1966 67 68 Steering Gear Isolator Solution

[JAB]

Hey all,
I also manufacture the steering gearbox spacers, and have been doing it for the last 6 years. These are made of solid steel (not aluminum), and have the correct bolts to deal with 62-64 Lincolns as well as the 65-67. Instructions included.
My price is $74 shipped for a full set. Made in the USA by Brewer Classic Lincoln
This is a special price for the Lincoln Forum.

John Brewer
303 562-8368

[burnski]

There is a member in the Suicide Slabs group selling the bushings for $37 including shipping. You need to get your own bolts/washers though.

[JAB]

It is all a matter of having something that works the first time with no problems.
Different years require different bolt lengths. Knowing which bolt length is critical to not wasting time on the install and going back and forth to the store for bolts that are generally not carried at most local sources.
Correctly written instructions help the process go fast with no problems.
Knowing the correct materials to mill the pieces out of helps assure a good, long lasting install.
In short, you get what you pay for.

John Brewer

[papawayne]

I agree...unfortunately a few years back I bought a set of rubber isolators from one of my favorite usual suspects, not realizing that the rubber ones were no good, even if new. Installation was actually much easier that some folks on this forum experienced, I used a large set of Channellocks to do it, and did them one at a time with no difficulty, using the same bolts and nuts. My question: When the time comes to switch to solid (I know, I know, most of you are saying do it now, before it is too late, but mine seem to be just fine, probably have less than 3-5 thousand miles on them) why do I need new bolts and nuts anyway? Is it because the bolts pass through the solid ones instead of just into them? Wayne

[LithiumCobalt]

Not sure what the fuss is about. My car shows no issues using the original rubber spacers. Although, I was a skeptic about Pertronix at one point too. I guess I need to drive the car more.

[DetroitDeviant]

Thanks Captain Dave. I am working hard on this product line.

[TonyC]

Nick,

To answer your question, I was looking for a write-up I did regarding the original-design spacers, but I couldn't find it. So I'll explain it here.

Everyone knows what the original rubber-impregnated spacers were supposed to do--to absorb vibrations from the road and keep them from reaching the steering wheel. Essentially, they were to act on the steering the same way as motor mounts on an engine. Nice idea, right? The engineers thought so. But what they failed to factor in until after they were fully committed to the design, was the fact that those mounts would trigger destruction on the components from the gearbox out. A steering gearbox undergoes pressure imbalance with every turn--a normal side-effect of steering--and on rubber mounts the gearbox will twist at crazy roll angles which the original center link was never designed to tolerate. That twisting would wear the center link out at the Pitman arm location on the driver's side; then, with that worn out, the center link would eventually wear at the other end, then radiate out to the tie rods. And that isn't all: The twisting would eventually loosen the line nuts on the fluid lines to the gearbox, causing them to leak transmission fluid, right out onto the pads. You know what happens when petroleum-based fluids contact rubber: Expansion of the rubber and then eventual deterioration into brittle chunks, causing the gearbox to twist even more in place and exacerbate the problem. And then, eventually, the gearbox itself would begin leaking when the sector shaft bearings inside the gearbox wear out from the stress of the chronic twisting. All of this would not happen immediately, certainly not within the 2-year warranty period, so it wasn't addressed immediately...but it was eventually addressed, with the total elimination of those pads by 1968. As it turned out, the road feel that those pads were supposed to isolate was not all that significant, most of it having already been isolated by the rest of the car. And the all-metal spacers don't make much difference in road feel, save for a much more positive tightness of the feel of the wheel, all but eliminating the "which-way-are-the-wheels-pointing-now??" feeling that existed previously. Those pads were well-intended, but they ended up being one of the biggest design flaws of these cars. Fortunately, with at least four contacts addressing that issue, that design flaw can be easily engineered out.

Now, I'm guessing that the original-spec pads you are sporting right now are relatively new (I sure hope your center link is--at least the aftermarket center links had a slight ball-joint design fitted into the driver's side stud to withstand the twisting of the gearbox), so you will not notice any degradation of your steering yet. But you will eventually--how soon will depend on how much you drive your car. In regular use back in the day, it took several years for a car to start suffering the consequences.

---Tony

[mge825y]

I bought a set from John Brewer for my '63 LCC. I had trouble getting one of the 3 original ones off, but had no issues installing the new ones. I think John posted earlier what he sells and how much he sells them for (less than $75). I applaud anyone that has the time, materials and equipment to mill their own. Even if I had the equipment (which I don't), buying ones that are ready to go on and that fit without issue is a bargain.

For what it's worth, when I drive down the road now, I have my right arm resting across the top of the front seat. My left hand up on the 12 o'clock position of the steering wheel. No wandering, wallowing or sawing. I'm very happy with the steering with the new spacers on.

[mge825y]

I’m a believer in using the solid metal gearbox spacers. But found it interesting that RockAuto is now selling the original style ones and lists them as “used”. I know they sell ubiquitous parts like brakes, hoses, filters, bulbs, etc for our old Lincolns. But a very specific old Lincoln and very obscure part like this is just odd to
me. Maybe they are trying to be another one of the Usual Suspects?

[continentalguy]

My dad’s ‘62 does not even have the rubber isolators, the gearbox appears to be mounted flush with the body. Is this something that needs to be done? Since we have no rubber isolators, is this not the cause for the steering to wander?

[Steve K]

What is that bolt on the opposite side of the steering gear mounting bolt? Is that intended to pass through the "frame" and provide clearance for the spacer? I don't know for sure if the 62s had the spacers, but if they did, then to me it looks like they are just gone in the picture you attached. They couldn't have just come off so if they were there to begin with, it looks like someone took them off. How does the car steer? First thing I guess is to find out when Lincoln started using those isolators.

[continentalguy]

Hi Steve,

So, the bolt sticking out was a new bolt that we were going to try and hold the steering gearbox on until we got the spacers our. But, we quickly found out there are none on this car.

When you turn the steering wheel just slightly the whole car pulls hard in that direction. There is no ability to correct the steering just a little, you have to move the steering wheel quite a bit. We know something is wrong because his ‘61 handles really nicely.

[Steve K]

Just for future reference, if you end up putting spacers on, you don't need to hold the gear box on while you do it. Rather you put one on at a time following a recommended sequence that is outlined here somewhere on the forum. Search for installing steering gear isolators and similar searches and you'll turn it up. The sequence makes it easier to get them on.

If the 62 had them originally, I don't know how it could be installed now without them. I don't think the dimensions of the subframe and the gear box would let it fit and be bolted up tight without the spacers. I wish I knew about 62's but I don't. Maybe I will find time later to look it up. Tony, do you know?

[Dan Szwarc]

The MCP shows the isolator with the 63 part number so it is not used in 1961 and 1962.

If your 61-62 Lincoln doesn’t have them and drives fine, then you’re good.

[Steve K]

There's your answer. Your car doesn't need them and never had them. If you are having steering problems, you should look at other causes.