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steering gear box

My 94 XLT has developed a LOT of play in the steering wheel over the last few weeks, maybe 6" of rotation without turning the pitman arm. I verified that all u-joints, etc, in the steering shaft are OK, it seems to be a sloppy box. I know the solution, I just don't want to face it. Does anyone have experience with repair/replacement of the steering gearbox? Same subject: I have always known that the steering does not seem to be 'centered'. The steering wheel turns about 2 turns to the right, but only about 1.5 turns to the left. The steering wheel itself seems to be installed correctly, the turn signal cancels are even from side to side (I have never had it off, but who knows about prev. owners?). The steering stops at the spindles do not seem damaged. The vehicle has always pulled pretty badly to the right, even against a small caster pull (L caster is 0.8 degrees lower that R), and the steering wheel has always been at least 45 degrees off, to the L, but maybe because of the sloppy steering and the pull) Any comments?

Reply to
mike w
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A good alignment shop should be able to find and fix the steering offset. The steering box does have an adjustment screw & lock nut to adjust wheel play.

Sounds like the steering box has a problem.

Reply to
rakster

Hello Mike,

I replaced the steering box in my 91 EB 4x4 a few months ago, and like you, I was not looking forward to the task. Also like your car, mine was pulling rather hard to one side; once the new box was on, the pulling stopped. Fortunately, the job is much easier then it appears to be. If you don't already have one, buy a pitman arm puller. The splinned sections of the pitman arm and sector shaft are both "keyed" so you can't easily make a mistake during re-assembly after you've put the new box on. Steering column shafts are also keyed, so once again, it's pretty error proof. Since I didn't diss-connect any of the steering tie rods, no alignment was needed after the new box was in place. However, my steering wheel is now about 15 degrees off from the center position. I'm sure this is a simple adjustment, but I'm going to let the alignment people take care of this one when I get new tires in another few months.

Good luck, Mike M.

Reply to
Tiger

Good info! Thanks! Jim W? Any comments?

Reply to
mike w

An update: I replaced the gear box with a reman one from Oreilleys. Not a bad job, took me about 3 hours start to finish. The reman unit cost about $175. After the old one was out, I saw how bad it really was, lots of end play (1/2"). I still have some problem with it pulling, it seems to have improved it though.

Reply to
mike w

Mike et al.... if the steering gear is inducing a pull, there will be no abnormal tire wear. This will be strictly a hydraulic problem.

Tire wear is an effect of misalignment.... pure and simple. Often, we see instances of "radial pull"... a phenomenon never seen with bias ply tires. In effect, the belt of the tire "slips" presenting a tapered face to the road surface rather than a flat surface - hence the pull.

As for junk tires.... there's more than just tread depth at play here. Extreme scalloping and other uneven treadwear (the tread depth should be measured at the skimpiest part of the tread) come into play here. It is important that we look at the worst part of the tire and call a spade a spade rather than look at the good part of the tire and mislead ourselves (the old weakest link of the chain deal). It is vitally important that we remember that these little patches of rubber are the only thing holding us up off the road - and then give a passing thought to all those mysterious single vehicle accidents on clear days.

Stay safe folks...

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

Reply to
Jim Warman

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