Steering Shaft instal to Steering Gear Box - Need HELP (1 Viewer)

[S&S1stCruzer]

Ok, rebuilt my steering gear box, I fixed the leak. but my steering wheel was now off center? it wasn't when I started.

I removed and reinstalled the pitman arm #17 (why do they show it facing rearward? my 84 goes on facing forward - Someone please confirm, so I don't go crazy). So that the matchmarks on the pitman arm and the sector shaft (the shaft that attaches to the pitman arm) align.

So now on to steering wheel. I removed bolt#82 and slide the yoke of the steering gear box. I noticed there is grove on that shaft (see 3rd pic). Is that groove suppose to be vertical and visible on the driver side? I when I made it vertical my wheels where now off (not longer going straight)? Urgh....! So know I'm not sure if installed the pitman arm wrong again or something internal with the gear box or what? Any ideas?

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[John McVicker]

Your steering wheel is off because you removed the pitman arm & did not put it back in the exact same place. No biggie...loosen both ends of that rod & with a pipe wrench or similar, turn the rod & your steering wheel will also turn.

Adjust the rod (should not take much) until the wheel is centered. Do this while the pitman arm is attached. Then verify that you have equal # of turns left & right to lock the wheel. For example...3 1/2 turns to the left for full lock & 3 1/2 to the right for full lock. May be more or less, but it should be the same either way.

HTH John

 

[S&S1stCruzer]

Your steering wheel is off because you removed the pitman arm & did not put it back in the exact same place. No biggie...loosen both ends of that rod & with a pipe wrench or similar, turn the rod & your steering wheel will also turn.

Adjust the rod (should not take much) until the wheel is centered. Do this while the pitman arm is attached. Then verify that you have equal # of turns left & right to lock the wheel. For example...3 1/2 turns to the left for full lock & 3 1/2 to the right for full lock. May be more or less, but it should be the same either way.

HTH John

I'll try that, but to be sure the groove on the input shaft should be vertical and thats for the bolt of the yoke, right?

 

[John McVicker]

I'll try that, but to be sure the groove on the input shaft should be vertical and thats for the bolt of the yoke, right?

If we are talking about the same thing, there should be a mark on the shaft & one on the yoke that you line up.

HTH

John

 

[agent orange]

There is some wiggle room in terms of how the yoke can attach to the splines on the steering shaft, i bet you could just unbolt the yoke at the box and get the wheel lined up that way.

Put it this way, i replaced the bottom of my steering shaft and my steering wheel is not centered although the pitman arm was not touched, so you should be able to adjust upstream of the box.

 

[Mace]

You suer that you just did not put the steering shaft back on a tooth (or two) off??

BTW, that diagram looks like a mini box..
cruisers do swing forward..

 

[FL cruiser]

To set it up, you'll probably have to start from scratch. Steering boxes middle tooth in it's gearset is slightly larger than the other teeth. It is designed with less backlash and and play when your wheels are in the straight ahead position. That way you have less steering wheel play when you traveling straight down the highway as opposed to when you are in a turn. If the steering link gets adjusted or the steering wheel gets pulled and put on different splines, or front end components get replaced, it's likely the "highpoint" in the steering box isn't right when you are driving straight down the road. You'll have extra steering wheel play and not even know it.

You need to find what is known at the "highpoint" on your steering box and then clock your steering wheel if it isn't centered, and then shorten or lengthen your drag link to get the front wheels pointed straight. A manual or maybe a website can better explain. You could look up "highpoint adjustment" or "Highpoint centering".

Really none of this is necessary, and probably most older vehicles on the road have steering boxes not centered, but it makes for steering with a little less play.

 

[S&S1stCruzer]

To set it up, you'll probably have to start from scratch. Steering boxes middle tooth in it's gearset is slightly larger than the other teeth. It is designed with less backlash and and play when your wheels are in the straight ahead position. That way you have less steering wheel play when you traveling straight down the highway as opposed to when you are in a turn. If the steering link gets adjusted or the steering wheel gets pulled and put on different splines, or front end components get replaced, it's likely the "highpoint" in the steering box isn't right when you are driving straight down the road. You'll have extra steering wheel play and not even know it.

You need to find what is known at the "highpoint" on your steering box and then clock your steering wheel if it isn't centered, and then shorten or lengthen your drag link to get the front wheels pointed straight. A manual or maybe a website can better explain. You could look up "highpoint adjustment" or "Highpoint centering".

Really none of this is necessary, and probably most older vehicles on the road have steering boxes not centered, but it makes for steering with a little less play.

My money is on that I rebuilt it and probably didn't center the gear tooth on the sector shaft up with worm the gear. This is where my headache could start.

