Steering adjustment woes

Ross/Kzoo

Ross/Kzoo

Well-known member
Well I 'm about at my wits end. I've tried all of the adjustments on my 2 tooth sector adjustments. I have new SS ends on all my ends except for the new shortened pitman arm and new kingpins. After installing the shortened pitman I made an adjustment and wound up with about 4-5" of steering wheel play. I have since readjusted 9 or 10 times and have not come up anything safe or use able. Let me explain what I did per Les Andrews handbook:

The pitman arm is tight to the shaft and the box is secured tightly to the frame.

!) 2 tooth steering adjust: There never was any movement from side to side so I didn't see what this adjustment did except that as I adjusted it the binding from turn to turn was increased or decreased but I didn't find an ideal point.

2)Steering shaft end play: I never found any point that there was any slop or movement in the end play.

3) Worm mesh adjust: I could get this to go down to an 1/8" free movement.

After all these adjustments I wind up with 3-4" of steering wheel play and a bind in the steering at the beginning of a right turn.
 
If you disc the drag link from the pitman arm and have somebody hold the pitman arm, how much steering wheel play do you have?? Do you still have a bind?? If you still have excessive play and a bind your problem still lies in the box. Is there a club near you or someone else with an A who could physically help? Mine has about 1-1 1/2 play.
Paul in CT
 
It kinda sounds as if the worm/shaft and sector are not centered during adjustments.. There are 4 adjustments that need to be done in specific order and once any adjustment is changed, you need to start over again.. I can't remember if Andrews book and the service bulletins are the same,but, I use the service bulletins.. As stated, try to determine if the 'slop' is in the box or somewhere else.. Is the drag link and tie-rod spring tensions adjusted correctly.. If these seem like dumb questions, sorry, had to ask.. The adjustments can be performed with the box installed, a screwdriver needs to 'warped' for the 4th adjustment.. This is time consuming and does take some patience..
 
For Paul in Ct. There is a bind with the drag link disconnected.

For others I have gone thruogh the proceedures in Les Andrews book. I do not have the service bullitins. I don't know if there is a difference between the two.

Also, how many turns or partial turns on the end play adjusting screw were necessary for your adjustment? 1/4 turn, 2 turns, what?
 
I don't have the Service Bulletins. Is there some place online where I can view this Steering Adjustment procedure? I haven't needed the Service Bulletins until this dilemma.
 
Ross: Do as fordgarage says (he knows), and go thru the adj again one by one and in order as you did before. Maybe someone else can post the ser.bulletin sequence (should be the same as andrews I would think). Is there a club near you?
Paul in CT Also, try a search, there may be more info in other posts.
 
I had a similar problem when I worked on my seven tooth steering on my 28. I initially working alone and 'THOUGHT" the pitman arm was very tight. When I asked a frienf to rotate the steering wheel while I looked for play while layng under the car with I bright light, I found that there was indeed play in the pitman arm. I really tightened it down and eliminated the excess play problem. I also found that I needed to tighten the rebuilt tie rod ends a little more also.
Supergnat
 
If you get the Service Bulletins you'll probably wonder how you
got along without them. There is a wealth of information in them.

Bob
 
Sounds like you touched the large eccentric rivet during the rebuild? You don't usually have to play with that. If you did you will have to recentralize your sector teeth to the worm gear.
 
I went through the procedures in the Service bulletins today and achieved some success. There is no binding but there is still too much steering wheel play. I'll probably redo it tomorrow. The Service Bulletins do approach the procedure different than Les Andrews. I 'm going to buy the bulletins with my next order at Bratton's.
 
Ross/Kzoo said:
... I'm going to buy the bulletins with my next order at Bratton's.
Click to expand...
Unless you have excellent eyesight, be sure to specify the full size copy (8-1/2 x 11) rather than the smaller hard bound yellow book, which is about half that size.
 
Thanks. Yes, supergnat made the same recommendation. I WILL get the large print. Boy, now I really sound like a senior.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top