At What Place on Column Did Steeing Wheel Slip? (1 Viewer)

[MH_Stevens]

UPDATE:
I just tried to remove the Pitman arm and I note that the splines that can be seen above the arm (about1/4 inch worth) ARE twisted.

However, looking up from underneath, the splines and groves are making tight contact with no signs of sheer, and how could it turn so much (140 deg) without more damage showig?

The Pitman arm is held tight and I could not knock it down off of the sector shaft easily. Did not try harder as I need use car this week.

So what is the fix? Can I get new shaft or does it require whole steering box?

Thanks, and sorry i did not see this before.

 

[-Spike-]

The steering wheel makes 4 revolutions to move the pitman arm maybe 90 degrees.

You can get a new sector shaft, talk to your dealer, more info about this is available through a search.

 

[MH_Stevens]

I AGREE I did wrong and wish I hadn't, BUT......... I still don't understand how the steering wheel turned 140 deg - nearly a full half turn.

The tie rod ends don't look like they have slipped or bent and even if they had slipped I don't think they could account for so much steering wheel movement, and if the sector arm had twisted a full half turn would it not have sheered the splines that can be seen in good shape from under neath?

ALSO the car drives perfectly straight implying that it is not out of alignment which I would have suspected had I bent a tie rod.

 

[BrotherRob]

Check you rear control arms. Is one of them bent?

 

[ncduckman]

If it actually takes 4 steering wheel revolutions to move the sector shaft 90 degrees., then you are looking at 1440 degrees (360x4) of steering wheel movement to turn the shaft 90 degrees.

Now, if your wheel was off by 140 degrees as stated, then your shaft would only have to be twisted by 8.75 degrees.

90/1440=x/140. x=8.75.

A small twist in sector shaft will have a large result on the steering wheel.

 

[MH_Stevens]

Well Spike (who's post I just saw) and NCDuckman it may be you have solved the riddle - Thanks

I'll get a sector shaft.

Mike

 

[MH_Stevens]

Further. Can someone give a link to how to center the steering wheel adjusting the tie rod ends as suggested to me here. I can not budge the pitman arm from the sector shaft and don't really want to as it may weaken the join further.

 

[Kernal]

Do you just want to straighten the steering wheel??

 

[MH_Stevens]

For now, yes. So the control like cruise and turn indicators are in the right place!

 

[Kernal]

For a quick fix you can disconnect the steering U-joint assembly that's located under the dash, it slides onto splines on the short steering shaft that comes down from the wheel. After you pull it from the shaft you can turn the wheel to where you want it, then connect it back up and tighten the clamp bolt of the U-joint assembly. IIRC the flexible coupler also needs to be loosened or removed to get the assembly out, there's not much slack in the set-up.

 

[Dave 2000]

Hmmm seen this before, it also might be worth checking the panhard rod support where it meets the body, this is a weak area and it results in the entire axle being displaced. The amount is not great at the axle but as pointed out by the clever guys with math (grrrh) that it does not take much to put your steering wheel out of kilter.

I know you have a found A problem but check the welds ect on the panhard rod mounts as well,

regards

Dave

 

[-Spike-]

Further. Can someone give a link to how to center the steering wheel adjusting the tie rod ends as suggested to me here. I can not budge the pitman arm from the sector shaft and don't really want to as it may weaken the join further.

Loosen the clamps on the tie rod ends on the rod between the pitman arm and the passenger side knuckle. With a pipe wrench, twist the tie rod. When you get the wheel aligned with the tires, make sure the joints on the tie rod ends are pretty much centered before tightening the clamps.

 

[Trailbus]

Hmmm seen this before, it also might be worth checking the panhard rod support where it meets the body, this is a weak area and it results in the entire axle being displaced. The amount is not great at the axle but as pointed out by the clever guys with math (grrrh) that it does not take much to put your steering wheel out of kilter.

I know you have a found A problem but check the welds ect on the panhard rod mounts as well,

regards

Dave

That's what happened to mine, have somebody look at the outside of the frame where the mount is and turn the wheel back and forth.

 

[MH_Stevens]

The sector shaft and the Pitman arm joint is obviously weakened and both parts are due for replacement, but that is a big and expensive job. So what about this? As both parts are made to stay fixed together and will be lost in a replacement why don't I just weld them together?

 

[-Spike-]

Because it's the sector shaft that's weakened, not the pitman arm. It's twisted above the pitman arm. Welding won't help and will probably weaken the steel.

This is assuming your sector shaft is twisted.