Ford 8N Steering Box

My Ford 8N steering box just went bad. It has the early style 4 bolt steering box. It appears that no one offers a rebuilt unit like this so I figure I will replace it with a later style 2 bolt unit. Yesterdaystractors has these units available and it states it will fit the early 8N model but I will just need to swap the drag links (I assume they mean the adjustable steering rods) from side to side. A few other outfits selling the later style boxes also state that I can install it in place of an older version box, but that I will need to replace the two drag links. Can anyone explain to me what the problem is with just putting the same drag links back in the same place? And the text "swap the drag links from side to side" are we talking the entire unit (drag link tube with both drag link ends) from the right side to left and left to right?

"Can anyone explain to me what the problem is with just putting the same drag links back in the same place?"

Different lengths.

GYMR,The early style 4 bolt steering box used longer drag links and the later 2bolt box used shorter drag links.

I changed my 49 8n over to the 2 bolt box and swapped drag links side to side. I had to do some adjusting to get toe-in right and the grease zerks by steering arm are on the bottom instead of top. Can't believe I put up with that hard turning sloppy box for 30 yrs. steers like a new tractor now.

And the text "swap the drag links from side to side" are we talking the entire unit (drag link tube with both drag link ends) from the right side to left and left to right? YES on the old box right link is longer on newer box left is longer.

As already stated, one 8N drag link assembly is about an inch longer than the other. On the early models the long one is on the right side and on the later models the long one is on the left side. So if changing your early tractor to a late style steering box you swap sides on the drag links so the longer one is on the left.
You also need to replace the 2 pitman arms with the later style to match the new steering box. The old pitman arms won't work with the new box.

Thanks to everyone. Good explanations. The replacement unit I'm looking at is sold with pitman arms so I'm covered there.

The steering box on my NAA was easy to rebuild.

I do have a 8N steering box torn apart for parts if you decide to rebuild yours. email me at [email protected]

The late style 8N steering box is quite
different than the early ones. And the late
8N type, your NAA and all the small Fords
till well into the 1980s - 600s,800s the 01s
and even the 2,3,4000s (priors) are all
pretty much identical in how they work, ease
of repair, even parts availability. It's
just those early 8N boxes that weren't as
robust and parts aren't readily available
like yours is.

(quoted from post at 10:02:40 06/09/17) The late style 8N steering box is quite
different than the early ones. And the late
8N type, your NAA and all the small Fords
till well into the 1980s - 600s,800s the 01s
and even the 2,3,4000s (priors) are all
pretty much identical in how they work, ease
of repair, even parts availability. It's
just those early 8N boxes that weren't as
robust and parts aren't readily available
like yours is.

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Just FYI: Also the same box on an Olivver 550 w/o power steering. Just swapped one in.

(quoted from post at 17:23:09 06/08/17) Thanks to everyone. Good explanations. The replacement unit I'm looking at is sold with pitman arms so I'm covered there.

Click to expand...

There are new steering gear boxes on the market that are foreign made . I do not know if the quality is good or bad , but I do know that the similar looking parts do not interchange as the dimensions are slightly different . Something to keep in mind that 10 years from now it may be difficult to find parts .

(quoted from post at 14:56:23 06/09/17)

(quoted from post at 17:23:09 06/08/17) Thanks to everyone. Good explanations. The replacement unit I'm looking at is sold with pitman arms so I'm covered there.

Click to expand...

There are new steering gear boxes on the market that are foreign made . I do not know if the quality is good or bad , but I do know that the similar looking parts do not interchange as the dimensions are slightly different . Something to keep in mind that 10 years from now it may be difficult to find parts .

Click to expand...

Has lousy luck with a chinese box on an Oliver 550 I bought. That's when I put a rebuilt Ford box on the Oliver. Again, same box between the late Fords and Oliver 550 w/o power steering. As stated earlier, parts do not interchange between chinese and Ford.