The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Steering lash adjustment...

...while I am waiting on the shop for my exhaust manifold...I am looking at the steering.

I have a huge amount of play in the steering wheel, and fight that wander on the road.

So I got the locking nut freed up on the gear box, but the adjusting screw is so close to the wheel well that I cannot get a screw driver in there. And it is kinda rusty to boot.

Can I pull out nut/screw combo? Undo the locking nut until the adjusting screw and locking nut come out? Is there a problem I will create for myself?

I figure once I take it out, I can clean it up a bit and make it adjust easier.

Dave

You can remove the nut but the screw has a flange on the inside. You would have to remove the pitman arm & pull the sector shaft out . Sometimes you can put a screwdriver in sideways & work the screw in & out with some penetrant on it. If it,s frozen tight you might put some heat to the screw & it might expand the aluminum a little.

I have what I consider to much slop in my steering as well....
Do you turn the screw in or out to remove the slack ? How much is normal ?

There's an adjustment procedure that should be followed. Guesswork can create a binding situation at the center point, or very rapid wear of the worm gear.

1. Disconnect the drag link from the Pitman arm, so nothing but the steering gear moves.

2. Count the turns of the steering wheel lock-to-lock, and position the steering wheel at the approximate dead-center position. Move the wheel approximately 1/2 turn away from center.

3. Put an inch-pound torque wrench on the steering wheel nut, and turn the steering gear through the center point in one smooth, even sweep. A properly-adjusted sector preload should increase the turning torque 10 inch pounds as the center point is passed. The same readings should be obtained when turning across center in either direction. Adjust the bearing preload screw in or out until the reading is correct, then lock the nut and recheck the preload.

For instance- - - - -let's say it takes 5 inch pounds to move the wheel when it's away from the center point. As the center point is passed, the turning torque will rise to 15 in/lb, then drop back to 5 again. If there's a rise, then a slack spot on center, then another rise, the worm gear is worn out and needs to be replaced. Thre torque should increase, peak, and decrease smoothly. The torque values are so low that the steering linkage must be disconnected to get an accurate setting. NO, jacking up the wheels isn't sufficient!
Jerry

EDIT: There should be NO slack at the center point, with a little clearance at each side.
Jerry

this is a monster ...a 1/2 turn too much ..an bad stuff happens !

From what you have described in this and other posts, the parts in your steering gear box are worn out. You can only do so much with the adjustment as others have pointed out. Probably time to get the box rebuilt.
Fred

I agree with rfs56trk. What happens is the worm gear in the box wears more in the general area of the straight ahead position, because that's the direction where the truck is driven the most. As a result, when you get a proper adjustment in the straight ahead position, then it binds in the turning positions (left or right) because those are the areas where the wear is not as much. As a result, you cannot really adjust for a lot of wear.

Thanks guys...I will give the torque wrench thing a try. Sounds like I need to be real sure before any actual adjustments happen.