Steering Gear
 

ok... today I went and leveled up the frame with the torsion bar adjustments. Had some slop in the steering wheel and losened up the jam nut and used an allen wrench and adjusted the bolt. Think I got steering too tight... feels tough when centering to go straight. When I go to back off on the bolt it seems to be stopping before I can get a spin on it now like it hit a "limit". Thinkin' back I BELIEVE I might have had the wheels turned when I first adjusted it (think I got more turns on it) but when I went to back off some now feels like a limit (wheels are straight ahead). Anyone know the actual mechanics of this bolt. ie. would it let you get more turns on it when the wheels are actually turned than it would with them straight ahead. I can only get about 45deg. worth of turn and then it feels like it hit stops or something and won't lemme back it off enough or something.


thought of something else too... I had it aligned to straighten out my steering wheel and stuff when the pull went away with tire rotation and seemed to be at about 2 o'clock it'd go straight.... now since I messed with that adjustment... the wheel straightened out (almost at dead center) when goin' straight ahead but it's kinda tough when wheel's completely centered.... did turning that bolt with the wheels turned let me skip a tooth or something??? I guess a little better handle on what that bolt does.... what it's actually doing and to what in there.... would help me to figure out what's up with this thing....lol


Thx.

RE: Steering Gear
 

Not sure which nut your talking about?

Could the problem be from cranking the torsion bars? Are you saying its not going back to center as easily as it used to? That sounds more like your torsion bar crank then steering wheel.

RE: Steering Gear
 

I've adjusted some slop out of the gear by adjusting the preload with the gear on the vehicle, although it's recommended to do it with the gear removed. Bacically what you're doing is adjusting the preload on the sector shaft. It's gotta be done with the box centered or the gears will be too tight. By centering the gear, you have it positioned so that the gears are closest to each other at that time.
If you adjust it when the steering is off-center, then there wont be enough clearance between the gears (possible binding), which can cause premature wear.
.
Loosen the adjuster lock nut
Turn the Pitman shaft adjuster screw (1) counterclockwise until the screw is fully extended.
Turn the Pitman shaft adjuster screw clockwise 1 full turn.
Rotate the stub shaft (3) from stop to stop using a 12-point socket while counting the number of turns.
Starting at either stop, turn the stub shaft back half of the total number of turns. This is the center of the gear.
Place a torque wrench on the stub shaft with the handle in the vertical position.
Rotate the stub shaft 45 degrees from each side of the center of the stub shaft. The stub shaft must rotate smoothly
the torque reading should be about 11 inch pounds.



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RE: Steering Gear
 

I gota be honest here.
I have no clue what your talking about!!!!

:D


I have never had to mess with that stuff. Keep going and maybe I'll grasp it.

RE: Steering Gear
 

to try to simplify this, basically as a steering gear gets worn, you have more play in the steering wheel.
In the picture in my previous post the screw and nut, labelled #1, is an adjustment to reduce the play in the steering wheel.
Normally you back off the locknut, then use an allen key (hex) to turn the screw (or stud) in about 1/4 turn to remove a lot of the play in the steering wheel.
It's really important to do it when the wheels are straight, 'cause that's when the gears are closest together (least amount of backlash).

RE: Steering Gear
 

I'm with hanr3 on this one. No clue. My miniscule mind can't comprehend....maybe it's just a short attention span.

RE: Steering Gear
 

What part dont you understand?
Maybe I could find another way to explain it.

RE: Steering Gear
 

Don't worry about me....It'd be a lost cause. If I read it again, I'll probably understand it.

here's my edit: I just went through it again and actually looked at the picture and understand it completely. That diagram really helps out a lot.

RE: Steering Gear
 

Ok I got that part now. How does it remove the slop? What does the screw trun to tighten it up? It might help if I could see a diagram of the internals of the steering gear.

RE: Steering Gear
 

steering gear exploded view. The adjustment brings the gear (33) and the nut(44) closer together. ( see the gear teeth) Click the picture on the website and you can blow it up. all the parts are numbered.
Enjoy..lol
You're making me work to hard. But I don't mind.

http://www.chevelles.com/techref/RBGStrgGearBlowUp.jpg

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