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8Mud, Eagle, or anyone, help with my steering box

J

Jackhill442

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Atlanta
I just installed a new steering gear from PSC, a company I heard was really good. Problem: The gear binds on center. It steers well at speed, but sticks on center. Adjusting the top screw doesn't have much effect, I tried several loosenings of it, nothing. Then, I shortened the drag link, and the binding still occured "on center" though the box was nowhere near on center, so I don't think it is the over center adjustment. Is it the worm bearing preload being too tight? Or is it just a new gear that needs time to break in? If it is the worm bearing preload, how do you adjust. This thing has a funky collar at the input shaft. Do you turn that to loosen, then loosen the inner ring? Help! I don't want to have to swap it out and send it back.
 
Sometimes when you do a center over adjustment you have to hit the cap sharply with a hammer, to get it to move/seat. Not too hard, just a good jarring. If you disconnect the drag link from the pitman arm you can feel, things much better. You can probably also get the center over to move a bit by wacking the bottom of the sector shaft with a brass hammer. Don't carried away, just want to jar it a bit.
Did you center the input shaft before you installed the box? You really should have felt a problem when you did that.
I don't think it's the input shaft preload. I'm thinking the seals and bearings are tight in the sector shaft and the center over is binding/hanging a bit.
I'd call PSC and ask them. I usually use Lares corp. stuff, because I like the way they do customer service.
 
You have a great point, and I will try that. I sure hope it isn't bearing preload, but I don't know. When I turned the input shaft to center with pliers, it was a little hard to turn, not bad, but I did notice it was a lot stiffer in the center. The only thing that throws me off is, when I turned my drag link collar alot to change the gear's "on center", it was still there. But isn't the off center of a box supposed to have more slack than on center? If so, I would think this experiment would have temporarily cured the on center binding, seeing as I was driving straight with the box actually a good bit on one side.
 
Well, I just tried the hammer on the shaft, and it didn't help. The thing just feels too tightly wound at all steering angles. I don't get it. It is even worse on center. I can drive 35 mph and turn the wheel and the car will go around a slight bend without my hand on the wheel. This is no matter how much I back off or tighten the adjustment screw. ( I never did put it any tighter than how it came). I know it isn't my steering shaft, and I don't think it is anything else in the steering system. I am very frustrated because in the 215K miles I have had this thing, it has never steered great, and I have been through at least 5 pumps and gears.
 
I'm not going to make any noises like I'm a steering box expert, I did have one box that actually felt OK on the work bench, tighten up on me when it got hot and I came pretty near a bad accident.
Give PSC a call and ask them, I'm sure they would want to know if a reject got past there quality control. I've seen the guys at the parts place, box a return up and sell it again.
Did you install the whole kit?
 
Last edited:
No, just the gear. I am starting to wonder if my pump is just giving out. Would a weak pump cause this? I checked my joints about 1 year ago, and have greased regularly, but heck, maybe one or more is seized up. I just don't see how the gear could behave like this without other problems. Any more input greatly appreciated.
 
Maybe if you separate the drag link from the pitman arm and give it a try, it will help narrow it down. Just don't over steer it, I'd count the number of turns from center to lock (with the pitman hooked up) and not go much past that if exercising the box without the pitman hooked up to the drag link. Over steering the box can cause damage.
Put it up on stands and have someone hold the pitman up and steer/turn it at one wheel or the other and see how it feels. Maybe even unhook the top end of the steering stabilizer.
 
That "funky collar" is the locknut for the worm bearing preload. I would call the company to get their blessing, but it sounds like you need to back off the preload just a tiny bit.
 
Well, I turned the preload adjustment on the input about one quarter turn counterclockwise. It yielded a very slight, if any, improvement. I disconnected the pitman arm, and with the engine off, the wheel is fairly hard to turn. It took over 2 pounds on the edge of the wheel to move it through on center. Should I turn the preload a full turn, or is the problem elsewhere? Hope this helps you help me.
 
Jackhill442 said:
Well, I turned the preload adjustment on the input about one quarter turn counterclockwise. It yielded a very slight, if any, improvement. I disconnected the pitman arm, and with the engine off, the wheel is fairly hard to turn. It took over 2 pounds on the edge of the wheel to move it through on center. Should I turn the preload a full turn, or is the problem elsewhere? Hope this helps you help me.
Click to expand...
Your going to void your warrantee if you haven’t already and still not get it fixed
 
I would hope not since the owner of PSC told me to do these things. But your right, the damn thing still isn't fixed, how did you know?
 
No, but the they thought it could be a worn pump. The more I think about it, the more I think it is the pump. The vehicle did the same thing to a lesser degree before the gear box swap, which is what prompted me to swap it. The pump is from quadratec, only about a year old, and it never makes a peep, so I declined to think it was the problem. But I think it is. There just simply isn't enough pressure being supplied for my new fast ratio camaro box, so it feels bindy..? I am gonna try the pump mod mentioned on this forum, spacing the control valve spring to increase pressure. Think that will help, or should I just order a new one? I used to have wheels that stuck out alot, and no cooler, and I am thinking the current pump may just be burned up. More help greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
I'd have to go back and look at my book again. But the only way, I've ever set up the input shaft preload is with a torque wrench. Kick me if I'm wrong, but the center over has to be backed off a bit, before the preload adjustment and then the last thing you do is tighten the center over adjustment.
Input shaft preload generally takes the slop out and the center over helps control that loose feeling and the steering wheel going past center when centering itself after a turn.
Do what the guy at PCS tells you, you may have to do a return.
 
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