 

[John McVicker]

S&S, please restate the problem you are trying solve. Are you only trying to center the steering wheel ??

John

 

[S&S1stCruzer]

S&S, please restate the problem you are trying solve. Are you only trying to center the steering wheel ??

John

It started as a uncentered steering wheel but i discovered (i think) my problem is else where. Especially since my steering wheel was fine prior to me tickering with the steering gear box. I hate to put a band-aid on some mechanical.

What I'm doing now is, to make sure I have equal turning radius left and right, so essentially I need to make sure my gear box is centered. Which is where I pointing the finger at.

I truely think that I didn't put the sector shaft gear tooth in center of the worm gear inside the box (yikes try to picture that), because my pitman arm is aligned now, (it wasn't before, this is the 2nd time I removed and installed it, so now the matchmarks line up).

On the input shaft (see pic 3- view is from the wheel well looking in) there is groove/cut-out for the steering shaft yoke. I believe the groove should be vertical so the yoke bolt will bolt straight down. When I turn the input shaft so the grove is vertical the the pitman arm is now longer straight. I could probably just adjust the pitman arm but again I wouldn't truely be fixing the problem.

So I think I need to open up the steering gear box and make sure I truely have the internals centered before I go for the reinstall again.

Any one concur?

 

[John McVicker]

Ok, I am not certain on this...but I don't 'think' the pitman arm needs to be pointing exactly straight ahead. Someone can correct me if necessary. Otherwise what's the use of adjusting the pitman arm to center the steering wheel ?.. Not certain if that's 100% but thats my understanding.

The last thing I would do is reopen you steering gear box. Here is what I would do. Kind of thinking out loud.

1) Attach pitman arm.

2) Turn steering wheel, lock to lock. Count the # of turns, divide that # in half to obtain the center point. Lets say it was 7 full turns, lock it up & turn back 3 1/2 turns. You should have the center point. Pay no attention to how the steering wheel sits.

3) At this point you may (I think it's OK) center the wheel by taking off the steering wheel..BUT only if it's way off...

4) Then go to the pitman for final centering of the wheel. Do this by leaving the p-arm attached. loosen the TRE's & adjust the rod. At this point it should not take much to get to center. Resist trying to center the wheel by removing it....failer will result.

Let us know.

John

 

[S&S1stCruzer]

Ok, I am not certain on this...but I don't 'think' the pitman arm needs to be pointing exactly straight ahead. Someone can correct me if necessary. Otherwise what's the use of adjusting the pitman arm to center the steering wheel ?.. Not certain if that's 100% but thats my understanding.

The last thing I would do is reopen you steering gear box. Here is what I would do. Kind of thinking out loud.

1) Attach pitman arm.

2) Turn steering wheel, lock to lock. Count the # of turns, divide that # in half to obtain the center point. Lets say it was 7 full turns, lock it up & turn back 3 1/2 turns. You should have the center point. Pay no attention to how the steering wheel sits.

3) At this point you may (I think it's OK) center the wheel by taking off the steering wheel..BUT only if it's way off...

4) Then go to the pitman for final centering of the wheel. Do this by leaving the p-arm attached. loosen the TRE's & adjust the rod. At this point it should not take much to get to center. Resist trying to center the wheel by removing it....failer will result.

Let us know.

John

John you're a genius!, but here's the part you left off for those that are that smart. In step 1) attach pitman arm - Just attached it to the gear box not the rest of your steering componets (tie rod etc...). This will allow you to center the box with out have the wheels dictate your turning stops.

As for my results, well it's pretty close to being equal, it does turn to the left a little sharper. I might start a new thread asking how many turns to you get out of you steering?

Thanks for you help.

 

[John McVicker]

John you're a genius!, but here's the part you left off for those that are that smart. In step 1) attach pitman arm - Just attached it to the gear box not the rest of your steering componets (tie rod etc...). This will allow you to center the box with out have the wheels dictate your turning stops.

As for my results, well it's pretty close to being equal, it does turn to the left a little sharper. I might start a new thread asking how many turns to you get out of you steering?

Thanks for you help.

Good. but how close is 'pretty close' ? We might not be finished yet. If done correctly it should be the same . What are the #'s to lock left & to lock right...begining at the 'high point' of your steering gear box ?

Let us know. John

 

[S&S1stCruzer]

Good. but how close is 'pretty close' ? We might not be finished yet. If done correctly it should be the same . What are the #'s to lock left & to lock right...begining at the 'high point' of your steering gear box ?

Let us know. John

I'm not gonna get away that easy. I probably won't be able to get to it until the weekend so stayed tuned.