I did it on a 1960 C60 Dump Truck back around 1990, ha ha. Yeah it was a different gear box with no power steering but, just saying.
Steering gear
- Thread starter Steven Petersen
- Start date
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Steven Petersen
I'm Awesome
Took for test drive. Slop is almost completely gone. Still doesn’t feel quite tight enough if that makes sense? Should I try a little more screw turn?
Personally I'd drive it for a while and see if it wears in more.
I'm just overly careful since that time 30 years ago
Steven Petersen
I'm Awesome
Good point. Plus I need to get it aligned. Could be that. I think I’ll check the toe-in. That can affect tightness/feel.Personally I'd drive it for a while and see if it wears in more.
I'm just overly careful since that time 30 years ago
Steven Petersen
I'm Awesome
I checked toe-in the way I know and I’ve actually got 1/4” toe-out. Looked in service manual and it says each side has to be measured individually and in degrees. Guess I’ll wait for the alignment.
Insert Quarter
I'm Awesome
Last year when I was rebuilding my steering box I remember reading on one of the rebuilders websites that they use oversized (by half a thousandth or so) ball bearings for the worm gear. I have yet to find a source for the oversized ball bearings though.
Note: When rebuilding the steering box it had two different size ball bearings that were about half a thousandths different and needed to be re-installed in alternating order otherwise it would bind. I imagine the oversized ball bearings would keep the same difference in size.
Note: When rebuilding the steering box it had two different size ball bearings that were about half a thousandths different and needed to be re-installed in alternating order otherwise it would bind. I imagine the oversized ball bearings would keep the same difference in size.
Steven Petersen
I'm Awesome
You rebuilt yourself? Was it difficult? I’ve never done one.
After cranking the Allen screw my slop is pretty much gone. Hopefully it will last. The problem now is I measured and have 1/4” toe-out. I need to get it aligned.
Insert Quarter
I'm Awesome
I use these for toe
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VAOHB2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
And a Longacre bubble gauge for Caster/Camber, I don't remember where I bought the gauge
Lifetime free alignments lol
The steering box wasn't difficult per se, definitely time consuming and tedious, mostly because I've never done one before. It was a bit of a learning process for sure. Took me a couple days to clean, paint, figure out what the heck I'm doing, and reassemble.
A 1/4" beam style torque wrench helps to set the proper drag/torque
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VAOHB2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
And a Longacre bubble gauge for Caster/Camber, I don't remember where I bought the gauge
Lifetime free alignments lol
The steering box wasn't difficult per se, definitely time consuming and tedious, mostly because I've never done one before. It was a bit of a learning process for sure. Took me a couple days to clean, paint, figure out what the heck I'm doing, and reassemble.
A 1/4" beam style torque wrench helps to set the proper drag/torque
There is a comprehensive process for adjusting the steering box in the downloadable factory service manual. As was mentioned, you need to be a little creative to get around not having the right socket for the worm thrust bearing preload.
I was pretty conservative in adjusting my steering box, which was very sloppy. I did my best with the worm thrust bearing preload, then set the pitman shaft over-center to middle of the spec'd range. My adjustments made it much better, at least got it up to "stay in my lane".
Having attempted steering box adjustments on a few vehicles, I can offer the following:
1: Sometimes you get lucky (you start with a box that does not have extreme wear), sometimes you do not (the box has significant wear and needs rebuild/replace).
2: When you are adjusting the pitman / sector shaft, you must have the box centered.
3: It is tempting to tighten everything until you get to "go-kart mode" but that will lead to rapid wear and things will be worse than what you started with in short order.
Hope that helps. Read that adjustment section in the FSM (book two, section 2B1A in the 1998 manual).
I was pretty conservative in adjusting my steering box, which was very sloppy. I did my best with the worm thrust bearing preload, then set the pitman shaft over-center to middle of the spec'd range. My adjustments made it much better, at least got it up to "stay in my lane".
Having attempted steering box adjustments on a few vehicles, I can offer the following:
1: Sometimes you get lucky (you start with a box that does not have extreme wear), sometimes you do not (the box has significant wear and needs rebuild/replace).
2: When you are adjusting the pitman / sector shaft, you must have the box centered.
3: It is tempting to tighten everything until you get to "go-kart mode" but that will lead to rapid wear and things will be worse than what you started with in short order.
Hope that helps. Read that adjustment section in the FSM (book two, section 2B1A in the 1998 manual).
