The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Steering slack

I know I’ve seen a thread about how to take out steering slack but I can’t find it anywhere.

Thanks for any help.

Doug

The Factory Service Manual gives detailed adjustment instructions in section 9-3 and detailed rebuilding instructions in 9-8.

You'll need a tackle box fishing scale.

I use an inch-lb. torque wrench on the steering wheel nut, after disconnecting the drag link to eliminate drag from other steering components. You're looking for a 10 in/lb rise in turning torque as the steering sector crosses the center point. That method is much more accurate than a fish scale.
Jerry

I am 100% with Jerry on this. Try to get one of the needle torque wrenches (on Amazon) and use a 1/4" to 1/2" adapter to fit the nut on your steering wheel. The inch/lb movement with the needle type is also much easier to see so you'll know when you're approaching the high spot.
Jon

I just bought a good condition used inch/lb. torque wrench on Ebay- - - -there's plenty of them there, Snap-On, and other professional quality tools at bargain prices. I get my torque wrenches calibrated periodically- - - -no sense in trusting something as important as bolt torque or bearing preloads to an inaccurate "precision" tool!
Jerry

Jerry, would happen to have a photo or link to the torque wrench you mentioned?

Who and where do people get their torque wrenches calibrated?

Not to answer Jerry's question for him or anything, but here is the inch/lb wrench I bought a few years ago. I don't know how exact it is but for steering gear adjustment, work on electric motors, ceramic disc faucets...anything that requires an inch/lb wrench it has worked well for me:

https://tinyurl.com/ykxcs7a4

On the steering gear adjustment (or actually to determine the high point...which is the important thing), you will be able to watch the needle start moving up as resistance increases and the needle will peak on the scale when you hit that point you're searching. Alternatively you can jack the truck up so that both wheels are off the ground. Leave your wheels on and your steering linkage connected. Slowly turn the wheel to the left until it stops. Mark a spot on the wheel with masking tape and match that to a stationary reference point. Then slowly turn the wheel to the right until it stops, counting the number of turns it takes (watch the masking tape as it passes the reference point). Divide the number of turns by 2 and turn the wheel back to the left that number of turns. This will give you a "pretty good" idea of where the high point is...but it won't be exact and for $20 on Amazon I'd just buy the wrench. To do the best job of adjustment you need to get 3 things right...the adjustment of the worm gear bearings, the "snugness" of the sector gear to the ball nut and the centered position of the sector gear to the ball nut. Important note: if you're doing this with the drag link removed please don't let your steering wheel bang into the stops at either end of travel. You can mess up your ball guides by doing this.

Steering adjustment also entails setting the preload on the worm shaft bearings. The manual has a spec for that with the sector adjustment loosened all the way and the pitman arm disconnected, either at the drag link or the arm removed, not just the wheels off the ground. It's expressed in pounds of force to turn the rim of the steering wheel and could be converted to inch pounds on a torque wrench. Adjusting with the wheels jacked off the ground could wind up with the worm shaft bearings too loose because of drag of the steering joints and king pins.

Interested in comments on the method in this linked post.

Don't have to disconnect the drag link. No torque wrench. No removing horn button. Check the front end while it's off the ground...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/steering-box-adjust.1186598/#post-14224475

That sounds like a later steering box than on an AD truck. There's no rag joint or "top nut" on AD boxes. The worm bearing adjustment is at the bottom end (opposite the steering wheel), and the sector adjustment is opposite the sector shaft. I suppose the concept would work but it sounds like they're adjusting the sector first and then the bearing preload. That's opposite of the way that the manual says to do it (worm shaft bearings first THEN sector engagement.) There should be zero end play on the sector shaft, so their end play comment is not correct for AD steering boxes.

Catch any tool truck. They will facilitate it for you or will let you know where if you ask nicely enough.

BTW, there are torque wrench checkers on the market. Bolt them to a hefty bench or wall and you can verify your wrench clicks at the proper torque.

For those too lazy to look up the conversion from force at the rim of steering wheel to torque at the center nut….anyone know off hand.

I’m definitely not that lazy, just asking on behalf of those who might be.

Let's see if this link works- - - -scroll down toward the bottom of the page. If not, send me a PM and I can email a picture to you:

www.ebay.com/itm/256677669326

Jerry

Got it, Thanx!

Thank You

I used a trigger pull gauge to set my steering box, probably not as accurate as a torque wrench,
Jerry, am I off base when I check my torque wrench against a beam wrench to see if it’s close?

Chuck

I did a poor mans test on mine a few years ago by locking the 1/2" (or 3/8", I don't have a 1/4" torque wrench) square drive end in my bench vise and then hanging various weights on the pivot point of the handle. The weights were "calibrated" by putting them on a digital bath scale. Had to do a little simple math because the length of the wrench isn't 12". Both wrenches were within 3 foot pounds of being right from 20 to max for the wrench.

I have coupled a dial indicating torque wrench to a click type and seeing if the readings agree- - - - -set the clicker to a specific torque, clamp it in a vise, and use the dial type to slowly increase the load until I get a click. My dial wrenches have a "tattle-tale" needle on them that indicates the highest reading of the moving hand. A Snap-On wrench that I used when I was investigating warranty claims got a certified calibration annually, since I was subject to being called as an "expert witness" in lawsuits. One investigation I did five years ago is still being litigated- - - -an injury accident involving a piece of farm equipment, and It's possible I might get a free vacation to Florida to testify in that trial! A farm worker got severely injured when a hydraulic hose burst and let a round hay baler clamshell door drop on him while he was greasing bearings prior to going to work one morning. The machine was repaired in a very sneaky way with a USED hose- - - - -trying to hide the source of the accident.
Jerry