56 beetle steering box

[eliacona]

I have a 56 Beetle and I am not sure if the steering box and tie rods need to be replaced? The car is off the ground on jacks, I can look down ( tank is out) and see the original front end, tie rods with grease fittings etc. The steering box has a parts number and VW symbol which I assume is original to this 56, but wish I could know, and IF it is shot? the sector screw is just a fraction above the adjusting nut. Someone told me that my 56 is a different box then 57 and on, and that it supposedly shares the same box as a 1950-55 Porsche? Not sure if that matters in the scheme of things, and the other thing to my amazement, is that no one rebuilds theses old steering box's?and therefre you have to get a "TRW" box and Pitman arm.
WHat is the best way to determine if my box and tierods etc, actually need to be replaced?
Thanks

Paul

[TheLadyBug]

Remove the steering box and disassemble, see if your bearings are shot. You can't readily find these bearings which is why people go with the TRW.

I was in a similar situation, wanting to use the original box, but as with most of them, they leak like crazy and often don't get proper maintenance.

For my 54, I opted for a new TRW box instead of fussing with the old ones that are notorious for leaking and can only be rebuilt if the bearings are good. My bearings were not so I was not going to spend $1000 on VW NOS bearings for it.
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Charmaine
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1954 Beetle - because I can
2016 Golf highline - hubby’s daily
2016 Golf R - my daily

[Snort]

There are two sizes of sector shafts for the early design which I believe goes up to 1960, so if you are looking for a correct one for your year that's about the only major difference. Rebuilding these is mostly limited to replacing the oil seals as the three major components are factory matched, no longer available and the bearings are no longer available.

That sector screw is adjusted by running it all the way down, then back off 1/8 turn. You can fiddle with it a bit to see if you can make it work to your liking but the book says if the normal adjustment doesn't work then components inside are out of spec.