Strng Bx-Drg Lnk-Stud Cntrl Valve Slack

[Jwawhite]

The steering wheel has considerable slack...some say this is normal. The Drag Link to Steering Box has no slack- so Steering Box is fine.

Car up in air with driver manipulating Steering wheel the slack appears to be at the Stud on the Control Valve side.

The dust shield moves about 1/4" on the left and right side of valve control body. Is this normal movement or are the Stud, Cups, Moving core and Spring wore out?

There was some grease inside this portion of the control valve.

 

[miker98038]

IIRC the engine/pump has to be running, with proper pressure, to take the slack out of the control valve. It's also a "demand" system, so there is some delay that feels like slack before the ram adds boost when you turn the wheel. I'm not saying there isn't a problem, but they're not like a more modern system.

 

[Ole Don]

On my 55, everything was in good shape, no leaks. At rest, engine off, there was nearly a half turn of play in the steering wheel. Engine running and pulling car at 50 or so, that amount of turn on the wheel, would take the car from the fog line on the right across two lanes to the opposite side of the road. The play you see is the valve moving to open the route for pressurized oil to travel to the ram.

 

[Jwawhite]

Thanks for replies.

OK will have the engine running this time and check to ascertain if the movement, as described above, stays the same.

This is a "what if". As it stands now, there is a lot of play in the wheel while driving. So, I am assuming the play at the Stud on the Control Valve is still there.
One repair listed in the manual reads to tighten the nut on the bolt that travels through the assy.-- the hydraulic cam, and into the grease, stud side of the valve. I note on reviewing this assy there are two springs, one for each side. Wondering if they may be the culprit.
Anyone who has rebuilt this assy find something like this?

 

[54vicky]

id you ever check the box itself or just blame the spool valve?asking because if not the spool will probably amplify the looseness. I rebuilt my box then the spool valve no noticeable wander.the manual if I recall states up to 2' of steering wheel movement' is acceptable I use a fish scale.th only bolt going through spool valve is the 5/16 bolt if that is the one you mean it should be snugged then backed off I believe it was 2 turns.this from memory so may wrong on some points

 

[Jwawhite]

HI 54 Vicky
The Steering box is fine, the Drag Link and Steering Stem are "one".

The Shop Manual has directions, if I remember the nut tightened firm and backed off quarter of turn... the valve control sleeve and nut backed off after tightening to match up with pin.

I just think the assy should be tightened up some how. I just need a new valve control stud sleeve before the rebuild. Perhaps next year.....

 

[dmsfrr]

Just trying to cover something I didn't notice if it was mentioned...

Opposite the steering box & pitman arm is the idler arm and it's mounting bracket bolted to the frame.
Have they been checked for any extra play? The steering wheel in my pwr steering '55 used to have lots of play and the car would swerve to the right when using the brakes.
The rubber bushings on the idler arm were very worn out, letting the steering linkage move in the wrong ways. The idler arm bracket that also anchors the steering ram was missing a captive nut & bolt that should have held it firmly to the frame, but didn't.
.

 

[paul2748]

I would check for play with the wheels on the ground instead of up in the air. While someone turns the wheel back and forth (doesn't have to be much), another can be looking at all the components to see where any slack is. If power steering, then the engine has to be running

 

[54vicky]

as I said going from memory I should have stated I suffer from CRS.you are right on the 1/4 turn.one thing that needs to be checked is the toe if it iis towed in even slightly it will want to (wander) if you are comfortable doing so try running 1/16 out this will give you a more stable feeling.now get into that xmas gift unwrapping

 

[dmsfrr]

I thought the factory spec for toe-in was approx 1/8 to 1/16 inch toe'd in. So when road friction pushes back on the front wheels they end up pointing straight forward.

 

[54vicky]

what the factory called for in the day does not always hold true today.add radials into the mix.rear steer had more to do with it then road friction.but I an only relaying my experience of 50 years doing it.there are many things that effect it rubber of today in bushings and tires.road surface etc etc how much crown in the road in your area.

 

[dmsfrr]

what the factory called for in the day does not always hold true today.add radials into the mix.rear steer had more to do with it then road friction.but I an only relaying my experience of 50 years doing it.there are many things that effect it rubber of today in bushings and tires.road surface etc etc how much crown in the road in your area.

After replacing the 23 year old radial tires with new ones I went right over to the front end shop where they rebuilt the front suspension on this red '55 Bird. I also had them straighten a bent rear spring hanger bracket and confirm the Thrust Angle alignment of the rear axle, to make sure it was centered to the car..

One of the things they recommended (and also did) was to add extra Caster to both front wheels, to help them track straighter.
.

 

[54vicky]

caster helps in ease of steering.I doubt it would help our elderly vehicles.with the fat tires on newer suv types is a different story.camber is probably what they added

 

[dmsfrr]

caster helps in ease of steering.I doubt it would help our elderly vehicles.with the fat tires on newer suv types is a different story.camber is probably what they added

Given correct Toe-in and Camber adjustments...
A slight amount of additional Caster (moving the upper ball joint toward the rear) moves the contact patch of the tire a little bit farther behind the steering axis. The front wheels tend to return to center more easily and track straighter. Not enough caster makes the steering overly sensitive and 'twitchy'.

 

[miker98038]

Just my experience on my bird. Power steering has enough assist you can run any reasonable amount castor. In my bird, I really couldn't get enough to make the car track as well as I liked. Going farther caused the camber setting to go out of spec too far. The camber change with body roll is way more than modern cars (even mid 60's), so it becomes a problem of compromising. Old time guys might change the toe in a bit for radials.

Sometimes the front A arms can be shimmed at the bushings and improve this, but that's another topic.

 

[Jwawhite]

Thanks for the input guys

dmsff I found the idler arm with a bad bushing and also loose. I paid to have new pressed in and torqued down the assy to specs.

Another thought crossing my mind is the pump pressure. I have a 95 Pump on the 302 with all stock components. Just a thought is my pump pressure over bearing creating a sensation of slack play?

But I'll find a front end shop and ask them to look over alignment.
Next step rebuild the grease portion of the Control Valve.

 

[dmsfrr]

. . . Another thought crossing my mind is the pump pressure. I have a 95 Pump on the 302 with all stock components. Just a thought is my pump pressure over bearing creating a sensation of slack play? . . .

It's my understanding the early style 'power-assist' steering setup used in the late 50's is a different type of power steering system than used later on.
So a '95 PS system likely operates at a different (higher?) pressure. I don't know the specifics of either one but the normal operating pressure of the original system could / should be listed in the Shop Manual for '55.
.

 

[KULTULZ]

Another thought crossing my mind is the pump pressure. I have a 95 Pump on the 302 with all stock components. Just a thought is my pump pressure over bearing creating a sensation of slack play?

Sorry JW, but I was BANNED and lost your E-MAIL addy.

There is a complete DIAGNOSTIC SEQUENCE IN THE SHOP MANUAL to follow. It has to be done in the correct order. You cannot jump around,

Can you post a photo of your PS PUMP install? Later pumps put out much more pressure than the period EATON.

There is a rebuild kit for the stud mount you are describing.

KULTULZ ... Returning To The BANNED Darkness ...

ADDENDUM - (Fr. For I Forgot)


Kit info added below. This is NOS.