Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Another Steering Box Question (How to make the alignment)
| Another Steering Box Question [message #259054] |
Sat, 16 August 2014 15:59  |
Neil
Messages: 271
Registered: July 2007
Location: Los Angeles and Magalia, ...
Karma: 1
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I have read in detail the posts on the proper alignment of the flat on the steering box input shaft and how it should be parallel to the mounting bolts. I am still not quite getting it (and for the benefit of Rob - yes I did look at the manual)
I have never taken these parts apart before - I confess to using a mechanic although I am fairly handy and this is "easy" compared to Alfa Romeos.
Looks to me that my box isn't in the "proper" position, even with my steering wheel - as centered using adjustable drag link - horizontal. The coach is other wise properly aligned. It drives straight but after having everything replaced including the box, now handles to me in an evil and unacceptable manner. (Before it handled fine but just had some play I wanted to get ride of)
Is the relationship of the flat to the bolts fixed by removing the pitman arm and re-centering? By taking out the intermediate shaft of the steering column and re-centering? Doing both? I know the steering box flat dictates one side of the intermediate shaft connection. I don't know if the top part with the CV is keyed or just has splines.
I didn't want to go there on this hot day taking things apart without some advice.
Thanks
Neil
76 Eleganza now sold
Los Angeles
[Updated on: Sat, 16 August 2014 16:09] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Another Steering Box Question [message #259062 is a reply to message #259054] |
Sat, 16 August 2014 16:48  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Neil,
I don't claim to be an expert at this, but I have done it several times,
and I've watched our current guru, Alex Ferrara, do it several times.
Since he doesn't seem to be online, I'll try to give you accurate
instructions:
It's not bolts to which you're trying to align; it's the flat which is
perpendicular to the extension of the steering shaft. That is, look at the
farthest thing from the steering wheel. That's a cover which is bolted to
the flat of interest. Now Alex made a little tool which consists of two
3"-4" long pieces of 3/4" x 1/8" bar stock (approximately). One of them
has two magnets to attach to the top two bolts of that cover, giving an
easily visible target parallel to that surface. The second bar has a
single magnet at its center.
The first step in his procedure is to lock the steering wheel in the
straight ahead position. He does it by ty-wrapping a rigid pole to the
wheel with its ends lodged on the side window sill and the dash.
Next, remove the lower steering shaft from the steering box input and the
steering column shaft.
Now install the two magnetized bars, or just try to align the shaft flat
and the cover flat by eye -- a short straight edge on the input flat helps.
Rotate the steering box input shaft to align the two bars. KEEP THAT
POSITION 'cause it SHOULD be the "high spot".
Now, reinstall the lower shaft without turning either the steering column
shaft or the input shaft.
Align the lower coupling to the input shaft by inserting the shank of a
27/32" (someone correct that for me!) drill bit through the bolt hole. If
the bit won't fit, you must quit -- to select another spline alignment.
Once you've got that one in place, fit the upper one, making sure that the
ridge around the inside of the clamp is seated ON the CV joint. To make
the bolt notch in the steering shaft align with the bolt hole in the CV
joint may require disassembly and reassembly of the upper CV joint if
someone has previously done it wrong -- it's EASY to do. There are at
least 6 ways (maybe more) to put it together, all but one of them wrong.
Make sure the steering wheel's still centered. Now tighten the dickens out
of both clamp bolts. If you manage to break one, buy a stronger bolt.
They MUST be TIGHT -- especially the lower one -- like 70 ft-lb.
Your steering wheel, column and box should now be aligned. If the coach
doesn't go straight with the steering wheel centered, correct it with the
adjustable drag link you should have. Or with the tie rods if you don't.
Do not tamper again with what you just got right -- there is no other
correct position for those parts. And don't bother to pull the pitman arm
-- it only fits on 1 way anyhow.
Feel free to correct this if I've scrambled something.
Best of all, come to GMCMI Chippewa Falls, where Alex is scheduled to give
a seminar on this!
Ken H.
On Sat, Aug 16, 2014 at 5:00 PM, Neil Martin wrote:
> I have read in detail the posts on the proper alignment of the flat on the
> steering box input shaft and how it should be parallel to the mounting
> bolts. I am still not quite getting it (and for the benefit of Rob - yes
> I did look at the manual)
>
> I have never taken these parts apart before - I confess to using a mechanic
> although I am fairly handy and this is "easy" compared to Alfa Romeos.
>
> Looks to me that my box isn't in the "proper" position, even with my
> steering wheel - as centered using adjustable drag link - horizontal. The
> coach
> is other wise properly aligned. It drives straight but after having
> everything replaced including the box, now handles to me in an evil and
> unacceptable manner. (Before it handled fine but just had some play I
> wanted to get ride of)
>
> Is the relationship of the flat to the bolts fixed by removing the pitman
> arm and re-centering? By taking out the intermediate shaft of the steering
> column and re-centering? Doing both? I know the steering box flat
> dictates one side of the intermediate shaft connection. I don't know if the
> top
> part with the CV is keyed or just has splines.
>
> I didn't want to go there on this hot day taking things apart without some
> advice.
>
> Thanks
> --
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Another Steering Box Question [message #259196 is a reply to message #259070] |
Sun, 17 August 2014 22:40 |
Neil
Messages: 271
Registered: July 2007
Location: Los Angeles and Magalia, ...
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Ken,
Did all that you explained after coming home from working today. My friend Michael (also a GMC owner but 500 cad in his)stopped by to help.
