new steering box

[Chevy305]

So when I had my steering box off when i did my weld on frame brace I noticed that it had qite a bit of slack in it. I've always had a decent amount of play in my steering and a new steering box will eliminate probably 90% of it. Not sure what I should do for a new one though or where to get it from. Maybe get one at a pick and pull at the risk of getting another bad one, maybe a remanned one but from where, or maybe the performance ones that summit sells?

 

[4X4HIGH]

I have bought rebuilt steering gears in the past and will NEVER buy another one again. I have found the mass remanned quality is not there and parts are left out sometimes even. I have been rebuilding them myself. I just finished rebuilding 4 boxes for people last week. I am in the process of having some "business cards" made as we speak since my unemployment runs out next week and i need to be able to make money.

Anyhow, you would be better off finding a decent looking (no obvious leaks) steering gear at the junk yard and running it than buying a remanned box from a parts store. There are basically only 2 things you need to watch out for, first is that it is the same style hoses as your current box (either flare fitting or O-ring fittings) and second is the input shaft diameter (either 3/4" or 13/16" diameter).

 

[76zimmer]

Scott I know a guy in the Corvette business, that says the same thing about the parts distributors "rebuilt" boxes....it seems no-body knows what the hell they're doing. He finds corroded balls, and shafts still being used, and alot of them are just repacked with fresh grease, and new seals. Then they play around with the adjustment screw on top, thinking thats all there is to it. WRONG....
They aren't that difficult, but need some precision to them for correct operation, and longevity.
I think it would be an awesome move on your part to get into this and become a supplier to the off-roading contingent. If I may... do a thread on a thorough rebuild of a typical GM box, and a comparison of a typical off the shelf rebuild, and let people see how a precision rebuild will blow away the off the shelf stuff at the local parts store, and then once word gets out, you'll have people sending you all kinds of work.

 

[sweetk30]

fyi its not hard to adjust the play in the box .

loosen jamb nut on top of sector shaft. adjust down the allen drive stud till just touches the inside you will feal it. back off 1/4 turn then hold and tighten down the jamb nut and bam good to go.

i got a new box from gm that was just installed at the dealer and still wandered down the road. thay couldnt find it.

i got 2.5 turns out of that adjustment and fixed the problem in 10 min time. guy was so happy.

do not over tighten it you will burn up the box.

gm tech of around 30years told me how to do this.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Scott I know a guy in the Corvette business, that says the same thing about the parts distributors "rebuilt" boxes....it seems no-body knows what the hell they're doing. He finds corroded balls, and shafts still being used, and alot of them are just repacked with fresh grease, and new seals. Then they play around with the adjustment screw on top, thinking thats all there is to it. WRONG....
They aren't that difficult, but need some precision to them for correct operation, and longevity.
I think it would be an awesome move on your part to get into this and become a supplier to the off-roading contingent. If I may... do a thread on a thorough rebuild of a typical GM box, and a comparison of a typical off the shelf rebuild, and let people see how a precision rebuild will blow away the off the shelf stuff at the local parts store, and then once word gets out, you'll have people sending you all kinds of work.

There really isn't anything special about rebuilding a steering box other than the quantity and placement of the 24 steel balls (12 of one size and 12 of another size that vary by only .0005"). Other than that it is simply removing old seals and teflon rings and replacing with new ones and making sure there aren't any burrs or sharp edges anywhere then reassemble. I might have to do a wrtie-up the next time i have one apart so i can take pics as i go along. If i do that then i'll post it in the tech section for anyone else who wants to try their luck at rebuilding their own box. Oh, you do have to have an inch pound DIAL type torque wrench to check the over center spec and also a foot pound torque wrench for torquing the input adjuster nut.

 

[Chevy305]

fyi its not hard to adjust the play in the box .

loosen jamb nut on top of sector shaft. adjust down the allen drive stud till just touches the inside you will feal it. back off 1/4 turn then hold and tighten down the jamb nut and bam good to go.

i got a new box from gm that was just installed at the dealer and still wandered down the road. thay couldnt find it.

i got 2.5 turns out of that adjustment and fixed the problem in 10 min time. guy was so happy.

do not over tighten it you will burn up the box.

gm tech of around 30years told me how to do this.

Good to know, I will try it. I have been afraid to mess with it because i don't want that going wrong. My box doesn't leak at all either.

I would like to see that steering box write up too, since I have no idea what is on the inside of a steering box. Who knew it has balls in it?

 

[imiceman44]

Good to know, I will try it. I have been afraid to mess with it because i don't want that going wrong. My box doesn't leak at all either.

I would like to see that steering box write up too, since I have no idea what is on the inside of a steering box. Who knew it has balls in it?

Well I knew it has balls in it when it said recirculating balls steering box.
I know not many people call it that.
By the way Scott, if you want some cores I have a few here, maybe 6 or so.
Free of course, not trying to sell them.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Well I knew it has balls in it when it said recirculating balls steering box.
I know not many people call it that.
By the way Scott, if you want some cores I have a few here, maybe 6 or so.
Free of course, not trying to sell them.

Issaam, if you're in the area i'll take the cores. I could build them and have them ready for exchange. Let me know and i could meet you somewhere when you're close.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

There really isn't anything special about rebuilding a steering box other than the quantity and placement of the 24 steel balls (12 of one size and 12 of another size that vary by only .0005").

Really? 5/10,000"? And, assuming these balls are really that precise, the box won't work right if they're mixed up?

So the surface on which these ball bearings ride must be at least this precise, no? I mean, any used box would surely have worn down at least that amount MUCH, MUCH sooner than 20 years or so.

