Steering Box Rebuild - BJ8

[stever]

Well, great news! I finally got the front end reassembled and took a nice drive in the BJ8! Everything seemed to be working fine and all that, too - much "tighter" in every way. However, there is still a little "play" in the steering wheel - a little bit of movement in it. I am assuming that this movement indicates steering box issues. Is this a good assumption? What is the likeliest wear point that would cause this movement? If one wanted to eliminate this movement can it be done with the steering box remaining in the car? Thanks for you thoughts in advance!

 

[Richard3000]

In the car, you can adjust the axial play in the steering column by removing shims below the end plate and more importantly adjust the peg clearance in the scroll. The peg is tapered and fits (with clearance) in the V shaped scroll. There is a bolt and lock nut located on top of the box and this takes up any excess clearance. The problem is that the wear tends to take place mainly in the straight ahead position, so if you 'adjust' this out, you can find the steering is too tight when cornering.

I hope this is reasonably clear.It's fairly obvious if you have a manual to look at.

good luck
Richard

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Steve,
Richard has good advice. Try the top adjustment first. Removing shims to reduce worm end play is a lot more work but might be needed also.
D

 

[stever]

I have adjusted the steering bolt and lock nut a few years ago and I remember that it was a fine touch to get it to where it wasn't too tight outside of the center. I will try doing it again now that the front end has been done. There really isn't all that much free play now (not as much as before, anyway), but it isn't like my MX-5.... How much, if any "slop" should there be when all is well? I recall reading somewhere that the outer edge of the wheel shouldn't have more than .25 inch in non-productive movement. Mine has more than that. I need to figure a way to measure it I guess. Does removing shims tighten up the side by side movement of the wheel?

 

[Dave Russell]

1/4" or less if you work at it. I think mine has about 1/8". Not really noticable. Yes - removing shims from the end plate reduces the longitudnal worm travel (wear of the top & bottom worm thrust bearings) which reduces the lost motion in the steering wheel.

It takes a lot of fiddling around to get it right but sometimes helps a lot.

If the worm is seriously worn, it will not be possible to remove the lost motion without creating bind when turned off center.
D

 

[stever]

Thanks, Dave. So, is removing shims a fairly straightforward affair, or are there "tricks of the trade" that need to be know to make it easier?

Also, in looking at the parts breakdown in the Moss online parts catalogue I notice that the earlier steering box has shims identified, but the BJ8 box does not. There is a part (key #2, described as "box and outer column") that looks a bit like a shim....... It appears to me that the later box does not have shims to remove. Hmmmm.... Any thoughts on this?

 

[Dave Russell]

Item 32 here appears to be shims.
https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=28891

I guess I would check the worm end play first by disconnecting the rods from the lever #41, moving the lever, & observing the steering shaft end movement at the top, if any. Dial indicator. The shaft, not the steering wheel. If the shaft has detectable movement, the shims would help.

If moving the lever shows lost motion without the steering shaft moving, the problem is in the worm to peg fit or in the peg assembly itself. We already discussed worm to peg adjustment. Excess play which can't be adjusted out could come from the roller assembly, item 16 or the peg, being worn.

Changing the shims is pretty straight forward. The usual unplugging of the column wires to slip them through the end cap, the inner column/wire tube moving fore or aft. If the worm itself moves too far forward the bearings, item 10, could unseat. And of course, the lube leaking out all over things.

It's far easier to do all of this with the steering gear out of the car & on a bench but removing the gear is not so easy either.
D
Note: Some steering wheel play could come from the steering wheel to shaft spline clearance or wear. A problem that the nonadjustable columns don't have.
D