First of all, if Alex F wanders around at conventions to do this adjustment, he is a saint, because it was a PIA.
Not impossible and I'm sure it gets easy with repetition, but its no 10 minute fix.
I spent about 3.5 hours and that's with serious air tools available. My arms are scratched and bruised.
But yes, the flat was off by I estimate 30 degrees. It is fixed now.
I went for a short drive, maybe 8 miles on the freeway.
It felt GREAT. Much improved and recall I just drove LA-Sturgis-LA. So I have a sense of what it was. All I need is a howling cross-wind to be sure.
I want to be clear. With the exception of my steering column, every single part in the front end was new and yet it scared me to drive. Now all better. Amazing. Either amazing improvement or amazing self delusion, but I'll take it either way.
Thanks again.
Neil
Neil
76 Eleganza now sold
Los Angeles
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| Re: [GMCnet] Another Steering Box Question [message #259201 is a reply to message #259196] |
Sun, 17 August 2014 22:54 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Neil,
Glad those instructions worked for you.
Yes, Alex really DOES wander around looking down at steering boxes. More
often than not, it's, "Nope, that's not right. Let's fix it...". And he
does. And for that some want to criticize him! :-(
Just pass your new-found knowledge around.
Ken H.
On Sun, Aug 17, 2014 at 11:43 PM, Neil Martin wrote:
> Ken,
>
> Did all that you explained after coming home from working today. My
> friend Michael (also a GMC owner but 500 cad in his)stopped by to help.
>
>
> First of all, if Alex F wanders around at conventions to do this
> adjustment, he is a saint, because it was a PIA.
>
> Not impossible and I'm sure it gets easy with repetition, but its no 10
> minute fix.
>
> I spent about 3.5 hours and that's with serious air tools available. My
> arms are scratched and bruised.
>
> But yes, the flat was off by I estimate 30 degrees. It is fixed now.
>
> I went for a short drive, maybe 8 miles on the freeway.
>
> It felt GREAT. Much improved and recall I just drove LA-Sturgis-LA. So I
> have a sense of what it was. All I need is a howling cross-wind to be
> sure.
>
> I want to be clear. With the exception of my steering column, every single
> part in the front end was new and yet it scared me to drive. Now all
> better. Amazing. Either amazing improvement or amazing self delusion,
> but I'll take it either way.
>
> Thanks again.
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: [GMCnet] Another Steering Box Question [message #259240 is a reply to message #259062] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 12:00 |
A Hamilto
Messages: 4508
Registered: April 2011
Karma: 39
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Ken Henderson wrote on Sat, 16 August 2014 16:48...I've watched our current guru, Alex Ferrara, do it several times. ...
The first step in his procedure is to lock the steering wheel in the straight ahead position. He does it by ty-wrapping a rigid pole to the wheel with its ends lodged on the side window sill and the dash.
Next, remove the lower steering shaft from the steering box input and the steering column shaft. ... I am pretty sure Mr. Ferrara does not disassemble people's steering boxes UNTIL he has ascertained that it needs to be fixed.
When he opens the hood and looks down, what does he see that indicates that it is wrong? Can somebody post a picture of either right or wrong or both so I can compare it to what I have before I start tearing something apart that might not be what needs to be fixed?
My 73 Sequoia steers like this:
It slowly drifts right and holding pressure to the left on the steering wheel does not stop the drift. Turning the wheel to the left until it has an effect causes it to begin to drift left. Holding pressure to the right does not stop the drift. Turning the wheel to the right until it has an effect causes it to drift to the right.
And so on, constantly correcting to try to keep it in the lane until I reach my destination.
I am used to driving vehicles by pointing them at a spot way off in the distance and having them continue in that direction until I make a change. With the Sequoia, the constant vigilance would wear me down on a trip of more than a couple hundred miles, and if I end up in a construction zone with a barrier on one side and a tractor trailer on the other, it means almost certain damage, or worse.
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| Re: Another Steering Box Question [message #259248 is a reply to message #259054] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 13:58 |
C Boyd
Messages: 2629
Registered: April 2006
Karma: 18
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Senior Member |
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Alex said (IIRC) that with the steering wheel straight (assuming the steering wheel, upper clamp joint, cv joint, blue shaft and lower clamping joint is indexed correctly the clamping bolt on the top of the box should point to the drag link nut on the bottom of the pitman arm.
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
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| Re: [GMCnet] Another Steering Box Question [message #259249 is a reply to message #259240] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 14:10 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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G'day,
Mr.Erf has this posted:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/steering-box/p54238-steering-box-adjustment.html
Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
USAussie - Downunder
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
-----Original Message-----
From: A.
When he opens the hood and looks down, what does he see that indicates that it is wrong? Can somebody post a picture of either
right or wrong or both so I can compare it to what I have before I start tearing something apart that might not be what needs to be
fixed?
My 73 Sequoia steers like this:
It slowly drifts right and holding pressure to the left on the steering wheel does not stop the drift. Turning the wheel to the
left until it has an effect causes it to begin to drift left. Holding pressure to the right does not stop the drift. Turning the
wheel to the right until it has an effect causes it to drift to the right.
And so on, constantly correcting to try to keep it in the lane until I reach my destination.
I am used to driving vehicles by pointing them at a spot way off in the distance and having them continue in that direction until I
make a change. With the Sequoia, the constant vigilance would wear me down on a trip of more than a couple hundred miles, and if I
end up in a construction zone with a barrier on one side and a tractor trailer on the other, it means almost certain damage, or
worse.
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GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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