Re: Needle Bearing conversion for two-tooth sector

Posted by Giles Dillingham on December 22, 1997 at 22:04:14

In Reply to: Re: Needle Bearing conversion for two-tooth sector
posted by Marco Tahtaras on December 22, 1997 at 21:19:15

: I considered installing needle bearings in a friend's steering ten years ago. After getting the parts from a reputable source I studied the option and chose to return to bushings for two reasons
: 1. The bearing had more play (slop) than the .001"-.0015" of properly reamed bushings. The extra play probably translates to 2-3" (extra) at the steering wheel, which is very uncomfortable for me.
: 2. It didn't appear to me that the bearing could withstand the considerable thrust incurred in normal use (especially if loose to start with).
: Original sector shafts were hardened, so I would expect the bearing to deteriorate long before the shaft. If someone can provide a bearing with NO perceptable play except under a load, it may be worth trying with the understanding that if the car is driven much the bearings may require replacement every few years.
Properly reamed bushings (or what I THINK are properly reamed, anyway) start out with very little play, but it seems to me that the actual contact area is usually pretty small, and they tend to loosen up quick.Are bushings ever good for applications where you want extremely little play, like in a sector shaft? This is why I went to the needle rollers.

Follow Ups:
Re: Needle Bearing conversion for two-tooth sector Marco Tahtaras December 23, 1997 at 00:32:41(4)
Re: Needles Bob Carabbio December 23, 1997 at 13:54:25(3)
Re: Needles Lee Baker December 24, 1997 at 10:45:25(0)
Re: Needles Lee Baker December 24, 1997 at 10:42:33(0)
Re: Needles Marco December 23, 1997 at 15:15:38(0)

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