1932\3 austin7 RP

[Smiley]

Hello Ian, The existing RP Box is worn and has been adjusted to take up the slack. This has produced tight spots.
The Ruby box appears to be in good condition and I was considering swopping the complete unit over. Is that possible?
Thanks
Smiley

Personally, I'd look around for a decent RP steering box.  Once you start fitting incorrect parts, one thing tends to lead to another. If you use the Ruby wheel, you'll then have the issue of losing your hand throttle and ignition timing levers, which will lead to further mods being needed, and so on ad infinitum!

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Hello Martin, Thanks for advice.  I hadn't really thought about about problems at the top end.  I might decide to take austin Wood's advice and see if it possible to sort the problem by turning the worm wheel on the existing box to a new position.  Nothing to lose at this stage.  Thanks again.

[Michael]

Here's a question...about steering play as opposed to tightness.

From years gone by I have a vague memory of the MOT allowing as much as 1.5 inches play at the steering wheel, mostly confined to the box.  Seemed a bit arbitrary at the time and enforcement was dependant on the tester.

Does this tie in with current thinking? It seems quite a lot but I suppose we have got used to the zero play found in modern cars.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Getting the wheel off the drop arm is one of the notoriously difficult jobs on the Seven.

DO NOT HIT THE END OF THE SPINDLE

It is soft and the gear is very tight.

I eventually had to make a puller out of 5mm plate, put the assembly in the freezer overnight, heat the gear (but it blues easily) and hit the puller bolt with a large hammer - and then it came off.

Then I had to make good the damage I had done to the spindle by hitting it.

It is the obvious thing to do - but don't do it.

Having done that, you then have to lap the gears together with grinding paste.

I have just done that with a box with the gear worn in all three positions.   After about 4 hours or so I am about 85% there and will try it to see if I can get away with it.

"Find another box" - this is my other box!

Simon

[Ian Williams]

"Getting the wheel off the drop arm is one of the notoriously difficult jobs on the Seven.
DO NOT HIT THE END OF THE SPINDLE
It is soft and the gear is very tight."

My solution was to turn a protective cap for the end of the spindle, you can then use a three legged puller, the gear is still bloody tight on the shaft but a sharp blow to the end of the puller usually frees it, and with the protective cap no damage done.

[Steve Jones]

Here's a question...about steering play as opposed to tightness.

From years gone by I have a vague memory of the MOT allowing as much as 1.5 inches play at the steering wheel, mostly confined to the box.  Seemed a bit arbitrary at the time and enforcement was dependant on the tester.

Does this tie in with current thinking? It seems quite a lot but I suppose we have got used to the zero play found in modern cars.

The UK MOT criteria for a steering box is a maximum of 3" free play at the rim of a 16" steering wheel (actually, the metric equivalent). That is a lot!! I aim for 1/2" which is roughly the distance between a pair of finger grips on the back of the wheel. You can get to zero play with work but it makes the thing all but undrivable in a straight line. Only did that once, never again!! 
Steve

[Michael]

Mine sounds similar to yours, as you say, a little play helps iron out the bumps. 3" sounds like a recipe for a bit of wandering...