More questions about wandering

[Ted Brown]

Well I know all my joints are tight because I just replaced them all with 5/8 Aurora rod ends and 1 1/16 tubing from Ron. One thing I thought about last night that might be part of my problem is when I increased my caster it moves the pitman arm back turning the steering wheel. I re-centered it after but I wonder if I am off a tooth or two causing me to not be centered in the box when I am driving straight. Obviously this doesn't effect the excess play in the box but maybe it contributes to why my car will drive straight if there is some tension on the steering wheel either left or right.

Just wondering..........................................

You are thinking in the right direction, test it to see if all is centered...

 

[eggy]

I have about 7 degrees of caster and >1/8 toe in. It works very well. RPM sold me parts recently to freshen up my reversed corvair box. Adjusted correctly you will have no play in the gearbox. It will steer beautifully. If you get a left or right drift change the caster a half turn at a time on one side. If it needs more take a 1/2 turn out of the other side. Road tilt will affect the side drift a little. At 80mph the wheel is steady and responsive. No need to play the wheel. You can do it.

 

[VegasBruce]

I have about 7 degrees of caster and >1/8 toe in. It works very well.

That is how mine is set also. No problems here.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Alright I got home last night and measured up my play first thing this morning. I have a 12" steering wheel and at the steering wheel there is 2 1/2" of play. I calculated that out to be about 24* of slop.

Ron do you have instructions you can email me or do I just need to call for assistance?

One other question I have is this is a TP kit and I can't remember if there is splines on the input shaft or if it is just a hex/square. I want to say splines but I was just trying to figure out if some of my excess play can be attributed somewhere else.

 

[RPM]

I'll try to explain it here real quick. First check to make sure the steering shaft is tight with the shaft in the box. Total only used a 3/16 roll pin to hold that together. Make sure it not loose there.

Ok remove the drag link for now. The little 1/2" nut back it off on the adjusting screw. Now back the screw all the way out. Now back the big lock ring off. You will probably need a punch and a hammer. The big nut in the center where the steering shaft comes out, tighten it down. This adjust the worm gear bearings and should have preload on the bearings, Corvair manual says it should take 4-6 in lbs to turn this shaft with the box, completely apart and on the bench. Since you don't have it completely apart and on the bench you will just have get it fairly tight. Now lock down that big lock nut.

Now center the steering wheel 5 1/2 turns lock to lock. so 2 3/4 turns from either lock. Tighten down that adjusting screw, here again pretty darn tight. Then lock the 1/2" nut down. Now turn the steering wheel back and forth and see if you can feel a tight spot right in the middle. There should be a tight spot. If not tighten that little adjusting screw some more till you get a tight spot.

Now with the front wheels pointing exactly forward, center the steering box on that tight spot. This is important to do this. Now the drag link should bolt right back in place. If it does not adjust the drag link so it does. Even if you have to make a new drag link.

It is so important for the steering box to be centered on that tight spot while the car is going straight down the road.

Hope this helps you out. If you need to call me please do so. 865-932-7541

 

[fordsbyjay]

4 inch pounds sure isn't very much preload.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Pretty much what Ron said but I found these directions on Totals old site.

How To Properly Adjust a Steering Box?


This is the layman's version on how to adjust a steering box. Please read it through completely!
There are two adjustments, the worm bearing tension, and the gear mesh adjustment. First, jack up the vehicle so the front wheels are off the ground, so the steering is free to turn and, the steering box is centered. Put jack stands under the frame!

Whatever you do, “do not” try to adjust out the play at anything other than straight ahead!! You'll kill the box on short order because the worm has a high spot in the center position.

{Before attempting to do this first adjustment, make sure that you back off on the gear mesh screw on the side of the box from 1 – 2 turns.}
The worm bearings are adjusted by loosening the big lock nut, then turning the bearing housing. On the reversed Corvair box, look at the top of the box, where the steering shaft (to the steering wheel) sticks out. On other steering boxes, this adjustment is at the bottom of the box, at the front. Usually a hammer and blunt punch will loosen the locknut. The bearings should be adjusted to get a few inch-pounds of drag on the worm gear (steering wheel), but you can adjust it by tightening up to remove the play, then go just a smidgen tighter, and tighten the locknut securely {make sure you hold the adjusting nut in place while tightening the lock nut}. Now, turn the steering wheel from lock-to-lock. There should be no binding. If there is, loosen the worm shaft adjustment slightly until the binding is gone.

Next, adjust the gear mesh, which is the slotted screw with a {usually} 5/8" hex locknut. Get the steering centered (wheels straight ahead), and loosen the locknut. Gradually tighten the adjusting screw in, while frequently checking the steering play by turning the steering wheel back and forth a turn or two...but leave it centered when adjusting. Eventually, you will take up the slack, unless the gears/bushings are really worn, in which case the adjusting screw will go all the way into the box! (Not good). Tighten till the slack is all gone, then add about a half turn of preload to it. If all is well, you should feel the steering get just a little bit harder as you pass thru the center of the steering wheel's travel. Tighten the locknut securely, and enjoy the "new" feel of driving your vehicle.
A good gear lube from the local GM dealer works really well. The correct GM part # for this lubrication is 1052182. This lube is half way between grease and oil. Oil is too thin and leaks out, and grease is too thick and won't properly lube the re-circulating balls.
If all the above adjustments fail and you don’t want to attempt rebuilding a box yourself, buy a rebuilt or new unit to replace it with.

 

[fordsbyjay]

I do have one question. Once the box is adjusted and installed in the car should the pitman arm be straight up and down when the wheels are pointed straight ahead and the box is centered? It seems to me that's where it should be but what the heck do I know.... :jawdrop:

 

[fordsbyjay]

Well I adjusted the big nut with the box in the car but I could not get a screwdriver in the side for that adjustment so I had to pull the box out. The side screw was flush with the lock nut and by the time I was done it was recessed quite a bit. Is this an indicator things are pretty wore inside or is this normal.

Everything seemed right on the bench according to my directions so I put it back in the car and it seems like it has just as much play as before. The steering shaft is welded on one end and the other end is splined for the steering box. This is all tight so the play is not there. I did center everything (it was off some) and adjusted my toe to 1/8" toe in. The car seems to drive better now but I don't care for all the steering wheel play. I am going to take it all apart again and double check the adjustment on the big nut.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Well now I am really confused. After "adjusting" the box the other day it still felt the same after I put it back in so I pulled it back out today. I noticed when I had it out this time that it is a Flaming River box (Flaming river is cast in the back side). I tried adjusting the top nut so much that I could barely turn it and there is still the same amount of play in it. I will give them a call in the morning but other than that I don't know what to do.......... :nod: