Power steering problems

[Rebel]

due to the play in my steering worsening, I adjusted the play in my power steering box (as per workshop manual), steering felt great, nice and firm. So took the car out for a run, all was good then suddenly felt as though the steering wheel wasn't connected to the wheels anymore. I've checked all the linkages and ball joints etc. Everything is as it should be but the car just wants to go wherever it wants.

Is my steering box completely shagged?

is it more economical to rebuild the box or replace the box?

if I replace the box, would it be better to replace with a new after-market one or, risk a used one that could suffer the same problem?

Is reconditioning a worthwhile alternative?

TIA

[Dave999]

not necessarily

a good box will have a 1/8-1/4 of an inch of adjuster bolt sticking up above the lock nut

most ive seen have way less

the ballnut in these things is inch 1/2 deep and so are the teeth on the sector shaft so thay can handle being adjusted till you have no thread sticking above the nut and maybe a bit more..

sounds like the hydraulic side just started working

aren't they meant to feel horrible??

think its wheels of the ground time and check....

also check the bearing preload or at least pre load a bit more preload in

1) back off adjuster
2) unlock locking hex ring round column head of box (leg off a stool and a hammer)
3) knock the alluminium box end, that you just took the lock ring off round to tighten it up (lef off a stool and a hammer)
4) re adjust the adjuster so its stiff in the midddle
5) lock to lock
6) back off adjsuter so you can't feel stiff in the middle.

if its not spewing oil you'll get a few years out of it

all of them can be rebuilt...the sector shaft ballnut and screw can all be hard chrome plated to bring them back to spec.

Mopar does seal and bearing kits + some bits for the valve for the assist

Dave



then check rag joint idlers and rod ends

[Rebel]

Hi Dave,

Just so I know that I'm trying to adjust the right thing on the box, When you say back off the adjuster, do you mean loosen the nut in the first pic below with the yellow circle around it?

Does unlock locking hex ring round column head of box mean the bit with the orange arrow pointing to it in the second pic?

does knock the alluminium box end, that you just took the lock ring off round to tighten it up, mean the bit with the green arrow pointing to it in the second pic?

Do I need to disconnect the steering column to try the above or can it be done without disconnecting the column?

Is the locking hex ring a left hand thread ?

Thanks for any and all help

[Dave999]

adjuster between sector shaft and bllnut is ringed in yellow

undo lock nut
wind out the bolt about 1mm

the lock ring is arrowed in yellow

back it backwards a little and then wind it out a couple of mm

the orange arrow points to the alluminium end of the box

wind it in a little bit

howver i must admit although your box looks like others i have seen that bit highlighted in ornage doesn't

Dave

[Rebel]

Cheers Dave, I'll give that a try today. Think it all makes sense now.

Thanks again

[Rebel]

Right then, adjusted everything, put it all back together, fired the car up again and there does seem to be a marked improvement. At least while in the drive. I'll take it out on the road later today for a full test.

[Rebel]

Got it all back together again, been out for a test drive, hard to tell if it's better than before but it doesn't seem to be wandering as much as it was.
There's nothing left to adjust though and all the linkages are as they should be.
Anyway we are at the launch ceremony for Driver San Francisco tomorrow so will see how it behaves then