Removing shims to tighten steering.....

[BobT-47P15]

Has anyone done that process, as described in the Service Manual??

Supposed to reduce end play.

If so.....when end cover is removed, does any thing else come out of

the box??? Or does everything in there stay in place??

[Dan Hiebert]

I just did this a couple months ago. Unless the bearing and/or race is loose, the only thing that should "fall" out is the gear oil. (Quite messy, too, I might add.) I'd recommend leaving the horn wire in place, its easy enough to work around. But if you pull it out through the steering wheel side it can be tricky to thread back through that tube. I ran a length of stiff wire up through the steering box and taped it to the end of the horn wire to pull it back through.

[BobT-47P15]

When I ran a new horn wire sometime back, I joined it to another wire

several inches down past end of the steering box. So, if need be, I can

undo that connection without having to pull the horn wire.

So, Dan, how did this affect your steering??? Did it help with play in

the wheel??

[Young Ed]

Bob pretty sure my P15 has a factory connection like the one you created. There are 2 male bullet connectors on wire with one of those ceramic connectors just after the steering box.

[slategrove]

I had well over a half turn of play in my steering wheel... so I decided to dtart by replacing the pitman arm gaskets (pitman arm to inner tie rod ends)...there are 4 large rubber grommets. WOW what a difference, now have less than 2 inches of play in the wheel, and the grommets were $4.50 each. By the way the old grommets looked, I mean what was left of them...it wouldn't surprise me if they were the originals!!!

[grey beard]

If you back off the big screw adjustment on the top of the box for the mesh load setting, and then get behind the steering wheel and pull and push the wheel back and forth, you should feel NO end play. If you can feel any back and forth slop, you need to remove shims.

Just make very sure when you do this - shims - adjustment that your steering box is parked at dead center. Reason for this is the high spot on the worm gear that helps the steering return to center after completing a turn. If you take too many shims out, it will no longer self-return when you take your hands off the wheel after completing a turn - good test. Of course, after making the shim adjustment, you must then adjust the top mesh load screw - also when the box is centered.

Buttttt . . . don't make the mistake of assuming your steering wheel is centered with your steering box. Jack up the front end and count the turns from lock to lock - left to right. Now park it in the dead center of those turns and see where your steering wheel is pointing. From years of making toe-in adjustments and front end alignments, the box and the steering wheel become unindexed - if there is such a word - better say out of index with each other.

Bottom line is that the box must be centered to adjust shims and mesh load - not just the steering wheel. You can always center that later. Also, if your box is not centered when you drive down the road, this can cause a pull in one direction or the other. JMHO:)

Good Luck

[grady hawkins]

Where on earth did you find replacement rubber grommenrts??

I have looked ever where and no luck

Grady

hawkinsg@bellsouth.net

[Dan Hiebert]

It helped some, removing shims is the way to go to reduce play in the steering, (the amount the steering wheel turns before the wheels do anything is what I'm referring to). I'm pretty sure the original number of shims were in place, I left only one thin one because of the amount of play I had, and to act as a seal. Unfortunately, the worm gear is worn to the point that I won't be able to get it to "factory" spec without replacing it.

[BobT-47P15]

Thanks for the info guys - my steering does have some play and it

would be nice to tighten it a bit. Son-in-law is working on rebuilding

a spare steering gear box...... Those rubber things in the front end

look pretty funky on mine.

[slategrove]

I got the new rubber grommets from Andy Bernbaum at oldmoparts.com for less than $5 a piece, took about ten minutes to replace them, and made a HUGE difference, they made such a big difference, now I have a new set of inner tie rod ends for a rainy day:D