With my front wheels off the ground, should I be able to move the wheels left and right easily with my hands? I adjusted the sector shaft end play as well as the worm mesh (eccentric nut) and can turn the steering wheel without any binding. Did I make things too tight? I was trying to eliminate the free play in the steering wheel. I have a 2-tooth gear. Thanks for any help.
Steering Adjustment
- Thread starter tackle51
- Start date
Fred K-OR
Well-known member
If you can turn the steering wheel, I am no expert on this, but I would think you are OK. I know I cannot turn my wheel by trying to turn the wheels while off the ground or at least it is hard to do. Maybe some of the others on the Barn may have a better answer for you. Make sure the wheels go all the way they should while turning left or right.
Kurt in NJ
Well-known member
You should be able to move the wheels pretty easy, but also you should be able to feel the "tight" spot at center---perhaps not when you swing the wheel full distance from lock to lock, but if you slow down at about center you should feel a slight bind ---if the adjustment is centered properly the bind should be the same spot as driving straight down the road ----when you go from lock to lock in 1 motion you have everything spinning so fast the tight spot is not noticed
BILL WILLIAMSON
Well-known member
Chief would probably susplain it this way, the mechanical advantage is *** backwards when you turn it by the wheels and it's not gonna' work unless you're a GORILLA! Bill W.
A-Jay
Senior Member
Tackle51 if you mean your trying to move the steering full left and full right while holding onto the tires, I think the front end is designed not the move easily so that when a pot hole or bad road in general is driven on the wheel is not jerked out of the drivers hand. When the front end is up in the air you should be able to move the front end lock to lock with one or two fingers in the spoke of the steering wheel. If you can't do that I would remove the drag link and then move the steering wheel it should very easily. Then you could also move the front end by holding the tires. If you want to improve steering ease you could replace the pittman arm with a shortened one and teflon steering bushings and new rubber booties on the tie rod ends, and both ends of the drag link. Also check the drag link sometimes they are on backwards. On later cars the grease fittings should face out to the curb on the drivers side. Good luck, A-Jay
