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4x4x2 box sector shaft question

nik

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
617
Loc.
Corcoran, CA
Hey guys so I recently was involved in an accident where I hit the guardrail going about 50 on the freeway and broke the sector shaft on the steering. I was lucky and Mattt on here had a sector available by itself so I bought it from him (Thanks Matt!). After pulling the old, broken shaft, there was an obvious difference. The old shaft had much longer gears than the one I had bought. Other than that, they were the same. All the machined surfaces are in the same spots along with the gears. I installed the new one, with the shorter gears, and it works just fine.

I guess my question is why are they different? They both have the same part number stamped on top, the only difference is the smaller geared one says FOMOCO and the broken one with the larger gear says FORD. Only thing I can think of is Ford improved the design later on? What does everyone else think?

Here's some pics

sector2.jpg


sector3.jpg
 

dieselbronco

Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
151
Loc.
Tolland CT
They dont look the same to me. In the pics the one on the left has more material on the top to the right. And the one one the right has more on the top to the left. I dont see how it worked at all. It looks like you have one for two diffrent boxes. If you put the tops in the same oriantation than one gear would be pointing down.
 
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nik

nik

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
617
Loc.
Corcoran, CA
They dont look the same to me. In the pics the one on the left has more material on the top to the right. And the one one the right has more on the top to the left. I dont see how it worked at all. It looks like you have one for two diffrent boxes. If you put the tops in the same oriantation than one gear would be pointing down.

Those tops rotate.... that's how you adjust the box.
 

4lofun

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2007
Messages
940
the diffrence I see is the height of the teeth?? would seem to me that the longer teeth would be stronger.. but thats not where yours broke in accident so must be someone saved 2 ounces of material on the shorter tooth style
 
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nik

nik

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
617
Loc.
Corcoran, CA
the diffrence I see is the height of the teeth?? would seem to me that the longer teeth would be stronger.. but thats not where yours broke in accident so must be someone saved 2 ounces of material on the shorter tooth style

Yea the teeth is what I meant by the gears size. I'm sure the more surface are makes it stronger, the thing I don't get is they have the same engineering/part number and as I stated before, one has FOMOCO stamped, and the other just the FORD oval.
 

Ranchtruck

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
Messages
766
The sector shaft cap may be the same part #, but I bet if you pulled it apart and found the part # for the shaft itself it would be different. The number is only good for the part it's cast into, not the other parts attached to that piece.
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
The sector shaft cap may be the same part #, but I bet if you pulled it apart and found the part # for the shaft itself it would be different. The number is only good for the part it's cast into, not the other parts attached to that piece.

X2
best you can do see how it fits in your current box with the current piston hopefully it will still adjust to the pistion if not then I think your screwed.
 
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nik

nik

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
617
Loc.
Corcoran, CA
Ahhhh so the cap may be the same for multiple years, but the shaft will have a different number somewhere. It does fit and does adjust and I have driven with it in there, but I would rather have the right one which still leaves the question...

Which one is the original? When did Ford switch from FOMOCO stamping to FORD stamping?
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
Thats kinda debateable as both markings are orginal. I want to say that the FOMOCO casting was last used in the early 70's of course I've also heard of late 67 being the last. then I've alsoheard of 1980s parts having the markings. Some of wht I've gathered is that FOMOCO or ford marked items are usually made by authorized companies that make parts for ford as for being correct. well its a ford part period. If it all bolts up and fits with no issues its correct. Not like your building a concurs vehicle anyways.
You also have to consider that when parts are cast they may make several hundred thousand of them so the parts may be used for many years before a new part is cast. If another company cast the parts for ford the next time its probably still the same part but they cast in a different logo. as for updated parts well if the whole casting number is the same its the exact same part usually design updates are refected by a different casting number suffix. ie-A you can have a casting that was first made in 1986 marked C8 and a casting made in 78 D8 that are considered the exact some part as long as the rest of the casting number is exactly the same.
Really I wouldnt worry about correct I'd worry about if it fits and works.
 
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nik

nik

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
617
Loc.
Corcoran, CA
Well the marking is C6 on both, which I thought meant its engineered in 66. I don't care if its the exact shaft for my year box, I just want to find out more about it. It does work so maybe its another option for people needing just a sector shaft, just need to find out what it actually came out of.

Would you be apprehensive about running the shaft with the shorter teeth? I imagine the longer teeth provide more surface and less stress on that particular part of the system?
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
While I would want the shaft teeth to be longer I would run it. while longer teeth should mean more enguagment it not always so you'd have to verify against the piston teeth. Usually the sector teeth are tapered so you wont really have full teeth contact anyhow. Its Not like theres a lot of shafts availible out there. the top cover casting number doesnt tell you much of anything.
C6 is the date code of the part of the casting number. While it can be part of the engineering number its not really. As there could be earlier and later versions all depends on when that particular part was cast. if it was cast in 71 then it would have a D1 code. Usually when something was redesigned and cast again it would have another date code basic part number was the same but the revision suffix would change. So a 1980s part could be E1AE 3580-B and still be the same part as the C6 part just with a small difference. Most of the time the small differance makes no differance in function or fit.
overall the casting code usually reflects what vehicle the part was orginally designed for but that doesnt mean it doesnt fit other vehicles.
 

chuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
Loc.
Ingram, Texas
I have use both and they work fine. The teeth do not fully mesh, same as ring and pinion so I guess it doesn't matter but I like the bigger gears also. I guess it's like boobs:)
 
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nik

nik

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
617
Loc.
Corcoran, CA
I have use both and they work fine. The teeth do not fully mesh, same as ring and pinion so I guess it doesn't matter but I like the bigger gears also. I guess it's like boobs:)

Haha ok good to hear that from a vendor, Thanks Chuck
 
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