[C2] Steering Binding At Center
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2018
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From: Western suburbs of Minneapolis
Steering Binding At Center
66 Coupe with all new Moog suspension bushings, and wheel bearings 4k ago. Towards the end of a 350 mile drive with most of it highways we noticed a little binding when going straight. Drove around town and the binding appeared to go away but after a 20 mile highway drive it has returned. The car is still running original ball joints and the steering gear box has not been rebuilt.
Thinking the gear box may need some work but there is very little play in the steering. Could adjusting lash too tight at some point in the past have caused this? Thoughts?
Thinking the gear box may need some work but there is very little play in the steering. Could adjusting lash too tight at some point in the past have caused this? Thoughts?
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66 Coupe with all new Moog suspension bushings, and wheel bearings 4k ago. Towards the end of a 350 mile drive with most of it highways we noticed a little binding when going straight. Drove around town and the binding appeared to go away but after a 20 mile highway drive it has returned. The car is still running original ball joints and the steering gear box has not been rebuilt.
Thinking the gear box may need some work but there is very little play in the steering. Could adjusting lash too tight at some point in the past have caused this? Thoughts?
Thinking the gear box may need some work but there is very little play in the steering. Could adjusting lash too tight at some point in the past have caused this? Thoughts?
Binding straight ahead is usually what happens when someone tampers with the preload adjustment nut on top of the box in an attempt to get rid of play. Play in the box (which must be determined rather than accusation because other things can cause it) is a worn box that requires a rebuild. Yours could contain atrophied grease or gear lube mixed with water and rust from condensation as one of mine once did. The box sits close to the exhaust manifold and gets cooked pretty good, sometimes the lube seeps out the pitman shaft seal.
Determine it is in fact the box and not other binding front end components with a close front end inspection and if so it has to come out and be rebuilt.
Dan
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Did you tighten the upper and lower control arms with the vehicle sitting on the suspension/tires, or hanging on a lift? Control arm bushings need to be loaded at ride height on the suspension as bolts are torqued so as not to pre-load the bushings in the wrong position.
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From: Western suburbs of Minneapolis
Car had headers on it when we got it so cooking the steering box makes sense. Alignment was off and the car wandered like a loose steering system so could easily see the temptation to tighten up the lash adjustment. Up until our recent 350 mile trip we had been doing short drives around town with very little straight highway driving.
Suspension pivot bolts were tightened after the weight was back on the wheels.
If it is the steering box causing the issue would you suspect a simple rebuild with the bearings for about $100 in parts is needed, or would you plan for the more complex rebuild with shafts too for around $300 in parts? Any particular parts supplier recommended? Rebuilding the steering box looks like a good project to add to this winter's list.
Mark
Suspension pivot bolts were tightened after the weight was back on the wheels.
If it is the steering box causing the issue would you suspect a simple rebuild with the bearings for about $100 in parts is needed, or would you plan for the more complex rebuild with shafts too for around $300 in parts? Any particular parts supplier recommended? Rebuilding the steering box looks like a good project to add to this winter's list.
Mark
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Car had headers on it when we got it so cooking the steering box makes sense. Alignment was off and the car wandered like a loose steering system so could easily see the temptation to tighten up the lash adjustment. Up until our recent 350 mile trip we had been doing short drives around town with very little straight highway driving.
Suspension pivot bolts were tightened after the weight was back on the wheels.
If it is the steering box causing the issue would you suspect a simple rebuild with the bearings for about $100 in parts is needed, or would you plan for the more complex rebuild with shafts too for around $300 in parts? Any particular parts supplier recommended? Rebuilding the steering box looks like a good project to add to this winter's list.
Mark
Suspension pivot bolts were tightened after the weight was back on the wheels.
If it is the steering box causing the issue would you suspect a simple rebuild with the bearings for about $100 in parts is needed, or would you plan for the more complex rebuild with shafts too for around $300 in parts? Any particular parts supplier recommended? Rebuilding the steering box looks like a good project to add to this winter's list.
Mark
Dan
Last edited by dplotkin; Sep 7, 2021 at 01:18 PM.
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There is a "stiff" spot when the box is in its straight position. Like dplotkin mentioned, too much preload will cause what your experiencing. You can try to adjust the preload using a 1/6 of a turn on the adjustment screw. But if this is an old box that hasnt been opened I pull it and inspect.
