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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Puyallup WA
Posts: 365
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play in steering
my 66 c10 i feel has excessive play in the steering wheel. when i lowered the truck and put new brakes on it i put all new steering components on. this excessive play is this sign of a bad steering box?
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#2 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ft. Worth, Tx
Posts: 536
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Re: play in steering
This sounds like the same thing that was wrong with my truck. There is a bearing in the bottom of the column that supports the steering shaft that the steering wheel connects to. The stock bearing is a piece of **** that doesn't even have grease or seals in it. The replacement bearing has seals that keep the grease in there...it's about 100 times better than the stock bearing. Mine had been in there so long that grooves had been cut into the shaft. I had to weld up the grooves and grind down the excess so the bearing would be tight. Do a search with the words.'replace bearing in bottom of steering column' you will find several threads on this subject. Hope this helps.
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 1,166
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Re: play in steering
On the manual boxes there is an adjustment that can be made by meshing the gears closer together. I am not sure of exactly how much it can be tightened but it involves loosening the nut, screwing in the slotted bolt and tightening the lock nut. I would think that once the bolt has been screwed down it should be retracted a bit to provide some clearance between the gears. I am not sure whether the P.S. boxes have this feature or not.
The lower bearing on my steering column had also cut into the shaft and got replaced by a bushing. The shaft got replaced by a newer collapsible shaft from a 67 P/U. |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Anderson SC
Posts: 3,885
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Re: play in steering
I've never had an older car/truck with a steering box that didn't have some play in the steering box, even after adjusting it. My newer cars with rack and pinion steering are alway tight, even with 160k+ miles.
We built a '68 Chevelle a few years ago and used a CPP 500 series box and it was really nice. No play, good feel/feedback, and quicker ratio than stock.
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#5 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ft. Worth, Tx
Posts: 536
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Re: play in steering
mehoff400, did you get your truck fixed?
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Puyallup WA
Posts: 365
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Re: play in steering
i havent yet. i found it to be the steering gear. i have been collecting parts to put power steering on it so that might come sooner than expected.
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#7 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ft. Worth, Tx
Posts: 536
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Re: play in steering
Cool, I hope you get it all sorted out. You probably already know this, but Captainfab makes some excellent parts to help get all that done. He makes a plate to mount the steering box to the frame and a bracket for the power booster to the firewall if you also want power brakes.
Last edited by '65 chevy lover; 09-09-2018 at 11:23 PM. |
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#8 |
meowMEOWmeowMEOW
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MKE WI
Posts: 7,128
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Re: play in steering
My truck had lots of play in the steering. During the course of owning it I've redone the shocks, springs, sway, steering box, steering column etc....now it just has less play lol. Old chevy steering gears tend to "suggest" where your going .
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#10 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Fort Mill, SC
Posts: 203
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Re: play in steering
Bringing this thread back to life. In my Workshop manual there appears to be a way to adjust the steering box internal bearings to tighten it up? Anyone have luck with this? I have about 4 to 6" of play in my steering and wanted to know where to start first.
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Calgary Alberta
Posts: 1,166
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Re: play in steering
You need a 3 to 5 year old to pretend s/he's driving while you go out and see where the play is coming from.
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#12 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Fort Mill, SC
Posts: 203
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Re: play in steering
its in the steering box.
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#13 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Fort Mill, SC
Posts: 203
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Re: play in steering
I guess nobody has done the adjustment procedure?
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#14 |
Moderator
![]() ![]() Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: China Spring, TX
Posts: 7,280
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Re: play in steering
The so called adjusting screw on the top of the steering box is NOT an adjuster for steering play ... it is to adjust backlash in the gears on initial setup.
Be careful as this type of adjustment has been known to ruin steering boxes quickly. You may even notice you have less play at full left and full right steering. The center section of the worm gear gets the most use and therefore the most wear. So if there is play it usually means the box needs a rebuild.
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Master Chief, US Navy, Retired 1964 C10 Step-side Short Bed - In Progress 2009 2500HD Duramax LTZ 1948 GMC Panel 1956 Big Window Stepside 1953 5 Window Chevy Stepside 1932 Coupe New Seat Foam for Bench Seats? |
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#15 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Fort Mill, SC
Posts: 203
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Re: play in steering
Got it thanks for the response. Can you recommend a place to get one or what to avoid? I assume i should replace rag joint as well
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: central California
Posts: 2,737
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Re: play in steering
I bought a manual box from these guys and it is really sweet. I've never had a zero play manual gearbox before but now, I'd never want anything else. https://redheadsteeringgears.com/abo...SAAEgJmVfD_BwE
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#17 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Fort Mill, SC
Posts: 203
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Re: play in steering
awesome but they don't have one for a 61
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: central California
Posts: 2,737
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Re: play in steering
Call them, they can rebuild yours.
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#19 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Fort Mill, SC
Posts: 203
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Re: play in steering
what did you pay? Going rate for one on sother websites is about $250.00 for rebuilt box
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: central California
Posts: 2,737
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Re: play in steering
$270 Including tax, shipping etc...the whole deal. Does the competition do the same kind of precision fittment of the components as Redhead?
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#21 |
Moderator
![]() ![]() Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: China Spring, TX
Posts: 7,280
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Re: play in steering
Ya, I'd go with Red Head also before I'd save a couple of bucks somewhere else and possibly have to have it redone.
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Master Chief, US Navy, Retired 1964 C10 Step-side Short Bed - In Progress 2009 2500HD Duramax LTZ 1948 GMC Panel 1956 Big Window Stepside 1953 5 Window Chevy Stepside 1932 Coupe New Seat Foam for Bench Seats? |
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