Adjusting a Sterring Gear Box

[bigd65]

Hpw do you PROPERLY adjust the steering gear box. I just replaced mine (with a WRECKING YARD MODEL) , mine was leaking. Anyway, everytime I try to adjust them, I make it start leaking at the input shaft. I guess I get it to tight. I dont want this one to leak or my wife wont let me park in our NEW DRIVEWAY. The one I put on has to much play. All the tie rods and pitman arm and all are good, I replaced them about a year ago. The old one didnt have this play in it so i know its in the gear box.

[eagle23]

Hi, I'm a relative newbie here as you can see but I just adjusted the steering gearbox on my '77 C10 a couple of weeks ago. To my surprise:p it ended up being the same kind of adjustment I used to do on my old 62 Volvo.

Atop the box is a nut with a slotted bolt (okay, my tech terms leave room for improvement!), just off center from the center of the box. Hold the bolt steady with a single blade screwdriver, and loosen the nut with a box-end, maybe a turn or so. Then tighten the bolt with the screwdriver. Sounds like yours might go a half-turn or more. Do it in stages. You can turn the bolt till it "bottoms", but then the steering box will bind. Best to do it half-turn or so at a time, retightening the locknut each time.

There wasn't as much resistance as I thought there might be (vs the old Volvo box) so I got to where there was no slack, but so much box friction it overcame the caster in the suspension and there was little self-centering of the wheel after a turn. I just kept backing off the adjustment until the freeplay/self-centering seemed right.

This is probably not the official ChevyWay to do things, and I'd be interested in hearing what others say. This site is great for answers...I'm sure I'll have my share when I start re-doing my '77.

Hope this helps. I can't imagine this process producing a leak, so maybe some Home Peace will break out

Brian

[bigd65]

That is the way i always did it but i was wondering if there was another way