Manual steering box question

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Jamakin

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I have a manual steering box that I am looking at using in my car. I noticed that when i turn the box lock to lock there is a tight spot that seems to be in the middle of the turning radius. Is this normal or is there an issue with the box?

i have a manual box in another car and never notice this before.
 
The area that wears the most is right in the middle. This the position the box is in when the wheels are going straight down the road. If you over adjust the pinion gear ( the screw on top) You wind up with a bind spot. The only way to eliminate this is to take the box apart. You will find a wear spot or a spot where the teeth have a step or wear spot. You have to reface the teeth at this step pot so you can adjust the screw on the top and not have this bind spot.
 
the hi spot is so they line thing up at the factory with out having to count the turns put it on the hi spot when instaling a steering wheel or adjusting the drag link from the pitman arm
 
if thats the case then I might just use another box, I was going to use this box on the kframe and suspension i am building to swap into the car. I didn't want to remove the one thats in the car now because I couldn't move it then. I got this one at a swap meet to save some trouble. I can just put this one in the car to move it and clean up the other box.
 
it really doesn't seem bad, just reaches the middle of the travel and gets tight. I'm turning it with a pair of channel locks and I can keep turning it. It might hardly be noticeable with a steering wheel on it.

It just seems that my other box spins the same all the way through its motion so I wasn't sure which one was right.

Its entirely possible that both boxes are out of adjustment though, one being to loose and the other to tight
 
The factory manual says there is a high spot in the center of travel. You adjust the pre load until there is no lash then turn the wheel 1/4 turn away from center. Then using a torque wrench at the steering wheel nut, turn the wheel through the high spot and measure the turning force. I'm not sure about all gearboxes, but mine is specified to be between 8 1/4 inch lbs to 11 1/4.
 
Worn and readjusted ones are tight at both ends of the travel instead of the middle in my experience.
If you do adjust one or both you want to back off the locknut and turn the center bolt in just till it has resistance then hold the center bolt and lock the nut back down.
I normally turn it back and forth a little as I tighten the center bolt just to be sure things are settled in all the way.
 
skykeith said:
The factory manual says there is a high spot in the center of travel. You adjust the pre load until there is no lash then turn the wheel 1/4 turn away from center. Then using a torque wrench at the steering wheel nut, turn the wheel through the high spot and measure the turning force. I'm not sure about all gearboxes, but mine is specified to be between 8 1/4 inch lbs to 11 1/4.
Click to expand...

There seems to be some posts that agree that there is supposed to be a tight spot in the center of travel, i'm going to double check the adjustment and see how it is.
 
skykeith said:
The factory manual says there is a high spot in the center of travel. You adjust the pre load until there is no lash then turn the wheel 1/4 turn away from center. Then using a torque wrench at the steering wheel nut, turn the wheel through the high spot and measure the turning force. I'm not sure about all gearboxes, but mine is specified to be between 8 1/4 inch lbs to 11 1/4.
Click to expand...

Huh, thats a trip.
It would seem that it would be pretty tight in center after that.
 
i'm betting the one I have in the car now with out the noticeable tight spot is out of adjustment thats why there is no noticeable difference
 
That is usually the case, if you remove all the play with the wheels straight than it is going to bind to the left or the right. This is because the most wear is with the wheels straight ahead. You have to make a compromise on the adjustment. This on a box with wear.
 
Thanks for the help guys, I will let you all know how it works out
 
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