need words of wisdom on steering box repair

I've got a '49 front mount on which the steering is pretty bad. The box seems to have a worn worm, sector and/or bushings. I've tried all the usual adjustments, but they don't help.

I would like to keep this early type box because I'm not eager to have to replace the drag links. What is the most cost-effective way to get a box like this fixed up? It is pretty heavy and would be expensive to ship, I think. And I'm afraid that if I took it into a Ford tractor dealership for a rebuild, they would charge me an arm and a leg. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 

You don't have to change the drag links. Just put the left drag link on the right side and the right drag link on the left side. Get a later style steering box and scrap the early one. You can't fix a poor design and the early style was poor.
 
(quoted from post at 16:27:27 10/24/16)
You don't have to change the drag links. Just put the left drag link on the right side and the right drag link on the left side. Get a later style steering box and scrap the early one. You can't fix a poor design and the early style was poor.
Good advice from John save yourself some time and money trying to rebuild that box. I tried to rebuild my 49 box and couldn't get the slop out finally bought a used late model on Ebay.

John might have some for sale.

http://www.oldfordtractors.com/index.html
 
Yes, I too have an early 8N with the early steering box and I'll probably rebuild it when I restore the tractor again but, that being said, if you have a working machine, swap out with a later gear box. They are often in the popular auction sites sold as rebuilds. By the time you spend a small fortune on the old one you can have a the later one all ready to install. Put the original on your workbench and work on it as time and money allows. Once rebuilt it can be sold as an early rebuild or kept to put back on when and if you sell it -new owners like to have original parts usually. By the way, there no such thing as a Ford Tractor Dealer anymore. There are New Holland dealers, now part of CASE/IH and they sell parts for the old Fords and will even service them but you'd be better off finding a local vintage tractor shop guy...

Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)
 
My 48 was so sloppy that I had difficulty driving on the paved road in 4th gear w/ overdrive . . New tie rods , bearing and bushings in the gear box and it is good to go for another twenty years .

Is it a work tractor or a parade tractor ?
 

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