How do you adjust the steering box ?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 1,181
From: La Mesa CA
How do you adjust the steering box ?
Getting my 73 "garage find" running after sitting for ten years. I still don't have any service manuals yet. There is a ton of slop in the steering. The initial suspect is the steering box. I see a screw and nut on the top of the box. Any advice on adjusting it?
Thanks
Glenn in San Diego
Thanks
Glenn in San Diego
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Europe, France
I don't know what the exact procedure is, but here's how I did it:
Using a lifter or a carjack(s), lift the two front wheels slightly off the ground. Just one inch is enough.
Now, from the straight ahead position, turn the steering wheel slowly from right to left and vice versa. You should feel the slack easily.
If I remember correctly, those steering box gears are designed to come into full mesh when steering wheel is straight ahead...
It is also normal that a few degrees away from high point (or straight ahead) there is play !
Loosen the nut and begin to turn the center screw CW until you feel a slight binding in the steering wheel. This should occur when the two front wheels are straight.
Back off the adjuster screw so the binding is only slightly felt. Lock the nut. Remove the jacks and test drive.
Using a lifter or a carjack(s), lift the two front wheels slightly off the ground. Just one inch is enough.
Now, from the straight ahead position, turn the steering wheel slowly from right to left and vice versa. You should feel the slack easily.
If I remember correctly, those steering box gears are designed to come into full mesh when steering wheel is straight ahead...
It is also normal that a few degrees away from high point (or straight ahead) there is play !
Loosen the nut and begin to turn the center screw CW until you feel a slight binding in the steering wheel. This should occur when the two front wheels are straight.
Back off the adjuster screw so the binding is only slightly felt. Lock the nut. Remove the jacks and test drive.
Last edited by 73StreetRace; Jul 2, 2010 at 04:24 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
The correct way is to pull the gear and adjust the sector shaft preload with an inch-lb torque wrench. 73StreetRace is correct. The mesh of the sector shaft and the rack inside the gear was designed with a slight amount if interference exactly on center. The mesh was also designed with a slight amount of clearance either side of center (about one quarter turn) and all the way to full lock.
You always want to make the adjustment with the gear right on center. If you were to try and eliminate the clearance off center, the gear teeth would be damaged as they returned to center.
Here is a paper on adjusting the gear.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...erev14no08.doc
Jim
You always want to make the adjustment with the gear right on center. If you were to try and eliminate the clearance off center, the gear teeth would be damaged as they returned to center.
Here is a paper on adjusting the gear.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...erev14no08.doc
Jim