I've never messed with the insides of a steering box (and I do remember hearing about two different colored ball bearings) but I promise nothing is as precise as to drop into the ten-thousands in precision on something like a GM steering box.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Really? 5/10,000"? And, assuming these balls are really that precise, the box won't work right if they're mixed up?

So the surface on which these ball bearings ride must be at least this precise, no? I mean, any used box would surely have worn down at least that amount MUCH, MUCH sooner than 20 years or so.

I've never messed with the insides of a steering box (and I do remember hearing about two different colored ball bearings) but I promise nothing is as precise as to drop into the ten-thousands in precision on something like a GM steering box.

Yes, the balls are 1/2 a thousandth different in size.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Yes, the balls are 1/2 a thousandth different in size.

Scott, I'm not calling you a liar, I know you have tons of machine-work experience.

Is this via your own measurements or from a GM published source?

But seriously? Why? Like I mentioned before, there is no way the steering box housing is anywhere near that exact, especially after many years of use.

Just asking, why would GM actually bother to spend who-knows-how-much-money to manufacture ball bearings that are an almost unmeasurable amount bigger/smaller and then have to machine the housing for the same? Steering boxes aren't a complex concept, it just doesn't make much sense...


**EDIT**

Wow, you're right, I still question GM for bothering for such things. I wonder what the engineers were really trying to accomplish with that?

 

[4X4HIGH]

Scott, I'm not calling you a liar, I know you have tons of machine-work experience.

Is this via your own measurements or from a GM published source?

But seriously? Why? Like I mentioned before, there is no way the steering box housing is anywhere near that exact, especially after many years of use.

Just asking, why would GM actually bother to spend who-knows-how-much-money to manufacture ball bearings that are an almost unmeasurable amount bigger/smaller and then have to machine the housing for the same? Steering boxes aren't a complex concept, it just doesn't make much sense...


**EDIT**

Wow, you're right, I still question GM for bothering for such things. I wonder what the engineers were really trying to accomplish with that?

Ok, i see that you did look at the info i posted. I don't know why they made such a minute difference in size. I can say that i've taken apart steering boxes that had too many balls 26 to be exact, and other that have had not enough balls, 22 to be exact (there should be 24 in a GM steering box).

I can tell you this, not all boxes use the same size balls either, there are a bunch of different sized balls available and if you don't get the correct balls matched with the worm gear/rack piston the worm gear WILL NOT turn. I have learned this from EXPERIMENTING.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Ok, i see that you did look at the info i posted. I don't know why they made such a minute difference in size. I can say that i've taken apart steering boxes that had too many balls 26 to be exact, and other that have had not enough balls, 22 to be exact (there should be 24 in a GM steering box).

I can tell you this, not all boxes use the same size balls either, there are a bunch of different sized balls available and if you don't get the correct balls matched with the worm gear/rack piston the worm gear WILL NOT turn. I have learned this from EXPERIMENTING.

Exactly, I mean you can put the box together with 22 or 26 balls when 24 are required but they made two different ball bearing sizes that are .0005" different? Seems like crazy engineering but I'm sure it was done for some reason

 

[4X4HIGH]

Exactly, I mean you can put the box together with 22 or 26 balls when 24 are required but they made two different ball bearing sizes that are .0005" different? Seems like crazy engineering but I'm sure it was done for some reason

I have no idea why some crazy engineer thought to do it but i just follow "the rules" and put back what is supposed to be there (by said engineer) and it works perfectly when i'm done.

 

[Fred_M1010]

The steel balls have different colors, so it's really not that hard to get it right.
I believe the smaller balls are only meant as "spacers" between the larger balls, the smaller diameter lets them turn in the opposite direction.

fyi its not hard to adjust the play in the box .

loosen jamb nut on top of sector shaft. adjust down the allen drive stud till just touches the inside you will feal it. back off 1/4 turn then hold and tighten down the jamb nut and bam good to go.

i got a new box from gm that was just installed at the dealer and still wandered down the road. thay couldnt find it.

i got 2.5 turns out of that adjustment and fixed the problem in 10 min time. guy was so happy.

do not over tighten it you will burn up the box.

gm tech of around 30years told me how to do this.

I'm afraid that's not the whole truth.
The top screw sets the "steering resistance" when steering straight ahead.
You should also adjust the large bolt/lid around the input shaft.

 

[Chevy305]

I'm afraid that's not the whole truth.
The top screw sets the "steering resistance" when steering straight ahead.
You should also adjust the large bolt/lid around the input shaft.

Then how do I do that?

 

[4X4HIGH]

The adjuster plug (where the input shaft goes through) is torqued to 20 ft/lbs (this requires a pin style spanner socket, i made one with an old adjuster plug and some steel pins pressed into the holes and a socket welded to the end so i can attach my torque wrench) then backed off 1/2" and then the lock nut is tightened to 80 ft/lbs.

 

[Chevy305]

The adjuster plug (where the input shaft goes through) is torqued to 20 ft/lbs (this requires a pin style spanner socket, i made one with an old adjuster plug and some steel pins pressed into the holes and a socket welded to the end so i can attach my torque wrench) then backed off 1/2" and then the lock nut is tightened to 80 ft/lbs.

This is getting too in depth for me, I didn't want to make a project out of this. Kinda hoping a one and done sorta swap if anything.

 

[76zimmer]

now you see why the junk at the auto parts store is cheap....these things you don't just throw together....and expect good things to happen for a long time.
There may only be a few parts in them, but they are precision.

 

[chulisohombre]

good info.how tight does it make the box just from doing the top adjustment to the box?i need to do this also i think.