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Steering adjustment

teevexj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Poco, BC, Canada
I have done a search and looked on the net, and can't find anything so hear it goes...somebody told me that there is some bolts on the steering shaft or close to, before the box, that can tighten my steering.
I have a dead spot so I'm pretty sure it's my steering box, and if so I'll be upgrading to the durango box, but I like the really loose steering of the old boxes and I'm worried the durango box will be a bit tighter. Thoughts?
 
Don't mess with it, that is for setting the wormshaft bearing preload (5 ~ 8 in lbs)--not for dinking around with.
 
Don't mess with it, that is for setting the wormshaft bearing preload (5 ~ 8 in lbs)--not for dinking around with.

So there is no adjustment for slop in the steering box?

Reason I ask is, if you didn't see it I had a whole thread about getting rid of the dead spot in my steering after the lift. So far I have fixed/ adjusted/ checked/ greased everthing and I still have a dead spot.

I assumed the box was adjustable.
 
So there is no adjustment for slop in the steering box?

Reason I ask is, if you didn't see it I had a whole thread about getting rid of the dead spot in my steering after the lift. So far I have fixed/ adjusted/ checked/ greased everthing and I still have a dead spot.

I assumed the box was adjustable.

No, just the preload.
 
Can we assume you fixed/adjusted/checked/greased trac-bar bushings, TREs, and the like? A sloppy TRE will definitely mess with your steering.

If you've already given everything a good shake test and had a friend turn the wheel while you look, I'll go with a tired steering box.
 
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Can we assume you fixed/adjusted/checked/greased trac-bar bushings, TREs, and the like? A sloppy TRE will definitely mess with your steering.

If you've already given everything a good shake test and had a friend turn the wheel while you look, I'll go with a tired steering box.

New trackbar that came w/the BDS lift, new Currie tie rod/drag link.
 
you can actually adjust it, but you need to follow some pretty specific procedures. and the bolt on the top of the box should not be messed with without adjusting the spoolvalve/valve sleeve. this is also generally done outside the vehicle as well. i did this on mine, and attempted it on the vehicle and while it did tighten it up, i really dont think it is quite adjusted properly. do a quick google search and it will come up with some things

http://www.partsmike.com/saginawadj.html

http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/drivetrain/129_0801_saginaw_steering_box_rebuild/index.html
 
I'd like to dredge this up again. Found it on a search.

I had the same dead zone in my steering. Made the adjustment to the steering box itself and it made a huge improvement. Probably took it from 2" left and right of centered position down to 1" on the steering wheel itself. Here's where it gets a little odd. When the truck is driven for 15-20 minutes the play goes away completely and it steers just fine.

I figured that since the adjustment helped so much that it was probably just a bad steering gear so I bought a new one (well....refurbished). Installed it and it made no difference whatsoever. I drained/flushed/bled the system and I still have a 1" dead zone. Once again, when it's driven for a bit it goes away and drives fine.

I'm running out of things to check here. I've been under the vehicle and had someone work the steering back and forth several times. When it's warmed up everything seems tight and I see no slop or play in any of the linkage, and it doesn't appear to be tie rod ends, track bar movement etc.

When it's cold and the wheel is operated in the problem range you can clearly see that the steering shaft to the gear box is turning immediately as the steering wheel is rotated, but for some reason it takes that 1" of wheel movement before the pitman arm starts moving. Still seems like a steering gear problem, but I'm thinking I'm missing something here.

The only other thing I could think of is the power steering pump itself.

More stuff.

I drained and flushed all the fluid from pump, lines and of course the replacement gear itself was empty when I bought it. Filled everything with fresh fluid and followed the instructions for bleeding that came in the box with the new gear.

I suppose it could be an out of box failure on the new piece, but it's odd that both would have the same exact symptoms.

On a side note when I posted this I was sitting in the alignment shop that has done all my lifted four wheel drive rigs in the past. I told him "Check everything...........ball joints, tie rod ends, track bar, upper and lower control arms, etc. before you do any adjustments and let me know what kind of shape we're in". I had already checked all this but wanted his opinion. He obliged and gave everything a clean bill of health other than the steering stabilizer which I pretty much knew I needed anyway. I went and bought a new one an replaced it right after he got done doing the alignment. Clean bill of health on all other pieces parts. He went on to make the necessary adjustments (toe).

Naturally when the tech test drove it before and after it was sufficiently warmed up where the dead zone was not doing it's thing.

Following the alignment the thing drives like a new truck. Although, I can about guarantee you when we go to start it tomorrow for a little wheeling adventure, it'll have the dreaded dead zone again til it warms up.

It wouldn't bother me much, but the truck is my stepson's. He's 15 and still on his permit. He still has to drive with someone til he gets his license next month so a brand fresh new driver. I don't think it's dangerous, but it's not perfect and it bugs me to no end.

Sorry so long, but I've been fighting this deal for a while now.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Dan
 
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having play till warmup is kinda bizzare, the only thing i could think of would be PS pump, but even that is a stretch. failure of a box out of the box is not that ridiculous, i have had a bad one straight from autozone, afterall they are "remanufactured", which i figured out basically means maybe new seals, and a new paintjob... i am picking up one from napa next.
 
An out of box failure is certainly not out of the question. I did buy the gear at Autozone too.

It's guaranteed so I suppose I could take it back to them and try another. Once again it seems kinda unlikely that both gears would have the same exact symptom. Incidentally we're up in Sedona Arizona four wheeling the red rocks and this morning when we packed up and got ready to leave, it did it again. 20 minutes later it was steering fine and worked o.k. all day long.

Actually I've had very good luck with Autozone parts over the years. Several of my older trucks were pretty much rebult with Autozone parts and I never had to return anything for replacement. My boat has a Ford 468 cu in big block and I went through a couple starters, but that's not uncommon with marine useage. They tend to get wet. Actually the starter that's in it now is an Autozone that was completely submerged for an hour or so two years ago and it still works fine.
 
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I haven't been happy with AZ and things are getting worse there.

Didn't feel like driving down to one of the independent auto parts stores, so I said what the hell, I only want a radiator cap, I'll whip into AZ and pick one up. They don't carry Stant. What is up with that? Is it Chinese or nothing with them now?
 
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