by rebar Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:56 pmSteering box adjustments can easily be overtightened, which could result in broken balls and damaged worm/race. Trust me.
+9
ChevyVanMan1
Digz
Stoopid john
BADBADGER
white-lightning
donivan65
sasktrini
RodStRace
kykayaker37
13 posters
Steering Gear Adjustment--WOW!!!
rebar- Number of posts : 151
Location : northwest
Registration date : 2012-10-31
69A108- Number of posts : 39
Location : Playa Del Rey, Ca
Registration date : 2012-06-28
Hello, i was wondering how your new steering box worked out. I was thinking on buying one and would like to know if it made a good improvement. Thanks
Guest- Guest
BADBADGER,how about the new box.....get it yet?
Guest- Guest
youre supposed to pull off the arm from the steering gear ,center the gear first and then adjust your screw for zero play.hope this helps69A100 wrote:A couple months ago I finally got around to replacing my King Pins and noticed a great improvement, but it seemed that I have/had alot of wander in the steering with what I would call having to do alot of oversteering to make things happen. After searching about box rebuilding here I figured I give some adjustment a shot. I loosened the jam nut and started screwing till it stopped, about 1 1/2 turns tightening and locked her down. Did a test drive around the block and noticed improvement from before. I figured, lets try this again and see if it will go any tighter. I got another 1 3/4 turns before it stopped. Figuring that I didn't want to over tighten it I took 1/4 out and locked it down. Another drive showed not much more change from before, but hard to tell as I didn't drive far. I took it for a longer drive to really get a feel for it, I could say that it seems a little to tight, but could that be from that I was used to alot of slop and looseness? Hard to say! I should have checked the fluid level when I did this, but I do feel safer driving it now and probably should take it out and rebuild inspect it, etc. just to make sure all is good. I just thought I'd share, Comments and suggestions are welcome.
lws67- Number of posts : 193
Location : Upstate South Carolina
Age : 58
Registration date : 2012-06-20
BADBADGER wrote:So after all of the running around with a very scary front end wander, I got the van back too my shop and removed the steering gear box. When the bottom plate holding the worm gear came off the bottom bearing plastic cage was broken and chewed up. The bottom race was really pitted and scored. The top bearing cage was ok, the bearings were worn and the race was clean and shiny on part of the way aound and really beat up and pitted the rest of the way aound. Went on line and found a reman box from discountsteering.com. It shoud be here on monday. Will let you know if the quality of the part and service is worth the price.
Searching through your posts it appears you never did let us know how the steering box you sourced through discount steering turned out. Did you get one from them? Installed yet? Results?
Thanks
BADBADGER- Number of posts : 246
Location : Minden Nv
Age : 77
Registration date : 2009-05-15
Apologies for not getting this info back out to the group! yes the steering gear box from discount steeering was installed and worked out well, that is tosay it solved part of the steering wander problem. More research was needed to fix the problem and another front end alignmebt is about to happen. Found out the front axles was installed 180 off. was hard to tell there was a slight angle to the king pins as it was only about 1 1/2 degrees. re installed the axle and it really helped.
lws67- Number of posts : 193
Location : Upstate South Carolina
Age : 58
Registration date : 2012-06-20
Thanks for the follow-up. My steering box is pretty sloppy and I can't adjust things any further so one of these re-manufactured boxes looks to be the way to go. 
dix- Moderator 1st Class
- Number of posts : 8769
Location : pittsburgh pa
Age : 67
Registration date : 2008-05-29
so what did the steering box cost ???
_________________
still vannin since 1974
BADBADGER- Number of posts : 246
Location : Minden Nv
Age : 77
Registration date : 2009-05-15
The reman box was around 200.00 and shipping plus exchange. they paid for the shipping on the exchange.
ChevyVanMan1- Number of posts : 425
Location : Your Nation's Capital
Registration date : 2009-07-19
I've done a few and by the book is the way to go. Just spinning them down feels much better yet can really cause alot of internal wear as the two adjusters have similar effects with play and centering. And, as I live in a temperate climate I've been filling these with synthetic grease instead of gear oil. Stays and lasts, probably for the rest of my life, gives a slight dampening effect and makes for smooth operation. Might be a problem, even with synthetic, in really cold climes but down hear below the Mason-Dixon line I've never felt any difference in the cold.
Happy motoring, Mark
Happy motoring, Mark
