and the steering tube clamp is easy to get to. Are there a bunch of needle bearings that are gonna go flying?
Matt

[Chasm]

No needle bearings, but there are 23 ball bearings in the Ross steering gear box! �:o

(I know that because I counted them when I picked them up off of the garage floor when I tried what you are proposing!) �;)

[Matto]

Chasm, Is it possible to remove the tube only and leave the shaft in place? I could sand and paint it in place but it would be sooo much easier on the workbench. This may become a winter project.
 

[rocketeer]

Yes. Once the steering wheel is removed you can remove the horn wire, pull the upper bearing, loosen the lower clamp, and remove the outer tube.

Larry

[Chasm]

Larry beat me to the answer. Next time I pull the tube on mine, I may get it powder coated. Seems to get scratched up pretty regularly. And yeah, pulling the steering wheel is always fun! �:-/

[rocketeer]

yeah, pulling the steering wheel is always fun! �:-/

Let science do the work! �;)



Larry

[Chasm]

[size=18]SCIENCE?[/size]

That looks like a Rube Goldberg to me! �;)

[rocketeer]

That would be Professor Rube Goldberg, Phd! �;)

Larry

[Matto]

Necessity is the mother of Rube Goldberg.


Pop goes the weasel!
After the wheel came off, I pulled the steering tube and found it to be two thirds full of grease. The grease was light in consistincy and had a brass tinge to it. Looked like brass colored NeverSieze. Nothing seemed to be lubricating the upper column bearing.
Matt

[rocketeer]

There shouldn't be any grease in there. Sounds like a PO was pumping grease into the steering box and it migrated up the tube.

Larry

[Matto]

What do you folks do with fasteners like the nuts and bolts that hold the steering tube bracket to the dash? Were they originally painted at the factory? I'm thinking they look better wire wheeled clean and installed as is. Every time I paint parts like this, the finish gets chewed off anyway.

[Gunslinger]

I just replace most of that stuff with stainless bolts with nylock nuts.  A little spendy but it makes my future "take a parts to do it over again" less painfull if you know what I mean....

[calvinhunt]

What do you folks do with fasteners like the nuts and bolts that hold the steering tube bracket to the dash? Were they originally painted at the factory?

Gunslinger's answer of stainless steel is a good one. But, out here in rural Utah we don't have access to a big variety of stainless hardware. However, since you are making your Jeep into an M38 (which I personally would do if I had it to do over again-multiple reasons given on a post some time ago, maybe even on the old forum) I would either paint the hardware and bracket OD or black. �Happen to have a photo of the cadmium plated hardware I used. �



I believe my Jeep had never been disassembled when I took it apart. �It had hardware and brackets all painted black. �I think it came that way. �There are a few members of the 3A page that KNOW these kinds of things for sure. �Possibly one of them will post an answer for us. �Another reason I chose to not paint the hardware is to add a little contrast and detail to the restoration. �

[F Bill]

On the 2A most bolts that were installed when the jeep was assembled at the factory were left unpainted. If you check out pictures of new jeeps in the ads you can usually see this.  I do not remember what plating was used....The fenders, hood, grille, tailgate, windshield frame, and seats were all painted separately fron the jeep, and assembled...The WWII jeeps were "touched up" with OD green, but blending is not an issue with flat paint.  I beleive the gas tanks were in the jeeps when they were sprayed, and became body color.

I don't see why the 3A would have been done much differently. I bet Bob W has the definitive answer on this tho.

Avoid the stainless fasteners in high strength areas, like suspension and steering, and also use antiseize as stainless is prone to galling the threads. A friend of mine who restores Advanced Design Chevrolet trucks for a living uses tons of stainless fasteners in his work. He buys boxes and when bought that way they aren't too spendy. One at a time out of the hardware store racks...way too rich for my blood.

[macrisel]

I made the mistake when I started of cleaning the old bolts on the wire wheel and then painting them.  Now they look like poo after installing them and getting scratched up.  I then, for a very brief time, just cleaned them up and reinstalled them.  Big mistake.  Even sitting in a closed garage the bolts have started rusting again already from just humidity.  I have since then switched to using new stainless bolts and have not had a problem.  Like previously mentioned by someone else, I buy them in bulk and use them as needed.  If they are too long, I just cut them down.  I have found the best place to buy them is at farm supply stores.  They are usually cheaper than auto parts stores and hardware stores and will usually sell bolts and nuts by the pound instead of by the piece.

Like Chasm said, I like the contrast of the stainless bolts against the painted pieces on my 3A.  They are also really nice when I have to take something back apart because I forgot something