The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 42 3/4 ton steering

Just acquired a very nice running 42.....but is the 'Armstrong' method of steering standard with this truck? King pins have been replaced, tires are new and inflated but at slow speeds really hard to steer, road speeds, gentle turns OK.....any advice?

Paul Schwengel,

Welcome to the Stovebolt. I don't have one of these rigs so the SOP just might be big biceps. My first thought would be a worn out steering box.

If someone just did the king pins, then they probably looked at, or adjusted the box! Did you check it for lube and does it have any free play. If adjusted incorrectly, in an effort to tighten it up, it could be binding as it comes across 'center'.

Stuart

Make shure the kingpins are well greased & all the fittings take grease. If everything is good then it,s just a matter of armstrong.

Anything below 5 mph is going to be armstrong. Another thing to look at is the tie rod ends and drag link. If the ball is no longer perfectly round and the cups are over tightened this can make the steering real stiff going off center left or right.

It really is armstrong. My 42 does the same thing. I think we are used to powering steering.

Come on now... it's good for you! It'll probably keep the lady from driving it too!

John

Great, ain't it?... When trucks were trucks and men were men?... Not trying to be sarcastic, but thats pretty much it! It's not a one handed affair, unless you have a brody knob. Even then you better be rolling.
If your concerned, jack the front end up and try the full range left and right with both tires off the ground. Tire inflation is a big factor. If your really concerned, I think the service manual gives a fish scale pull weight at the steering wheel with the pitman arm disconnected.

Oh!,... Please excuse me. WELCOME!

Thank you all!!!!!!!! Will start working out again, especially biceps.....

My 41 chevy isn't bad. It takes a little muscle but as long as the wheels are turning little effort is needed until it is loaded. Besides powersteering is overrated. America needs to loose a few pounds and what better way can you do that but by driving a stovebolt.

You think that is tough try a M class tractor with front loader no power steering and max load. Even underway it can take two people to crank that wheel.

I suspect that something, or maybe many things are not quite right. It could be an accumulation of everything already mentioned, and more.

Do you have a stock steering wheel, or a smaller one? A smaller diameter wheel will decrease your leverage, and more muscle will be needed.

The tires are new, but are they the standard diameter and width, or are they smaller and wider? A tall narrow tire will turn easier than a low profile fat one.

What about the bushing on the steering shaft? If that is badly worn, it might be increasing drag (resistance). Just a theory, but when you are applying all that extra might, you are actually pushing, or pulling the steering shaft against the bearing or (bushing).

And, as already mentioned above, lubrication is extremely important.

John

Thanks, will check the bushing issue, everything else checks out, steering wheel(stock) tires per owners/shop manual.

Reminds me of trying to teach my wife how to drive our ’41 ¾ ton. As she backed it straight out of the garage then attempted to turn She complained that the steering wheel would not move. I simply replied “let out the clutch”. At first she couldn’t make the connection between the clutch and the steering (she does drive a stick shift) I finally explained “no power steering, you pretty much have to be moving to turn the wheel”.

Oh yes welcome aboard. I would go with all the advice above. You might even try jacking both front wheels off of the ground to see if all the steering components are free