A talented friend helped me adjust the steering box on my '76 Royale this weekend. I had noticed about a 2" play in the steering wheel and verified it
by jacking the coach, disconnecting the lower steering column, and turning the steering shaft back and forth. Movement in, no movement out for about
10 degrees of swing.
First, we disconnected the steering hoses, drag link and lower steering column and pumped out the fluid.
When we went to loosen the pitman shaft adjustment screw in preparation for the bearing cartridge adjustment we found it all the way out. The first
swing of the torque wrench showed no preload, so we tightened down the cartridge until we got 5 inch-lbs of resistance. Locked down the cartridge at
that point and went to the pitman shaft adjustment. Tightened it until we saw about ten inch-lbs at center, and smooth operation from lock to lock and
called it good. Noticed that there was a little more resistance going one direction than the other. Afterwards there was no noticeable play in the
steering box
Note that we did this with the steering box still bolted to the coach and an extension on the torque wrench that let us turn it 360 deg smoothly at
hood opening level.
Interested in others' experience with these adjustments.
--
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid
November 2015.
by jacking the coach, disconnecting the lower steering column, and turning the steering shaft back and forth. Movement in, no movement out for about
10 degrees of swing.
First, we disconnected the steering hoses, drag link and lower steering column and pumped out the fluid.
When we went to loosen the pitman shaft adjustment screw in preparation for the bearing cartridge adjustment we found it all the way out. The first
swing of the torque wrench showed no preload, so we tightened down the cartridge until we got 5 inch-lbs of resistance. Locked down the cartridge at
that point and went to the pitman shaft adjustment. Tightened it until we saw about ten inch-lbs at center, and smooth operation from lock to lock and
called it good. Noticed that there was a little more resistance going one direction than the other. Afterwards there was no noticeable play in the
steering box
Note that we did this with the steering box still bolted to the coach and an extension on the torque wrench that let us turn it 360 deg smoothly at
hood opening level.
Interested in others' experience with these adjustments.
--
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid
November 2015.
