HELP - n.o.s. steering box
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 0
From: bottom of the sea
HELP - n.o.s. steering box
i put a n.o.s. steering box in my 78 when i did the engine and i just discovered that the dam thing has slop you wouldnt believe! i can turn my steering wheel 30, 40 deg. before it tries to turn the tires. i did play with the adjustment screw on top of it and it tightened up. but the next day it was right back to being sloppy again. now of course ive done a search, but im not trying to build a space shuttle. im just trying to get the slop out of this box! any help?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,156
Likes: 3,965
From: Connecticut, USA
Do you know it was indeed NOS? New Saginaws were much better then you describe. Sounds like the lash is way off or the gears are shot. You need to pull the box and bench test it. You may have a UOS- used old stock box.
Good luck check my thread on rebuilding them for more help.
Good luck check my thread on rebuilding them for more help.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
From reading his prior post, Gary knows what he's doing.
I agree, I've never had a lash problem with a NOS box. This is not to say that someone did not mess with it over the years.
We have the adjustment instructions from the GM shop manual on our web site at this link should you be interested. Hope this helps you!
Willcox Inc.
Steering Box Adjustment:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=204
I agree, I've never had a lash problem with a NOS box. This is not to say that someone did not mess with it over the years.
We have the adjustment instructions from the GM shop manual on our web site at this link should you be interested. Hope this helps you!
Willcox Inc.
Steering Box Adjustment:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=204
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 176
From: Hillsborough NC
Or, you could just send your box to Gary for blueprinting. He did the box on my 78 and it feels better than new. Even documented the whole rebuild with digital pics while he was doing it. Really, the difference is dramatic. I have virtually no play in the wheel now, which seems pretty amazing to me since one of the links (PS Control Valve) pretty much floats.
Great guy, great service.
Great guy, great service.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Or, you could just send your box to Gary for blueprinting. He did the box on my 78 and it feels better than new. Even documented the whole rebuild with digital pics while he was doing it. Really, the difference is dramatic. I have virtually no play in the wheel now, which seems pretty amazing to me since one of the links (PS Control Valve) pretty much floats.
Great guy, great service.
Great guy, great service.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,368
Likes: 787
From: Redondo Beach, California
Years ago, I bought a "new" Saginaw steering box from a Corvette vendor, it was so long ago I forget who. Years later when I installed it on my 68, I was surprised that it was very loose. When I took the car to Guldstrand's (for alignment) I asked them to also adjust the steering box. The mechanic working on the car (Toby) said he removed the cap to have a look inside and found that the box was packed with thick grease. I'm pretty sure that Saginaw didn't pack these things with thick grease. Anyhow the grease was removed, the proper oil installed, and the box adjusted. Now the box has no discernable looseness. My steering is very responsive - actually compared to all the daily driver boulevard cruisers I've been driving, I find the steering in the 68 to be very twitchy.
Bottom line....I think there's some reason to believe that someone has sold some "new" steering boxes that aren't really new.
Bottom line....I think there's some reason to believe that someone has sold some "new" steering boxes that aren't really new.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Well that is true, but with the engine off with PS, the valve ball is loose as a goose. There will be a bunch of play there. This guy said he had a lot of play and his wheels didnt turn. Thats exactly what it would feel like until the slack in the ball is taken up.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 0
From: bottom of the sea
i can reach over the fender and grab the steering coloum "D" rod, and move my steering wheel from 12 o' clock to 3 o' clock, without it ever engaging the box or other components. yes i got this from a chevy dealer and paid 500 bones for this n.o.s. - p.o.s!
thanks for the help i will try to adjust it.
thanks for the help i will try to adjust it.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Hold up! You are grabbing the pitman arm and moving the steering wheel without the wheels moving.
All things said, it sounds like your problem is in the drag link or the control valve and not the steering box. (depending on power steering or no power steering).
Someone jump in here if I’m wrong.
Willcox
Edit: It’s been a long day for me and my meds may be kicking in, but I just re-read this to be sure.
If you are grabbing the pitman arm and the steering wheel is moving the box is doing it’s job. I’m not sure what a D rod is so maybe it’s me that is confused.
All things said, it sounds like your problem is in the drag link or the control valve and not the steering box. (depending on power steering or no power steering).
Someone jump in here if I’m wrong.
