Steering pump adjustment screw stuck...

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scrowley

scrowley

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Threads
163
Messages
3,540
Location
N. West CT.
Well my steering hasnt been the best although mostly everything is up to par and pm'd. It is loose and kind of unpredictable the faster I go. My girlfriend who is a good driver has had to take it a few times to school and is scarred on the highway. You turn the wheel until is abrubtly chages lanes. I decided to try the steering pump adjustment screw tightening. I loosened the jam nut but the adj screw is not budging. Tried a variation of tools. Been spraying PB on it for a few days. When I tightened it back up before I drove again it did turn the adj. screw about 1/8 ++ past its previous locatoin. I could feel the difference with just that believe it or not.

Couple questions I have:

-Can I use heat without melting any internal seals or other?
-Can I just unscrew the whole thing and buy those two pieces seperate at Mr. T and re-install? Or will taking it out completely mess something up?

Things I have done for the poor steering so far:
-J springs with trailing arm drop brackets from OME for castor
-All new brake calipers, etc
-Tight wheel bearings
-New sway bar bushings with drop brackets fr. and rear
-Alignment at very rep. shop
-All good TRE's
-OME steering stabilizer
-Brand new duratrac 315's
 
Can replace the entire top cap.

I've been jacking with mine today, a result of a few issues, and created my own SST to do so.



image-60872977.webp


It doesn't turn easily, and the tool comes in handy torquing on the jam nut to tighten.
image-60872977.webp
 
I made the same tool but with vise grips on the handle. I broke the tip right off the screwdriver.....
 
Its rusty and I could tell has never been touched.
 
I assume fluid will flow out of the steering gear from the reservoir if you remove that screw, but I don't think it will hurt anything. Maybe removing it and cleaning the threads will get it working again. I have a manual impact driver if you want to try hammering it in either direction.
 
Can anyone veryify that taking out the jam nut with adj. screw not screw anything up in the pump. I will just mark and count threads etc to get it reset when I can actually heat this thing to free is up ....and maybe just buy a new set from mr. T. I realy need this truck to handle a bit better on the street. Its not bad by any means but a lil sloppy. The lady doesnt like to drive it at all.
 
Thank you for that info. But before I saw your reply I just loosened the jam nut with the adj screw rusted on there until it got stiff.. At that point I knew it doesnt just come off. I put a small set of vise grips on the section of adj. screw (lightly) and tapped the 17mm wrench on the nut and it cracked free. I then tightened both back up to roughly the amount of adj. screw was sticking up prior. I jacked the front of truck up, started it and cycled the steering lock to lock. I then adj. the screw until I could tell the screw was in a little further than original and wasnt causing the steering to bind at all. I havent drove it yet but I figure I should keep adj. until I feel a bind on inspection then back of a 1/8 to a 1/4 turn then recheck. Does this all sound right?? Is there a point where it can be tightened to far? My steering kind of sucks but everything else is nice and tight in the front end.
 
The FSM, which I'm not close to now, list a "steering play" dimension. If the steering wheel had a line through center, I believe it's ~1" of play to left or right of center, before there's anymore force than what a finger can turn.

I tried that, THEN went two more full turns, all in 1/4 turn increments, and still not happy, but I may have issues with this box and new one is en
Route.
 
I drove the truck and damn is it WAY better. Should have done this a long time ago. The slop is around 1" in the middle and changing lanes was very smooth compared to before where I would keep turning until it responded which was a darting motion with body sway....wasn't a pleasure to drive. I hope this fix stays like it is and doesnt wear off somehow.
 
Is it possible that it will loosen for some reason?? Also is checking for binding or ruff spots in the steering after the adjustment the only way to tell if it is too tight? Are there any other symptoms to watch for?
 
The FSM recommends 40mm of play in the steering wheel. When I purchased my cruiser in Sept of last year, I too had unpredictable and quite scary steering. It was a two handed driver and required full concentration. I pulled the battery and loosened the jam nut with a breaker bar. My adjustment screw was easy to adjust and ps fluid started leaking immediately. I retightened with approximately 1/5 of a turn and it made a HUGE difference. Now the cruiser has the controllable but sloppy factory steering feel.
 
My play in the steering wheel is about right. It drives so much better. I think I turned it in about 3/8 of a turn total or could be 1 3/8 turn. I took a pic of the way the adj. screw was pointing when I started. And eye balled the height it was sticking out.

Can someone list all the tale signs of an adjusting screw that is too tight.. Thanks
 
I had some scary steering on the highway as well, but my steering box was tight. Through a friend, who had the same issue, we determined it was the bushing bolted to the firewall that was causing the play. Turning the wheel would cause the steering shaft to move up or down almost 1/2".
Removed the bolts, grabbed a 0.75"ID bearing and split flange mount, grabbed longer bolts and locked it down. All play gone.
 
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