Slop at the steering wheel

TheRo0sTer · 06-28-2009, 11:14 PM

Symptoms:

Steering wheel moves 90* left to right before it engages

Other info:

1) Box has been torn down, inspected and seals replaced
2) Ujoints on steering shaft are tights
3) Tie Rod is HD and the ends are HD and less than 200 miles on them
4) Steering rod is HD and the ends are HD and less than 200 miles on them
5) Dampener is less than 200 miles old

I'm stumped is there anything I missed to inspect? Maybe the steering rod? Help please I want my rig to road worthy before the end of the summer.

**Apex** · 06-28-2009, 11:25 PM

The steering box can be adjusted and tightened up. You may want to try that.

DanaJeepTech · 06-28-2009, 11:29 PM

You need to detemine where the excess play is at. If you can turn the steering wheel and see the steering shaft moving the same amount going into the steering box, then the problem is after the input shaft in the box. This could be movement in the linkage after the pitman or in the box itself. It sounds like you have everything inspected, I suppose if everything is tight the issue is in the steering gear adjustments or an improperly assembled steering gear.

-Dana

TheRo0sTer · 06-28-2009, 11:37 PM

I followed the directions here --> http://www.scribd.com/doc/6829240/Saginaw-Box-Rebuild-How-To to a T. Bench test the input shaft moved the output shaft without excess play. I adjusted the gear till I felt it slightly bind at TDC and then backed it out slowly until it wasn't binding.

DanaJeepTech · 06-29-2009, 12:15 AM

Wow. I guess that is one way to do it. The actual adjustments are a little more accurate I think. The worm thrust bearing preload needs to be done first and will affect the over center adjustment. You do this by removing the large lock nut and tightening the large adjuster with a spanner wrench to 25 foot pounds. This should bottom out the adjuster. Next you will make a mark on the case and on the adjuster with a sharpie. Once you do that, make a measurement of 0.20 inches back and make a second mark on the housing. Back off the adjuster so the mark on the adjuster now lines up with the second mark which is 0.20 inches behind it. Next reinstall the lock not and make sure your adjuster didn't move. The locknut needs to be torqued to 80 foot pounds. This is how you get the proper preload.

Once this is done you can adjust your over center. The over-center adjustment is mostly what you feel at the steering wheel. You start this adjustment with the adjuster fully seated so the large gear is at the top of the cover. You find the center by rotating the shaft to the right and left fully and counting back half the turns. This is the rough center. To find the exact center you will use a beam style inch pound torque wrench. By turning to the right and left from center about 45 degrees you will see the torque wrench increase and decrease. The highest point should be the average and is the actual center. This is your Over-Center Rotating Torque. Now rotate the shaft betwen 90 and 180 degrees to the right and left of this point. Calculate the average torque from these rotations. This will give you the Preload Rotating torque. This is an important measurement because the final adjustment you are going to make by turning the adjuster screw determines the slop you will have in the wheel. You need to adjust that screw so the Over-Center Rotating torque is between 3-7 inch pounds higher than the Preload Rotating Torque. Once you get this, reinstall the locknut and torque it to 36 ft lbs making sure the adjuster does not turn.

It sounds much harder than it really is. Finding an inch lb beam style torque wrench is the hardest part. Once key thing to making these adjustments is you need to have all the fluid drained from the steering box. It's also much easier with the box on your bench and in a vice. Good luck.

-Dana

TheRo0sTer · 06-29-2009, 12:52 AM

Dana thank you so much! So without doing the adjustments RIGHT I could have added slop I didnt have before. DUH Alright tomorrow the box comes back out and drained. Then I will reset it all. Doesn't sounds too hard once you've read it a couple times over. I didn't realize you wanted drag at TDC.

TheRo0sTer · 06-30-2009, 10:08 PM

I got some of the slop out. Now the box steers to the left with 1 finger, steers rights with 2 hands.

I don't want to take it to a shop. I should be able to figure this out! It's a Jeep not a damn ROCKET.

Maybe the pump is going bad? It doesn't make any noise. Crap I'm getting bummed I can't fix this crap.

jmx663 · 06-30-2009, 11:11 PM

one more thing to check if you still have excess slop, check the track bar, sometimes the brackets will wear out causing your whole axle to shift back and forth when you turn the wheel. If that happens to be the problem and you dont fix it, next comes death wobble... ben there done that

RubiconR6 · 06-30-2009, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmx663

one more thing to check if you still have excess slop, check the track bar, sometimes the brackets will wear out causing your whole axle to shift back and forth when you turn the wheel. If that happens to be the problem and you dont fix it, next comes death wobble... ben there done that

thats is where my slop is from so check that

TheRo0sTer · 07-01-2009, 09:57 AM

Thanks I'll look at those today.

RYANSTULC · 07-01-2009, 11:33 AM

Anthony, let me know when you've got the box out. I've had 3 of them apart before doing hydro-assist.
Are you running the stock box? Or is it a reman box? I ask because one of the reman boxes I used didn't have the correct number of ball bearing in it !
Anyhow, give me a ring. I'll PM my number.
Ryan

DanaJeepTech · 07-01-2009, 11:42 AM

It sounds like you may have missed the center when making the adjustements. You can verify the center by removing the upper cover and looking if you are not sure. Before you reinstall the box you should take it to full turn by hand in both directions.

-Dana

erickpl · 07-01-2009, 01:15 PM

Similar problem with mine. LOTS of play at center. No leaks. Turns easily (effort-wise), but it takes big turns on the wheel to make fine adjustments while driving down the road or highway. Jeep is a 97 with 118k on it.

Any ideas?

TheRo0sTer · 07-01-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RYANSTULC

Anthony, let me know when you've got the box out. I've had 3 of them apart before doing hydro-assist.
Are you running the stock box? Or is it a reman box? I ask because one of the reman boxes I used didn't have the correct number of ball bearing in it !
Anyhow, give me a ring. I'll PM my number.
Ryan

Ryan it's the Durango box.

RYANSTULC · 07-01-2009, 10:29 PM

Read this:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?referrerid=57133&t=570869