SPArKy_Dave 8,831 Posted September 2, 2020 Latest edit - 09/03/22 Pic's and additional bearing technical/part no. info added. The current contact details, for NEWCOM Industries - http://www.reliablerackandpinion.com.au/ Edit - not sure if Motospecs can currently supply the roller tops, or not? They only sold a few hundred each year. Apparently Newcom would only do another run, if MotoSpecs ordered 5000 of the roller tops. As of 06/15, Motospec's had said no. (info originally created 08/05/14 - original thread link, down below) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Motospecs can supply the new roller top - part no. A50280RM - branded as 'Newcom', where the 'Kirby Bishop' writing was. Newcom Industries Pty Ltd, is the Pedders parent company, and who make the Pedders springs, rebuild their steering componentry, etc.http://www.newcomindustries.com/ The Newcom roller top, also comes as a part of the Motospecs full steering box rebuild kit - part no. GSB-3021 from ATP by itself, with part no. GX3025, or from Henko by itself, with part no. 3803, 72-249 Before they were available, I got some bush tops retrofitted with a bearing, by searching the Timken catalogue at Bearing Wholesalers. The existing bronze bush, needs to be machined out on a lathe, and the recess where the bush was, needs to be center bored to open it up slightly. The bearing I used, was a Timken full complement torrington race needle roller bearing, part no. 32208 (B208) B208 is a Timken branded 1.25 inch, by 1.5 inch by 0.5 inch, open ended drawn-cup full complement roller bearing assembly. The same as fitted from factory, to the later (XG?) Kirby-Bishop steering box tops, and the later over-counter spares. http://www.bearing.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Torrington-Needle-Rollers.compressed.pdf The Newcom roller top, is NOT a full complement torrington race bearing. The bearing is branded NTN, with a part no. of SCE 208A SCE208A, is actually an INA (Schaeffler) part number, so maybe NTN produced them for INA, at the time? https://medias.schaeffler.nl/en/search/searchpage?text=SCE208 Full complement, means that each roller abuts the next roller, all the way round the bearing.</p> Caged needle roller (torrington) bearings are cheaper, and have half as many rollers - which are spaced apart by a plastic, nylon or other material insert (cage). I have a NOS Ford top, which came from the factory with the torrington race bearing, (they were obviously being fitted at a later stage - XG?) - Part no. XA3580AKT. It's branded 'Kirby Bishop', and has a full complement torrington race bearing - with an outer cup part no. B208 (could be timken branded) It must be a late production item, as the wording and finish of the top, is very average - hence the sand casting mould must have been very worn out. The Newcom tops are cast very tidy, so they must've purchased and refurbed (or copied) the mould, then rebranded it too. Interestingly, the four bolt holes are tapered holes. BUT...... the holes in the Kirby Bishop top, are tapered with smaller opening on the inside, and larger on the outside. Whereas the four bolt holes on the Newcom top, are tapered opposite - with the larger end on the inside. One of them, has had the holes cast from the opposite end - ie, one top has been cast in a mould facing up, and the other, cast facing down. How (or if) that would affect the fit, I dunno. We'd have to compare it with a couple of tops, off some non-rebuilt steering boxes, to get the best two out of three or something. On both tops, the holes are cast as part of the mould, they're not drilled afterwards. Note the awesome quality control with the NOS Kirby top, in the last pic...... _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Outback Jack reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Outback Jack 6,352 Posted September 3, 2020 Thanks Sparky, some useful info there.Sent from my S21 using Tapatalk 1 SPArKy_Dave reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerg 10,871 Posted September 4, 2020 Thanks Dave, I think the differences in the castings and the taper in the holes are due to the respective manufacturing methods. I have a genuine Kirby-Bishop top here and it looks to have been die cast, judging by the parting lines. The pic you have there of the new version looks like it's been investment (lost wax mould) cast. Die cast needs a certain amount of taper on some parts to allow easy release from the dies. Investment casting is much more free in what shape it can be (unlimited, basically)Sent from my CPH1920 using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregaust 316 Posted September 4, 2020 I need to do a few of these soon. I do have some bearings . They are the same from memory as the lower sector shaft bearing that i got . The Newcom top had a washer as pictured , i just need to figure a dimension for that to machine some up. I was lucky when those bearing tops were available I bought up a few and did my cars . I have a few spare covers , even a new bush would go ok . Easy enough to cut out the old one . Someone told me years ago the F trucks had a roller top , can't remember I did do a Bronco steering box but can't remember what it had , I think it might of been 1 gerg reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites