The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 54 3100 steering adjustment

Grab the front wheel 12 and 6, no wobble. Grab the front wheel at 3 and 9 and have wobble visible at the steering box arm. Link balls show no movement.. Read the book on adjusting the box but wonder if someone had any pointers to help. Thanks.
Jethro.

You need a scale that is accurate and measures down to 1 lbs. I found a trigger scale reasonably priced on amazon. Here is a link.trigger scale

You need to disconnect the drag link so there is no additional resistance.

Although the Service Manual makes this adjustment sound relatively easy, it is no easy task. The locking nut at the very bottom for taking the slack out of the worm gear is not easy to loosen. It is large, about 2-1/4” and is blocked by the oil filter. I did manage to get it loose after removing the front and loosening the back clamps on the oil filter which enabling me to slide it forwarded enough to access the locking nut. Using a large slip joint pliers (water pump pliers) I did manage to loosen the nut. After unsuccessfully making the first adjustment, it became apparent that I needed a special wrench for that nut or I will risk damaging it with the water pump pliers. The pliers kept slipping and was hard to loosen and tighten due to the ill fitment and limited room I had to work in and you’ll need a special wrench for the front adjustment nut. I fabricated a pin wrench that did the job. Here is the post that documented that fabrication. https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...-chevrolet-3100-project.html#Post1348862

I found a 0-5lb fish scale in Walmart's sporting goods department that worked for me. I also fabbed my own adjusting tool for the endplay adjustment in the steering box. I found a big flat washer that fit into the rounded slot, cut off about a ) sized piece and welded a 1/2" nut onto the smile so I could turn it like a big screwdriver. Works great.

Yeah, the book oversimplifies everything. Thanks for the insights... both of you.
Phak... what is the measurement between the pins? Listed as "to fit" but yours fit yours then it should fit mine also. Do you happen to know offhand that measurement? Would save an old man a lot of neck-crinking and larger bifocals.
Bill... I have a Proto 1/2" drive screwdriver socket that fits the slot. Should work.
Thanks, Y'all.
Jethro.

If you have a torque wrench made for inch pounds, the whole adjustment procedure gets a lot easier. 40+ years ago I made a special tool that mimicked the one in the shop manual...and it works okay. Then about 7 years ago I bought an inch pounds torque wrench (the old style with the bar and needle) and I would heartily suggest using that. You can see exactly when you hit the center of the sector gear and when you're not there yet and when you've gone past it. Sort of like having x-ray vision and a measuring device at the same time...

Here's the tool I made to get the nut off. Kind of followed Phak's model but I welded an old nut on the back side for a socket. The nut had been loosened/tightened before with a cold chisel. Got the nut off the old junked 59 panel in the woods to use as a template. The pins are 2-3/8 in c to c. Worked like a charm. Now to find a cheap 1/4 in bar type torque wrench.

Nice job on the wrench! Sorry I couldn’t get you the measurements in time.

I made a similar tool by welding a couple of bars across a longer bar to engage the flats on the nut instead of the pins. The shop manual doesn't show a special tool for that, and the old shop guys probably just grabbed a honkin big adjustable wrench to do the job. I hate it when some hack uses a chisel on something like that.

how do use it? From the steering wheel retaining nut?

One of those plumbing wrenches with multiple large widths across the flats for installing sink strainer collars would probably work.

Stopped by my "friendly John Deere Dealer" yesterday for a tube of corn head grease. On backorder. He checked other dealers and none within 100 sq miles. $6.72 tube is $20 on Amazon. RATS.

Do you have a Tractor Supply nearby? They sell Super S Cotton Picker Spindle Grease 00, which is the same specs as called for in the Shop Manual. Here is a [LINK]. It’s only $5.99!

Shucks, my farmer dropped off an "empty" 55 gal drum of spindle grease the other day. Bet there is plenty left to service the steering box.
Yep, I just got 5 quarts out of the bottom of that barrel. I guess I'm set for life.