Willcox
Edit: It’s been a long day for me and my meds may be kicking in, but I just re-read this to be sure.
If you are grabbing the pitman arm and the steering wheel is moving the box is doing it’s job. I’m not sure what a D rod is so maybe it’s me that is confused.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; May 8, 2008 at 09:33 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 0
From: bottom of the sea
Hold up! You are grabbing the pitman arm and moving the steering wheel without the wheels moving.
All things said, it sounds like your problem is in the drag link or the control valve and not the steering box. (depending on power steering or no power steering).
Someone jump in here if I’m wrong.
Willcox
Edit: It’s been a long day for me and my meds may be kicking in, but I just re-read this to be sure.
If you are grabbing the pitman arm and the steering wheel is moving the box is doing it’s job. I’m not sure what a D rod is so maybe it’s me that is confused.
All things said, it sounds like your problem is in the drag link or the control valve and not the steering box. (depending on power steering or no power steering).
Someone jump in here if I’m wrong.
Willcox
Edit: It’s been a long day for me and my meds may be kicking in, but I just re-read this to be sure.
If you are grabbing the pitman arm and the steering wheel is moving the box is doing it’s job. I’m not sure what a D rod is so maybe it’s me that is confused.
what im talking about is the steering shaft coming out of the coloumn. it is commonlly called a " D " shaft because it is shaped like a " D ". i can move this and /or my steering wheel and it will move back and forth without ever engaging the box that it is conected to by the rag joint. the play or slop is clearly in the box. like i said before, i adjusted the screw on the box and it tightened up. but i drove it again later and it was sloppy again.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,156
Likes: 3,965
From: Connecticut, USA
The problem is in your box. Gears are probably bad. If you have a 0-30 in/lb dial TW you can check it on the bench. It's not going to get better until you check it out. If the gears are bad then you have to replace them.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I thought you were just moving the pitman arm and making the steering wheel move.
If you are moving the steering shaft and the box is not engaging then you do have a problem in the box. Have you pulled the top of the box off and peaked in side yet?
Willcox
If you are moving the steering shaft and the box is not engaging then you do have a problem in the box. Have you pulled the top of the box off and peaked in side yet?
Willcox
Instructor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: houston tx
"i can move this (steering shaft coming out of the coloumn) and /or my steering wheel and it will move back and forth without ever engaging the box "
if you can find slop between the steering wheel and the column the rag joint attaches to, in other word the steering column, the problem seems to exist before you even get to the box.
at least that the way i understand it. correct me if i am wrong?
if you can find slop between the steering wheel and the column the rag joint attaches to, in other word the steering column, the problem seems to exist before you even get to the box.
at least that the way i understand it. correct me if i am wrong?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
Does the steering gear housing have a Road S cast on the side?
The words SAGINAW will not be cast on the side.
If there is no Road S, then the gear is not N.O.S. All Saginaw gears had the Road S. The aftermarket folks (whoever they are) are not allowed to have castings with the Road S. They are the ones with junk parts on the inside.
Jim
The words SAGINAW will not be cast on the side.
If there is no Road S, then the gear is not N.O.S. All Saginaw gears had the Road S. The aftermarket folks (whoever they are) are not allowed to have castings with the Road S. They are the ones with junk parts on the inside.
Jim
Instructor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: houston tx
jim,
this is an old post, probably wont get a reply from the original poster.
from what he said: "i can reach over the fender and grab the steering coloum "D" rod, and move my steering wheel from 12 o' clock to 3 o' clock, without it ever engaging the box or other components."
sounds to me like he has a problem before he even gets to the box? i am just trying to learn myself as i had some serious slop, and leaky control valve so i just bought a borgeson box and am about to put it in. i am trying to make sure everything else is in tip top shape as well so i have nice tight steering.
thanks
mike
this is an old post, probably wont get a reply from the original poster.
from what he said: "i can reach over the fender and grab the steering coloum "D" rod, and move my steering wheel from 12 o' clock to 3 o' clock, without it ever engaging the box or other components."
sounds to me like he has a problem before he even gets to the box? i am just trying to learn myself as i had some serious slop, and leaky control valve so i just bought a borgeson box and am about to put it in. i am trying to make sure everything else is in tip top shape as well so i have nice tight steering.
thanks
mike