59er

After having put my steering box back in the car without dissasembling it for inspection ( I know, I know, bad move but it seemed to work fine before I pulled the frontend out) I have found that with no steering gear connected that the steering is binding when near the center position. Not badly but it is noticable. From the adjustments mentioned in the ST-12 manual I don't believe that it is likely to be just an adjustment but more likely to be a worn spot in the worm or sector gear.

Any thoughts before I pull out the whole box again?

Any comments appreciated.

Mark.

Curtis

It is very rare for parts to go bad in these boxes. The steering on your car is supposed to get tight in the center position. That is the way it is disigned. When you turn the wheel to the right or left it will loosen. This is normal. So when you say it is binding if you are reffering to it getting tight it sounds like it is in good working order. If there is something else going on (doesn't sound like it) then tell us more. If it worked fine before you took it out it should work fine now. As far as you checking inside the box that is up to you. There isn't much to go bad in there really.

Let me know if I am reading your post right,
Curt

WB6HRO

The shop manual discusses putting a fish scale on the steering wheel to measure the force to put it through the tightest area (straight ahead) with steering shaft line stamped in the end of the steering shaft, at 12:00 position.

The C-1 all use a worm and sector steering gerar vs. the more common re-circulating ball type used in the 55 Chevy and 63 Vette and later. I think the worm and sector design goes back to the 1930's production cars.

59er

Thanks guys,

I'm releived that there is supposed to be a tight spot in the center.
I'll leave the box alone and see how it goes once all the new frontend is in.

Thanks for the help.
Mark.

K2

The box is designed that way because most of the wear occurs with the wheels in the straight ahead position since thats where it is most of the time. This allows you to adjust the box as it wears theoretically. That way when it is adjusted as the center wears it doesn't get tight as you turn the wheel where less wear occurs. In theory this sounds great, in reality the gears are so hard that usually pitting accompanies any wear and makes it rough and notchy with age. If this happens then the only cure is to replace the gears. (Both of them)