Anyway to tighten slop in steering?

[MnkyBiz]

All,

My rig is running great, but at highway speeds, the 2 to 3 degrees of play is making driving her a real CHORE.

What does the rig have:
Duff's Ultimate power steering system
Duff's Disc conversion kit (different steering knuckles)
Stone Crusher steering & track bar setup
Stock steering column.

I am guessing that the play might be in the old column which has never been rebuild? Or is it in the joint where the old column meets the new steering box? It isn't the c-clamped style connection, but the keyed slot type (original to the rig).

Any help?

Bill

 

[wildbill]

;D ;D ;D Look at the box for slop and the tierod ends also if you have a rag joint or coupling look at it also wheel bearings. Good luck and have fun. Bill %)

 

[Bronco Wild]

;D ;D ;D Look at the box for slop and the tierod ends also if you have a rag joint or coupling look at it also wheel bearings. Good luck and have fun. Bill %)

Bills solution was my problem this fall...good points! But hey Monkey, you got that mobile looking so nice, why don't you consider snagging a new column? mmmmmmm....polished eh
;D ;D ;D

 

[MnkyBiz]

WildBill,

Thanks for the input. I'll look there.

Bronco Wild. I love new columns, only problem is that there aren't any 3 speed ones! If I eventually change to an auto Tranny, then I will definitely swap to a different column. For now, I keep the stocker......I love that column shifter, just hate being limited to 70MPH!!!

 

[Labbster]

I tightened the screw on the top of the box. If you do, don't tighten it too much, I am told too much hurts something inside. However, the little tightening I did help a ton!.

 

[tml]

I tightened the screw on the top of the box. If you do, don't tighten it too much, I am told too much hurts something inside. However, the little tightening I did help a ton!.

What screw are you talking about??

 

[wildbill]

What screw are you talking about??

;D ;D ;D There is a screw with a jam nut on it on the top it pulls the sector up or down and can take some slop from the box. If you go to much it will lock the box as when you turn it wont return to center. You will keep goint in a circle. bill %)

 

[Broncobowsher]

2 or 3 degrees? That is all the slop there is in the steering? That is good and tight. Anyone with an old worn out box is more familiar with measuring slop in fractions of a turn. 1/8 is good, ¼ is bad, ½ is time to park it until you find better parts.

As for being a chore to drive on the highway, put in some more caster. Positive caster makes life a dream on the highway. If it is negative then you will be driving it, not guiding it. An alignment shop can check it for you. It’s kind of hard to check at home.

Another problem that makes driving a chore is bumpsteer. You will always be sawing at the wheel to keep it straight as you go over dips and bumps in the road. To check for bumpsteer it will take a few minutes. Find a couple of good clamps and something solid. Clamp the tierod (the one that connects the two front tires together, not the one going to the steering box) to the axle tube. Amazing what vise grips and C-clamps can do. Then bounce the front end up and down. Might help to take the shock off at one end to get a little more bounce to help you see what is going on. If the steering wheel is sawing back and forth as it bounces, you have bumpsteer. Fixing it is a bit of a black art playing with drop track bar brackets, axle track bar risers, tie rod over conversions, drop pitman arms, heim joint steering. Sometimes simple as turning some adjusters in and others out, other times changing a lot of parts.

Get it right and highway driving is great (except for the wind noise, loud exhaust, exhaust fumes, the heat, lack of a good radio and the price of gas)

 

[rednck21]

if you steering box is new or newer, i wouldnt tighten the nut on top of the box just yet. get someone to sit in the seat and turn the wheel back and forth...not much, maybe a quarter turn or so. while they are turning the wheel back and forth, start at the steering column and check for any slop in the system. work your way down to the u joint an the box, the box and the tie rod/drag link. i found alot of the slop in my steering was coming from the u joint at the steering box. you could also be getting slop from loose bolts

 

[Broncobowsher]

Also check for binding ball joints. That will also cause you to work harder while driving.

As for the steering check mentioned above, do it with the engine running or you will pick up the movement of the spool valve, diagnosis that as a loose steering box when it isn't.

That adjuster on top is preload, not play. Overtighten it and like wheel bearings that are overtightened, you will destroy it. And steering boxes are a lot more expensive then wheel bearings.