steering gear box
Anyone know how to adjust the steering gear box to tighten the steering on a p30 chassis.
Forum Discussion
navegator wrote:
A steering box that is out of alignment can be proven in this way.
Lift vehicle so that the tires are of the ground, parking brake on, rear wheels chocked.
Steering whell and tires centered, start the engine (warning do not place arm through the steering wheel if alignment is off your arm will be broken).
When the engine starts if the wheels turn in any direction any amount the centering is off, depending on the steering box centering should be done acording to the manufacturers spec's.
If the centering is OK then there is something else out.Thanks the steering box will be checked.I will take it to a shop that works mainly on steering boxes.
navegator- A steering box that is out of alignment can be proven in this way.
Lift vehicle so that the tires are of the ground, parking brake on, rear wheels chocked.
Steering whell and tires centered, start the engine (warning do not place arm through the steering wheel if alignment is off your arm will be broken).
When the engine starts if the wheels turn in any direction any amount the centering is off, depending on the steering box centering should be done acording to the manufacturers spec's.
If the centering is OK then there is something else out.
navegator - I am gonna have the gear box checked out because it has totally no return to center and it has wander and the steering feels light.The steer safe that I installed helps a little but I think their is something wrong with the box.I have had the steering checked out once already and have replaced one inner and one outer tie rod and drag link.I put a supersteer bellcrank on the left side and replaced the power steering pump.I replaced the stabilizer shock on the right side idler and koni shocks all around.Added +5 on the caster when I did the alignment.I put new tires on the front and had it weighed and properly inflated.Replaced the coil spring airbags that was busted.I am gonna check the idler arms because when I had the steering checked they said the idlers had play but after greasing them they said it tightened them up.I don't think it is that simple so I will be checking that along with the box.
- Carefully! Over adjust it and you're removing the box for repair because the steering wheel will not return properly. Are you sure it's the box? Here is the simplest way to check the steering linkage on any vehicle.
With the rig's tires on the ground, wheels chocked/parking brake applied, engine off, have an assistant moderately turn the steering wheel back and forth (taking out the play) while you're below looking at all the tie rod ends, idler arms, steering shafts, pitman shaft/arm and such. There should be no "play" or wobbling.
If you have a "shimmy shock/s", remove one end of it and see if it has any resistance, it should.
To check the ball joints, place a jack under a lower control arm and lift the tire off the ground a few inches. Use a decent sized pry bar and place it under the tire. Attempt to lift up and down. Have an assistant look at the ball joints and note any up and down "play" in the joint. No "play" should be found.
I hope this helps.
