slack in steering

[tahoe healey]

How does on remove the slack in the steering? I have about an inch of movement in either direction before the wheels begin to turn. I was at a repair facility and they had two big Healeys there that also had this problems and they said this was common. How does this get that way? He said it was not common to need to replace parts due to wear. Only to adjust.

 

[Dave Russell]

Slack in the steering can come from the rod ends, king pins,& idler box, as well as from the steering box.

The steering box has an adjustment for the long shaft end play. It requires removing shims from the
end box cover. There is an adjustment for vertical (short) shaft end play which is a screw & locknut on the steering box cover.If you adjust things too tight the steering will bind. Don't you have a shop manual?
D

 

[tahoe healey]

I went to my manuals after I posted. I need to get the wheels balanced and the toe in checked and a leak in the steering box fixed. Sticker shock. I guess the price shocked me and I reacted with out thinking it through. Thanks.

 

[Dave Russell]

Ya -- I know about sticker shock -- happens frequently.

 

[John Loftus]

You can try to see where the "slop" is coming from. Put the front end up on jackstands (be careful!) and start by grabbing the tires, top and bottom and moving them to see if there is any slop (if so it could be king pins and/or bearings). Then try turning the wheels while someone is holding the steering wheel (or visa versa). You should be able to see and feel slop in the idler, tie rod ends and steering box this way.

Cheers,
John

 

[John Turney]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by John Loftus:
You can try to see where the "slop" is coming from. Put the front end up on jackstands (be careful!) and start by grabbing the tires, top and bottom and moving them to see if there is any slop (if so it could be king pins and/or bearings). Then try turning the wheels while someone is holding the steering wheel (or visa versa). You should be able to see and feel slop in the idler, tie rod ends and steering box this way.

Cheers,
John<hr></blockquote>

Tahoe,

Before you jack up the front end, put a 2" block of wood under the upper A-arm/shock arm (the side that doesn't have the rubber bumper under it). Then your suspension will be in it's normal driving position. Otherwise, you may get false indications.

After checking everything else, regrinding the bearing races on my steering shaft and rebuilding my steering box, I set my BN4 up on jackstands like this to adjust the adjustment screw on top of the steering box. It's easier than disconnecting the steering arm as described in the manual.

John, BN4