Out for a ride yesterday and felt I had too much play in the steering wheel. Kind of jumped around from time to time. I don't think it was the road bed. Is there an adjustment? Tim 59 Convertible D
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Sometimes you can take some slop out by an adjustment at the steering box. There is a locknut on top of the box and a nut in the center of that. Not too tight. It helped mine and I hope it works for you. Good luck.
Thanks Al
Is the coupler OK?
Is the pitman arm connection tight?
@TPWilliams since you’re a “newbie” on here, let me say that this has been discussed yearly on here for the past 15 years and there is more than enough info to help you get your steering up to snuff. The search function is a spyglass icon at the top of the page on a PC device, or can be found on a drop down menu at top left of the page on mobile devices (where you log in).
Just enter “Steering play” and it’ll pop up over a dozen hits.
Don't touch the steering box until you
1. Check air pressure in your tires
2. make sure the steering wheel is tight (have to get the horn button off to check this)
3. Check the steering coupler and make sure it's sound and tight
4. Put a wrench and breaker bar on the nut holding the pitman arm on and tighten that (an eighth turn here can make a big difference).
What Ed said.
5. Grease the beam zerk fittings.
If that stuff doesn't do it, and you're sure that the tie-rods, torsion bar bushings and ball joints are greased and no-play tight, then go after the steering box.
And if you do adjust it, make sure it is 100% centered FIRST. Then you adjust the big nut on the front first, and only then the nut and setscrew on top of the box.