How to tighten your sector shaft and remove steering box play

[streetpirate]

http://bangshift.com/blog/driveway-...ering-box-in-five-minutes-with-two-tools.html


I just want to check that the proper way to adjust the sector shaft is to tighten it until snug, then back off 1/4 turn. I just adjusted mine 1/4 turn tighter than factory then went for a drive and felt no difference, then another 1/4 turn and went for another drive. I'm starting to feel some seat-of-the-pants difference but still have some dead zone. I don't want to over-tighten and have things bind up in the box. Stockish '87 with 300k, all steering components in excellent shape just had 1.25" or so deadzone in the steering. after the 1/2 turn of the sector shaft it feels closer to 3/4".

 

[rockclimber]

its a temporary solution.

the dead spot will come back as the bearing wears more.

 

[streetpirate]

its a temporary solution.

the dead spot will come back as the bearing wears more.

rgr, but since it doesn't leak it will band-aid the current box for a while with 5 minutes worth of work

 

[rockclimber]

just so ya know

 

[8Mud]

That is what we called the center over adjustment in the old days. You got to be careful of that thing, tight, a little tighter, then the box heats up and the steering gets way past too tight. I almost kissed a brick wall fiddling with that thing one day.

The input shaft, in my experience ,has a lot more to do with slop than the center over adjustment.

OldMan is our resident steering box guru.

 

[yossarian19]

I followed the 1/4 turn & check procedure. The "Till snug then back of 1/4 turn" makes me nervous though I'm not sure that it's with good cause.
It does help the dead spot in steering, no doubt.

 

[bcmaxx]

Be careful adjustin there. I did the same method. And now i have a new box to swap in. Mine wore in tight. Almost like a seized steering stabilizer. 1/4 turn back and and huge deadspot.

 

[old_man]

Using this method is asking for someone to die. Adjusting this should be done by someone familiar with the process and done on the bench. Yes I have tweaked one on a vehicle, but you are asking for trouble.

 

[lazyxj]

The input shaft, in my experience, has a lot more to do with slop than the center over adjustment.

Learn this the hard way over thirty years ago.
The only way to do this right is to remove and drain the the box and then, on the bench, first adjust the input shaft bearing and then set the over center drag, using the method shown in the FSM. Any other way is likely to destroy the box. A over tightened box can lock up, causing you to lose control of the vehicle.
Adjusting the box is a precise adjustment that I can't duplicate while in the vehicle. The drag-link and steering shaft need to be removed and fluid drained to allow for free movement of the input and pitman shafts. You need a spanner for the input bearing adjustment and a inch/lb torque wrench and adapter to set the over-center adjustment. Slightly over do it and the problem will reappear and do more damage.

Most of the time adjusting loose boxes is a temporally fix for worn internal parts. The symptoms usually return. If the bottom bearing on the pitman shaft is worn, no amount of adjustment will help.
Rebuilt boxes (such as A-1 CARDONE) are mostly junk unless they come out of a professional shop.

 

[yossarian19]

Who does a good job of it?

 

[lazyxj]

Who does a good job of it?

Race-grade rebuilds- Lee Manufacturing
http://lee-powersteering.com/index.htm
New-PSC steering- more race-grade stuff and my choice.
http://www.pscmotorsports.com/

 

[bcmaxx]

I swear someone on naxja does or did do them properly

 

[old_man]

I used to rebuild boxes, but a combination of working a thousand miles from my shop at home and the fact that it got to the point where the seals you could buy were all crap, led me to stop.

My best calculation is that I did well over a hundred boxes.