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resetting the steering 70 Dart
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 17 6:10 pm
by Dart Vader
ok, so we think the pitman arm was incorrectly put back on so we've done lock to lock, then halfway to get the centre.
also one set of tie rods was fully out and the other side fully in.
so. going to reset it all by undoing all the steering, then using the pitman as the cente point put it all back together with tie rods equal on each side to begin with, the adjust from there.
is this sound logic?
would I expect to see one set of tie rods being markedly different on one side compared to the other, is there a bias of any kind?
thx
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 17 6:32 pm
by MilesnMiles
Justin, doesn't the pitman arm have a fitting spline, I.e can only go on correctly?
Posted: Sun Mar 05, 17 6:57 pm
by Dart Vader
yeah, there's 4 wider splines, so I guess you could be a bit out.
it's just been so long disconnected that I have to start again
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 17 1:38 am
by Rebel
Don't forget to make sure your steering wheel is centred as well. I centred my steering wheel on the column after centrering the column with the steering box. Then fitted the pitman arm, steering links and tie rods. Mine were also unequal lengths originally.
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 17 7:45 am
by Blue
Just did this a couple of weeks ago. Centre the box by counting the turns lock to lock and set it at half that, that gets you in the ballpark. It will now be obvious where to slip on the pitman arm, fit it loose for now. Measure the steering arms, set them both at 13" between the grease nipples, both sides need to measure the same. loosely fit those, you will be able to see where the inner ball joints are sitting in relation to the torsion bars, turn the steering so that distance is the same both sides. The steering is now central, if your steering wheel is not in the correct position, remove it and correct it now. If it all looks good tighten everything up now. As long as the steering wheel is kept in the correct position when you do the tracking, all will be well with the world.
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 17 7:47 am
by Dart Vader
Cheers guys.
Glad I've got a guide to base the lengths on.
This and the exhaust and I'm done !
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 17 7:56 am
by Blue
Just for information, sometimes the joint at the end of the column has a notch, if you line that up with the master spline on the box, when the box is central you end up with the steering wheel master spline at 12 o clock which is useful should you need to take off the wheel in the future.
Posted: Sat Mar 18, 17 5:16 pm
by Dart Vader
That advice was bang on. Needs very little in the way of tracking now but both wheels turn the same amount. Did what you said and worked it backwards to the pitman arm. I was 1/4 turn out when I did it.
Cheers blue
Posted: Sat Mar 18, 17 6:17 pm
by Blue
Boom!