Steering wheel play adjustment
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 1
Steering wheel play adjustment
I have a little float in the steering wheel. Is there away to adjust the steering box to take out some of the side-to-side play?
If so what is the procedure to adjust the steering box?
Appreciate your input.
Thanks
If so what is the procedure to adjust the steering box?
Appreciate your input.
Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Okay, first, adjusting it yourself is not smart unless you have extremely specific instructions and the proper tools to do it right. The gears are worn, and you're essentially removing the play. If done wrong, you will cause the wear of the gears to continue even faster in which case a rebuild will be needed and you won't be able to re-use your old gears assuming they might still be good at this point.
Now, you might not even be able to adjust the box you have. To check, clean off the top of the box where you will find a port with a small threaded stud. If there are 3 - 4 threads on that stud then you have some adjustment left. If there are no threads then someone has adjusted it before and the gears are trash and the box needs to be rebuilt.
To be honest, when it comes to something as precise as adjusting the steering box...I would suggest pulling the box and sending it off to be rebuilt by one of our members. I can give you that information via PM if you're going to go that route.
Now, you might not even be able to adjust the box you have. To check, clean off the top of the box where you will find a port with a small threaded stud. If there are 3 - 4 threads on that stud then you have some adjustment left. If there are no threads then someone has adjusted it before and the gears are trash and the box needs to be rebuilt.
To be honest, when it comes to something as precise as adjusting the steering box...I would suggest pulling the box and sending it off to be rebuilt by one of our members. I can give you that information via PM if you're going to go that route.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 28
From: Lutz Florida
Good advice. Check everything else first before blaming with the box. Hopefully no one "adjusted" it before you got the car and damaged it. If you want to adjust the box, it really needs to be removed from the car and bench adjusted/set up using a 0 - 30 inch pound torque wrench. There is another procedure for adjusting the box while still in the car, but it is a lot more involved than just loosening a nut and turning a screw.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
To test a rag joint simply watch the joint as someone turns the wheels left and right. Watch the column shaft and the shaft after the joint. does one turn before the other or do they turn in unison. That's really all there is...they need to be tight with each other or the problem might be the rag joint.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Newer lower profile belted radial tires far out handle these old bias ply steering systems....there is an inherent loose spot in the on center of the control valve, making about a inch of play in the steering wheel rim....
there is NO WAY IN HELL you going to get modern car performance without updating the steering completely....
hense rack conversions, and even Jeep box conversions....
