steering box rebuild

Hello all, I am trying to rebuild my steering box, and have an issue that the new bearing seem to sit too proud and so the number of bottom shims is not enough. I can't see what it wrong unless I have too many ball bearing in the top or bottom race.

I'm probably being stupid so could someone enlighten me?

You're not stupid. It's the quality of the steering box kits that's the problem. The last 2 I've done needed a crazy amount of bottom shims, almost 3mm! The ones I've rebuilt in the past with new old stock bearings were fine however they are considerably more expensive by a factor of 4. Easy enough to make more gaskets to take up the clearance. I did gasket then steel shim then gasket them steel shim and so on. The same poor manufacturing tolerances on the new top column bearings available from the Paddock/Craddocks are fun! Think I went through 4 one time to get one that fitted

Oh wow. I thought I was going mad! Do I have to make the shims or can you buy them?

Thx for the info

Much appreciated

Cornflakes packet. I had forgotten about that when I did mine.