steering box questions

[martin53]

Hi. I jus recently picked up a 1950 dodge coronet. Got the motor and brakes going. Only issue I have now is the steering wheel is hard to turn. Turning the wheel right isn't to bad but Turning to the left I literally have to put my shoulders in it. Another weird thing is when I steer all the way either way it spins by itself back the opposite direction. I replace the rubber peice on the steering box that bolts to the frame and seems to still move while Turning. I'm stuck on what else to do.

[rallyace]

Have you lubed the front suspension? I forget the actual number of places but I believe it around 12. A-Arms, king pins, ball joints, etc. I would start by jacking up the front of the car and putting it on jack stands and performing a full lube. To diagnose the issue I would then turn from full lock to full lock while observing the linkages. At first thought it sounds like something is binding but without seeing it in motion it is tough to tell. You can adjust the backlash in the steering box but it sounds to me like it is something else.

[martin53]

1 hour ago, rallyace said:

Have you lubed the front suspension? I forget the actual number of places but I believe it around 12. A-Arms, king pins, ball joints, etc. I would start by jacking up the front of the car and putting it on jack stands and performing a full lube. To diagnose the issue I would then turn from full lock to full lock while observing the linkages. At first thought it sounds like something is binding but without seeing it in motion it is tough to tell. You can adjust the backlash in the steering box but it sounds to me like it is something else.

Thanks for the reply. I'll take a look at that. Just don't have anyone to steer while I look.

[BobT-47P15]

Hi Martin.  If you get the car jacked up and lubed…maybe you could ask a friend from work to come by for a while to turn the wheel.  There are gears in the steering box.  Also an adjustment on top of the box.  Do you have a repair manual for your model?

[martin53]

15 minutes ago, BobT-47P15 said:

Hi Martin.  If you get the car jacked up and lubed…maybe you could ask a friend from work to come by for a while to turn the wheel.  There are gears in the steering box.  Also an adjustment on top of the box.  Do you have a repair manual for your model?

Nope no manual for it. 

[Sniper]

Get a service and parts manual, $23 on CD.

 

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/dodge,1953,coronet,3.8l+230cid+l6,1331705,literature,repair+manual,10335

[Dan Hiebert]

Ditto Sniper's recommendation.  There is a litany of things that could be amiss, but the first order of business should be to ensure all the adjustments are done per the service manual - that may resolve your issues right off the bat.  If not, then you will have the best starting point to R&R the issues. 

[harmony]

Once you get the front wheels off the ground on jack stands you should be able to grab the long tie rod and use it to go lock to lock.  But since it's difficult to move to the left, you might have to put your foot against the back of one of the wheels.  Either way you should be able to at least see where the resistance is.  

 

Next step might be to start eliminating things.  Maybe drop one of your tie rod ends and see if its still doing it or if that particular wheel is now hard turn.  Then the other end. 

 

Not sure if steering boxes changed much from (my Chrysler 48) to your 50 Dodge, but taking the top off the steering box is fairly simple.  Just record the position of the slot screw ( analog clock reference) adjuster.  Plus count the number of full turns it takes to release the top, so you can reverse that procedure when putting the top back on.  Just buy some gasket material and make a new lid gasket for reassembly.

 

Maybe the steering box is dry.  So with that in mind, it might make turning the steering column that has the worm gear on it, easier in one direction because it would have less friction resistance as it meshes with the pitman shaft sector gear on the pitman arm when turning in a favorable direction ( working with gravity)  But in the opposite direction when it's climbing up hill against gravity, there is increased resistance, making it hard to turn the wheel.  Just a thought.

[harmony]

Yes, owning a manual is a good thing.  No doubt about that.  However the reproduction versions out there have extremely poor photo quality. So if you can find an original even if it's in poor condition it's well worth it.

 

Having said that, practical experience can't be beaten and there are a lot of guys on here who like to share that first hand knowledge and experience.  There are many many things that the manual fails to mention on pretty much every subject.

 

Remember, the only stupid question is the one not asked. 

[martin53]

4 hours ago, harmony said:

Yes, owning a manual is a good thing.  No doubt about that.  However the reproduction versions out there have extremely poor photo quality. So if you can find an original even if it's in poor condition it's well worth it.

 

Having said that, practical experience can't be beaten and there are a lot of guys on here who like to share that first hand knowledge and experience.  There are many many things that the manual fails to mention on pretty much every subject.

 

Remember, the only stupid question is the one not asked. 

Thanks harmony. I took your advice a pulled the driver's side tie rod off. My driver's side tire is very hard to move back and forth. The steering itself is fine. Now I'm going to grease it the best I can and see if it will free up. Any other advice on how to free it. I really do want to swap out the kingpin. 

[harmony]

10 minutes ago, martin53 said:

Thanks harmony. I took your advice a pulled the driver's side tie rod off. My driver's side tire is very hard to move back and forth. The steering itself is fine. Now I'm going to grease it the best I can and see if it will free up. Any other advice on how to free it. I really do want to swap out the kingpin. 

I don't have any experience with kingpins so maybe someone else will have some experience with that.  If it was me I might try a heat gun or map gas on the kingpin since I don't have oxy/acetylene.

Edited May 6, 2022 by harmony

[Sniper]

I bought a new kingpin set, pulled both sides, took them down to the machine shop and had them do the work.  You need to fit the bushings to the pins once they are installed and the machine shop is better equipped to do that than I am.

[DJK]

I installed a grease fitting in the bottom of my steering box and pumped it full of John Deere corn head grease, no leaks, no binding.

[martin53]

On 5/5/2022 at 2:27 PM, harmony said:

Yes, owning a manual is a good thing.  No doubt about that.  However the reproduction versions out there have extremely poor photo quality. So if you can find an original even if it's in poor condition it's well worth it.

 

Having said that, practical experience can't be beaten and there are a lot of guys on here who like to share that first hand knowledge and experience.  There are many many things that the manual fails to mention on pretty much every subject.

 

Remember, the only stupid question is the one not asked. 

Thanks harmony. I took your advice a pulled the driver's side tie rod off. My driver's side tire is very hard to move back and forth. The steering itself is fine. Now I'm going to grease it the best I can and see if it will free up. Any other advice on how to free it. I really do want to swap out the kingpin. 

[martin53]

So I got my steering back to normal. Ended up being a frozen kingpin. This morning I pulled the greaser off and cleaned the gunk out. After that I sprayed the top with wd40 let it sit a couple of hours and then it's just surprisingly freed up. Took it for a drive and it worked perfectly. Thanks for all of the tips and advice. Hopefully I'll be cruising this summer.