worn steering box test?

[Jeb Stuart]

How is the best way to tell if the steering box is worn? I recently had my car aligned. It used to pull to one side now it goes down the road straight but there seems to be play in the wheel where before I had to use thw wheel to keep it going straight. I checked all the steering components and they all seems fine (I replace all of them 3 or 4 years ago). When I move the steering wheel a little (the same amount of play that it seems to have driving) w/ the tires on the ground and off nothing moves beyond the steering box. Looking up old threads it seems there is no way to adjust this. Thanks,

 

[Nickodell]

Have someone check the Pitman arm while you move the steering wheel from left to right until slight resistance is felt. If the P. arm is not moving and you have much more than about an inch of free play at the steering wheel rim, you have excessive play in the box. There is an adjustment screw on the top plate of the box (at least, there is on my SV) that will take up some of the play, but you have to be careful about how much you screw this in.

First, ensure that the box is full of gear oil. Then jack the front of the car up so both f. wheels are off the ground, and keep screwing the adjustment screw in no more than 1/4 turn at a time, turning the wheel carefully from lock to lock after each 1/4 turn and feeling for any binding or grating at the wheel rim. When you start to get the slightest of either of these, especially as you move past the "straight ahead" position when going from one lock to the other, back the screw out 1/4 turn until they disappear. This is about as good as you can get with your current box.

 

[mikephillips]

You should also check the condition of the rest of the steering setup. The bushings in the connector link and the 4 tie rods can cause this as well as they wear out. Each one needs only a little play in them to make the wheels wander a bit. So Do what Nick suggests and also expand your checks to the whole steering setup.