Steering Play

[Stretch]

I removed the steering box on my BJ7 because of play in the center tight position. Based on advice from the several experts on this website I was hoping the problem was end play in the steering shaft. But, I found wear on the spiral gear instead, probably from a history of shimming. A small depression is worn into the worm gear. It can't be adjusted out without being too tight as the steering wheel is turned past. Question is can the worm gear gear be machined and does anyone know a recommended shop. Obviously, it's not a part to compromise.

 

[Dave Russell]

I think that the worm would have to be built up with weld & then machined to dimensions. This would be expensive & I would not want to trust it. Your best bet may be either a good replacement or new if possible.

A couple of places that claim to have the part;
https://www.scparts.co.uk/
sales@scparts.co.uk
SC calls it a "column & cam"

Hemphill's
1-800-943-2539
Hemphill's calls it a "column & worm.

Denis Welch UK definitely has new ones with a choice of two ratios.
https://www.bighealey.co.uk/new%20healey/healey02/Healey%20steering.htm

D

 

[Stretch]

Dave, I appreciate the info. Like always you are a big help.

 

[Johnny]

One other consideration is to replace the "peg." British Car Specialists (Norm/Dave Nock) have this item new. I never heard of anyone re-machining the cam. I too am suffering from to much play in the steering wheel. Plus the car wanders down the road. The front steering parts are almost all new. I didn't rebuild the steering bushings though, maybe I should have. Please let us know if you solve the problem.

 

[tahoe healey]

I just did that. Tightened the new bushings down real good. It drives like a new car! I had also had the steering box rebuilt last summer at over $1000.00 (due to a leak). That helped some but the new bushings made the most change. You may as well change the grease caps while you are in there. I think it was the anti-sway bar bushings that did it(the ones that hold the bar to the frame. And this is a very cheap fix.

 

[John Loftus]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Johnny:
I too am suffering from to much play in the steering wheel. Plus the car wanders down the road.<hr></blockquote>

If you can get the car up on jackstands with the suspension in a neutral position (2" block of wood between the shock arm and base before lifting the car) you can then have someone slowly turn the steering wheel and/or tires while looking and feeling the steering parts for slop/wear. Also, good to check for any vertical or rotational slop at the wheels. Potential wear or out of adjustment areas include the kingpins, idler, steering box, tierods, wheel bearings, shocks, bushings, hub/wheel splines and wheel alignment.

Cheers,
John

 

[Hangtown Healey]

I have remachined the bearing races in the worm gear, but not the worm surface itself. I am afraid you will have to get a new worm. The new worms do not have the central tight spot in them and seem to be easier to adjust. Some places also offer a combination new worm and collapsable column but it is quite expensive.

 

[Johnny]

Thanks again John, great advice. Plan on doing all you suggested. I didn't have the idler or steering box bushings replaced, they seemed tight enough. But, I'm going to recheck. The steering isn't all that bad, but still I don't like the "slop" in the steering. I know I had problems shimming the steering box upon reassembly. Maybe I went to far and have it too loose.
Good advice about the 2" block under the shocks. When I first aligned the front I didn't do that and the wheels were really out of limits.
Will keep all posted on what I find.
Thanks again.

 

[Stretch]

I took the steering box completely apart and cleaned out all the oil, so that no oil film would hide wear. Besides the worn cam problem there was a fair amount of play in the worm bearings. By just eliminating this play (removing shims) I think I would have been satisfied with the result (solid advice given me by this forum). Loose worm bearings allowed the worm to move both front to back and side to side and that caused most of the play. There was minor play resulting from wear both in the lower steering arm bush and at the top of the bore where there is no bushing. The bottom bush wears side to side and the top wears front to back. Peg/needle/needle cup wear was a very minor factor. Haven't committed yet but I'm probably going to get a new column and worm gear that has no looseness throughout its travel.