VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 39 steering box

hi all I have put new bearings into the steering box and have adjusted it to get no play but when you turn the wheel shaft and go back to the tight spot it is not quite in the center if you count the turns its about a half turn out do I put the box back in the car and adjust the wheels to be straight at this point or am I adjusting the box wrong
do I need to turn the adjuster the other way thanks tony

How did you adjust the box to remove the play?

Let's make sure we understand the whole situation correctly.

Is the car a Master or Master Deluxe? The steering boxes are similar but there is a difference in the bearings that support the shaft. That should not affect the adjustment procedure but might be relevant.

I also strongly recommend that you follow the steps and sequence of adjustments as outline in the shop manual. You will not get the desired results if you do not follow that sequence.

Also, using the "tight" spot as the center might not be the true center. Remember that the worn gear has a "hour glass" shape so the worm teeth remain in contact with the sector teeth as you steer. That also changes the operating clearance as you steer. Often the problem is that the steering gears wear the most with the steering in the straight ahead position. If you adjust for minimum clearances in the straight ahead position then the steering will get very tight as you move off center. I expect that is the situation you have. Typically the tight spot is about 1/8 to 1/4 turn off center. That is where the gear teeth are not as worn, especially on the worm.

With respect to centering the gear, is the problem that the steering wheel is not centered where you want it? Or do you have more turn in one direction than the other when you start with the vehicle wheels in the straight ahead position?

The first check I would make is to lift the front end off the ground and confirm that the steering arms are hitting the stops at both ends of the travel. If they are not, either you have some bent parts or the gear sector/pitman arm are not properly centered on the shaft. I know this sounds crazy but I wonder if the pitman arm was not aligned correctly when you re-installed it. I cannot remember if that pitman arm will only install one way.

If the problem is simply that the steering wheel is not centered when the wheels are straight ahead then you should be able to remove it and re-install it on the splines with the correct orientation.

Hope this helps!

the box is still out of the car im adjusting it by turning the nut that has the hole off centre and a tapper on it after loosening the bolts around the box
I count the number off turns from lock to lock then go back to the centre adjust the box but the tight spot is a bit off centre maybe half a turn more
if I adjust all the play out at dead centre it will bind up when turning it one way
if I adjust box for no play at not quite the centre point I can take all play out and have it working pretty good put the tight spot wont be dead centre if you count the turns on the steering wheel shaft
maybe I should put box back in car and adjust wheels to be straight at this point and see if I can get full lock to lock on the wheels
I am a bit worried that with the tight spot not being dead centre I wont have enough travel to do full lock in one direction and spare travel going the other way

its a master 85 straight axle chev right hand drive thanks

Sounds like you have some wear on the worm in the centre position. I would adjust so the tight spot does not prevent turning then do the rest of the adjustments from the centre position. May not be the correct way but getting a replacement worm will be near impossible these days.
Tony

Thanks for the details about the car and how you are making the adjustment. Sounds like you are learning and making progress!

I still encourage you to make the 3 adjustments in the correct sequence for the best results. The last one is the the one most impacted by wear on the worm and sector. If the other 2 are not correct it will be difficult to get that one close to correct.

I agree with Tony that you have the most wear in the center position. That is why the tight spot is not at the center. Based on your description I expect that you have slightly less wear off center in one direction and even less wear in other other. The "even less wear" is the tight spot.

I will even be so bold as to guess that the tight spot is when you turn the car to the right. Because it is a right hand drive there would be a lot more left turns than right over the years of use.

I also agree with Tony that the best you can do is adjust so you can get through the tight spot and just accept what the clearance is in the center. The tight spot will not be the center and will not be when you are going straight.

There is not much you can do with adjustments for matching the steering gear center to straight ahead front wheels. That is controlled by the geometry and relation of the splines on the sector shaft, the pitman arm, the drag link, and steering arm on the right spindle. All the tie rod does is change the angle of the left wheel with respect to the right wheel on your car.

One advantage on your car is that the steering shaft has splines so you have some opportunity to make the steering wheel look like it is close to straight ahead when the car is going straight.