3 cylinder ford 4000 manual steering spacer postion.

Deutz Lover · May 15, 2018

I am working on a 1973 4000 with manual steering. When I removed the tube and box, the spacer, part number C5NN3N551A was on top of the upper race sandwiched between the tube and housing.The official Ford New Holland diagram shows this spacer at the bottom of the steering shaft. Where is this spacer normally supposed to go? Ford calls this the race packing?

Bern · May 15, 2018

I noticed the exact same thing on a 5000 box I worked on recently. I put the spacer back in the top like I found it, and everything works
just fine. The most important thing is that you get the assembly shimmed correctly.

Deutz Lover · May 15, 2018

Bern,
Thanks for responding to quickly. This is contrary to the diagram. Perhaps someone else has serviced one of these and can explain the puzzle. There is also a slight recess in the tube base, but it is a smaller diameter than the spacer. This would remove any tendency to center load contact distribution and move more fastening torque to the edges.

The reason I asked is it seemed misplaced and there are a lot of shims. There are 6 x 0.010" shims and 2 x 0.005" shims plus the two paper ones. I thought cutting one thick 1/16" (0.062") shim would replace all but 1 or two of the pack. I have umteen gauges and still a fairly good touch. I think it takes a very light preload, but I thought 8 shims might make it a little wobbly. Maybe that's in the design.

Deutz Lover · May 15, 2018

Previous post should have read "Thanks for responding so quickly". Can't blame that on auto-correct.

Bern · May 15, 2018

My students will be tearing into an identical unit tomorrow off of another 5000. We'll let you know what we find.

Deutz Lover · May 16, 2018

I looked through a shop manual tonight. They described removal and rebuild of the steering box.

They mention the spacer and according to what I read (three times) the spacer goes on the bottom in the recess of the box. The lower ball race goes on top of the spacer. I will have to check my box and see how deep the recess is. I want to find out how much it will raise the lower race if I remove it and put the spacer underneath it. I will have to look closely to see it there is enough space to remove the lower race.

Before I do all of this I want to know what you and your students find out.
regards,
DL

Deutz Lover · May 16, 2018

After pondering the information during the night I derived the following conclusion. If the spacer is inserted first at the very bottom of the recess in the steering gear housing it will raise the steering shaft about .245 inch higher. This will in turn make the base of the upper ball race sit the same amount higher in its corresponding recess at top of the housing. I have to consider how that will affect the geometries at the housing, tube base interface.

Now back to how to remove the lower race without damaging the housing or the race. A little heat maybe with differing coefficient of expansion.

Deutz Lover · May 16, 2018

Late this morning I did a few spot measurements and came to the conclusion that the Ford New Holland steering gearbox diagrams are not correct. If the race spacer is placed at the very bottom in the box housing the lower race will stick out too far to be adequately supported. I doubt if the person describing the procedure ever actually serviced this type of steering gearbox and shaft.

The race spacer is probably best where Bern and I both found them sitting above the upper ball bearing race in the recess at the top of the steering gearbox. This might have been a snafu which went unreported since the bearings don't endure a lot of stresses compared to a fully rotating shaft like on a wheel. The speed and shaft rotation are probably 60-80 rpm equivalents or less.

I will reserve my final decision when Bern reports back.

DL

Bern · May 16, 2018

Sounds like a good conclusion. We did not get to the steering box today, but have firm plans to do so tomorrow.

Deutz Lover · May 16, 2018

I searched globally and could not find anything except the dialog in the manual. If anyone had reported this confusion earlier my search parameters did not find it. Very Curious.

I might have to fish or cut bait today. What started as a simple steering wheel and upper sleeve bearing replacement has ended up costing more than a week of delays including waiting for parts.

It is like some kid noticing a little pull on your sweater and in trying to remove it unravels the entire garment. Well at least the entire steering gearbox has been renewed along with a new oil seal and lubricant. I also replaced the 34 G1000 bearings with 440C G25 stainless bearings. I know its overkill but all I could get in a moments notice.
Famous last words: "Couldn't hurt!"

Bern · May 17, 2018

We took the box apart today - the spacer was in the top just like yours as well as the prior one that I did.

Deutz Lover · May 18, 2018

Bern,

Thank you very much for the update. I think we can conclude that the shop manual and the diagram were incorrect. It is a good thing that whoever did this part did not do the engine overhaul part of the shop manual.

DL

Deutz Lover · May 18, 2018

The information I was referring to was from Verstadshandbok
page 14-15. Paragraph 33. The figure was No.21.

3 cylinder ford 4000 manual steering spacer postion.

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