Tow tooth steering adjustment

J

John Kuhnast

Well-known member
Im working on adjusting my two tooth box.All is tight except when moving the pitman arm from front to back of car. I have about 1/8 inch play.This is in the box The bolt from pitman arm to shaft is tight I have about 4 inches play in the steering wheel.Would the 1/8 inch be enough to cause this or should I look els were . Also is there a trick to reaching the stud cover nuts or should I first remove the engine pan? Thank you.
 
Yes, a little at the pitman will magnify to a large amount at the steering wheel.

Follow the SERVICE BULLETINS to complete all adjustments, and you may have to go through the procedure twice.
 
I don't believe there is any way you can perform all 4 two tooth steering box adjustments with the box/column in the car. As Tom says, check the Service Bulletins.
 
So, out of the 4 steps as listed in Mikes first link, what is the step that eliminates the left/right steering wheel play as your driving straight down the road?
 
Dick Steinkamp said:
I don't believe there is any way you can perform all 4 two tooth steering box adjustments with the box/column in the car. As Tom says, check the Service Bulletins.
Click to expand...


Yes Dick you can do them all in the car. Is it easier on the bench, yes, but by following the service bulletins as Tom said in the procedure given it can be absolutely done in the car.
Larry Shepard
 
larrys40 said:
Yes Dick you can do them all in the car. Is it easier on the bench, yes, but by following the service bulletins as Tom said in the procedure given it can be absolutely done in the car.
Larry Shepard
Click to expand...


I'm relatively new to Model A's, so I don't know all the tricks yet, but how do you perform the 4th adjustment (centering the sector on the worm) with the column in the car? On mine, the adjustment screw to do this step it up against the frame rail and does not appear to be accessible.
 
Hi Dick
As Larry said yes it can be centralized in the car... All 4 adjustments are doeable
The centralization screw is not right up against the rail, I use something like this.
In the model A basics tutorial it's stated that the box must be removed.. I have mentioned this a few times that it needed amended but that never happened even after I was asked about it through a PM..oh well
 

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Mitch//pa said:
Hi Dick
As Larry said yes it can be centralized in the car... All 4 adjustments are doeable
The centralization screw is not right up against the rail, I use something like this.
In the model A basics tutorial it's stated that the box must be removed.. I have mentioned this a few times that it needed amended but that never happened even after I was asked about it through a PM..oh well
Click to expand...

Sorry Mitch I can not visualize the method you describe for the fourth adjustment of the steering box without removing it and I have never done it that way, therefore I did not write about what I did not know. I will post the fourth step by removal in the morning, as always please review and offer suggestions. I did not mean to offend you by not following your method.
 
Last edited:
John Kuhnast said:
Im working on adjusting my two tooth box.All is tight except when moving the pitman arm from front to back of car. I have about 1/8 inch play.This is in the box The bolt from pitman arm to shaft is tight I have about 4 inches play in the steering wheel.Would the 1/8 inch be enough to cause this or should I look els were . Also is there a trick to reaching the stud cover nuts or should I first remove the engine pan? Thank you.
Click to expand...

Use the service bulletin procedure for the adjustments. You should not have to ever adjust the mesh unless you have replaced the guts at which point the box would already be out of the car. When making the adjustment (the one where you slightly loosen the four cover bolts) have someone under the car with the steering arm removed. rotate the pitman arm back and forth so you can hear it click (your 1/8" play). As you make the cover adjustment listen to the click. You should not totally eliminate that click. Go just before you dont hear it. Trial and error until you get it right. check for this click again after tightening the cover nuts. You should hear this slight click after tighting the nuts. Keep checking for binding at steering wheel. The trick is to eliminate as much of that play (clicking sound) while not having a steering wheel bind. Unless you replaced the guts you may not be able to adjust it to 1 inch or less steering wheel play at which point have the box rebuilt. You will also not be able to eliminate the play without binding the steering wheel. As the boxes wear they become non adjustable.
 
Mitch//pa said:
Hi Dick
As Larry said yes it can be centralized in the car... All 4 adjustments are doeable
The centralization screw is not right up against the rail, I use something like this.
In the model A basics tutorial it's stated that the box must be removed.. I have mentioned this a few times that it needed amended but that never happened even after I was asked about it through a PM..oh well
Click to expand...


Dick,
As Mitch indicated you can use an offset screwdriver with the 4 sector housing nuts loose to adjust the offset. sometimes you can use a good size screwdriver vertically from the bottom ( engine pan off) in the slot if so orientated. I use a fairly stout KR Wilson unit but realize most don't have those.. so use a heavy offset style and you should be able to move it. It takes very little movement to make a difference. lightly snug the 4 nuts back and see where you are at. I take the steering arm ( pitman arm) off and clamp on a pair of vise grips on the sector to use as a guide. You can feel the play better at center steer ( keep track of your center at the steering wheel for orientation) and also not get a false bind from other tightness in your steering linkage.

use the service bulletin procedure, be methodical... know where you are, where you're moving it to go back if you need, and be patient. Make sure ample lube is in box when done. ( Grease is not steering box lube).

All the best!
Larry Shepard
 
Is your 1/8 play rotational,or is it the sector shaft actually moving fore and aft in the bore?You can't adjust that out,it is wear.I also have NEVER been able to get a tight sector shaft using the needle bearings.My friend put some nylon kingpin bushings from 70's Ford twin'I-beam axles in his A steering,we all forgot to keep track of how it worked,but the car is still being driven today.
 
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