Steering box play

J

justin brady1

New member
May 4, 2015
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Hey Guys,
Sorry or the questions, just got back from a trip trying to address some issues while they are fresh on my mind.
Trying to track down the play in my steering wheel.
First question is what is the best I can get? Having only driven my coach and a couple others that were in rough shape I don't know what I'm aiming
for.
Can it be tight like a modern car or am I always going to have some play?

Going through the guide from Rob the only major movement I find is in the top of the steering box. With the motor off how much should I be able to
move the steering shaft by turning it by hand?
I can spin it back and forth enough to move the steering wheel 5 degrees or so (estimate) without moving the wheel. I assume this is the source of my
play but am unsure what's normal here.

Currently when running down the road with my thumb on the bottom center of the wheel I can probably move it 1/2"-1" in each direction. Just enough
that It's annoying.

--
Justin Brady
http://www.thegmcrv.com/
1976 Palm Beach 455
 
Same as mine. I know mine is not centered on the box, so I need to jack it
up and find center, then readjust. I'm curious if true center reduces free
play.

> Hey Guys,
> Sorry or the questions, just got back from a trip trying to address some
> issues while they are fresh on my mind.
> Trying to track down the play in my steering wheel.
> First question is what is the best I can get? Having only driven my coach
> and a couple others that were in rough shape I don't know what I'm aiming
> for.
> Can it be tight like a modern car or am I always going to have some play?
>
> Going through the guide from Rob the only major movement I find is in the
> top of the steering box. With the motor off how much should I be able to
> move the steering shaft by turning it by hand?
> I can spin it back and forth enough to move the steering wheel 5 degrees
> or so (estimate) without moving the wheel. I assume this is the source of my
> play but am unsure what's normal here.
>
> Currently when running down the road with my thumb on the bottom center of
> the wheel I can probably move it 1/2"-1" in each direction. Just enough
> that It's annoying.
>
>
> --
> Justin Brady
> http://www.thegmcrv.com/
> 1976 Palm Beach 455
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Yes true center has almost no slop Your intermediate shaft may he clocked wrong and wheel might be not set to the scribe mark in the cabin. A whole
accumulation of previous mechanics errors.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
 
I don't think that they will ever drive like a modern car unless you have perfect conditions like zero wind, brand new flat road, no cars passing you
or vise versa, or towing a car. Any adverse wind on the sides will kick it around pretty good.
A lot of the original boxes are still pretty good. But if you have a concern, get one of Dave Lenzi's rebuilt ones. Well worth the price..
Steering is the most frustrating thing to me on these rigs.....
Scott.
--
Scott Nutter
1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final drive, Quad bags, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera
installed MSD Atomic EFI
Houston, Texas
 
Justin,

You should have basically NO play in the steering wheel. In your case,
with visible play in the steering box, your starting point is on page 9-22
of manual X-7525. That will tell you how to remove the power steering box
from the coach. (Hopefully) You do not then need to go through the
complete rebuilding process, but can skip to page 9-37, where you'll find
instructions for adjusting the steering box. DO NOT attempt to shortcut
those procedures, such as by doing them with the steering box still mounted
to the frame. If you do, your results with vary from less-than-perfect to
catastrophic. Without those settings being correct, all other efforts will
be in vain.

Once you've got the box adjusted properly and the "high point" located, you
can re-install it and check back here for further instructions for properly
aligning the steering column and checking the other 10-15 possible "loose
points" in the steering system. They've all got to be right to achieve
the best steering. Some of them are not well explained by the maintenance
manual.

Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI & EBL,
Manny Brakes & 1-Ton, Troy-Bilt APU, etc., etc., etc.
www.gmcwipersetc.com

> Hey Guys,
> Sorry or the questions, just got back from a trip trying to address some
> issues while they are fresh on my mind.
> Trying to track down the play in my steering wheel.
> First question is what is the best I can get? Having only driven my coach
> and a couple others that were in rough shape I don't know what I'm aiming
> for.
> Can it be tight like a modern car or am I always going to have some play?
>
> Going through the guide from Rob the only major movement I find is in the
> top of the steering box. With the motor off how much should I be able to
> move the steering shaft by turning it by hand?
> I can spin it back and forth enough to move the steering wheel 5 degrees
> or so (estimate) without moving the wheel. I assume this is the source of my
> play but am unsure what's normal here.
>
> Currently when running down the road with my thumb on the bottom center of
> the wheel I can probably move it 1/2"-1" in each direction. Just enough
> that It's annoying.
>
>
 
So after going through several full steering system checks I decided to try tightening the preload up a bit in the box and see what happens before I
pull it for a full rebuild.
Turns out that's all it needed to steer like a new car.

Point of this post is sometimes it's not something serious at all it's just a 30 second adjustment. Sure is nice when it goes that way

--
Justin Brady
http://www.thegmcrv.com/
1976 Palm Beach 455
 
Be careful, after a few hundred miles the steering box can get very hard to
turn from improper tightening of the pitman shaft adjusting Allen screw.
Preload on the input bearing will also need to be addressed to properly
adjust pitman gear.

> So after going through several full steering system checks I decided to
> try tightening the preload up a bit in the box and see what happens before I
> pull it for a full rebuild.
> Turns out that's all it needed to steer like a new car.
>
> Point of this post is sometimes it's not something serious at all it's
> just a 30 second adjustment. Sure is nice when it goes that way
>
> --
> Justin Brady
> http://www.thegmcrv.com/
> 1976 Palm Beach 455
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
Milliken, Co
GMC=Got More Class
 
> What does Dave charge for a new box?

Will,

If it is from Dave, it will probably be rebuilt. In Dave's case, I would rather (and do) have something he rebuilt over a new part.

I have a list of Dave's prices around here somewhere, it I come across it I will let you know.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
Thanks Matt!

> > What does Dave charge for a new box?
>
> Will,
>
> If it is from Dave, it will probably be rebuilt. In Dave's case, I would
> rather (and do) have something he rebuilt over a new part.
>
> I have a list of Dave's prices around here somewhere, it I come across it
> I will let you know.
>
> Matt
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
> Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
> OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
I was in Florida at Alex Ferraras, and we fixed several things, and decided box was at end of life. He tightened it with the understanding I would
replace soon, it drove nice for 550 miles home, and some small trips but then quickly went wonky. Full replacement followed.
--
1975 Glenbrook, 1978 Royale rear bath
Raleigh, NC
 
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