8n Steering

Ok, so my manual is on order, but I figured I could start fixing my leaks. So 4.5 hours ago, I pulled out the right side steering sector piece, put a new seal in and got it ready to go back in. Pulled the left one and did the same. Went to put them back in and figured that I needed the left side basically at the stop so that I could put the sector piece in so the stops would line up. Before putting it in I counted the revolutions of the steering wheel from stop to stop - 3.75 turns. Put the left side in, no slop and get wheel to go to stop on turning left, so move to the right side. Put it in (like the other one at the stop point) and I only get 1.5 turns of the steering wheel then it gets real tough. Now, I put the sector pieces back in nearly identically the way they came out, so it should have been easy. Apparently I am missing something. So here are my questions:
1. how many 1 finger turns of the steering wheel should there be?
2. shouldn't it go to stop to stop?
3. what am I obviously missing.

Oh, and she is so full of grease that trying to look at the steering gear inside is a joke. have to keep scraping it off and it gets everywhere....

I'm assuming you are working on the late style steering box?
You have your sectors out of "time".
Below is a photo from a Ford 3600 manual showing the correct timing.
The idea is identical to a late 8N and all small Fords through 1983.
You will need to clean the grease out of it enough to see the gears clearly.
I bought a 641 Cheap once because the PO replaced one sector and did not know how to time it. It took an acre to turn it around.

As ud said. it's a numbers game.

match center of rotation on the dual and single sectro to mid travel on the ballnut.

also.. have your sector backlash studs loose to assemble.. then adjust double sector.. then single sector.

do not over tighten them or it will be hard to turn.

lastly. if you had a bad thrust bearing and did not repalce it.. you will run into weird backlash issues due to thrust paly.. and it will make for hard / sloppy steering. also there is a bushing under the steering wheel that centers the wormshaft. this will cause issues with backlash at the double sector to ballnut as well as the shaft does not center.

ok. I will give it a whirl.

Thanks to all. After looking at the drawing and clearing the grease out, all fixed and spiffy working.

Thanks!

I found out the hard way that the steering shaft in the older 8n and newer 8n are opposite thread. I needed to rebuild my steering box. I took it apart and decided it might be better to take to my friend that had worked on them before. I ordered a new steering shaft and all the bearings. I did not take the old shaft to my friend to compare the shafts.He had a little trouble putting everything back together. When I put the steering box back on I could turn the steering wheel left and the wheels would turn right and ditto the other way. The company had billed me for the right part number , but sent me the wrong part. The older 8n has left hand threads and the newer has right hand threads.

Interesting to read about the wrong way steering.
Maybe it would work ok if you drove it in England where they drive on the wrong side of the road
I've never been into an early 8N steering box so not sure how different from the later ones they are.
I do know that replacement sector shafts, sector bushings and seals for the late 8N box are the same part #s for the Jubes, Hundreds and smaller Thousands through 1982 or so.