| Author | Message | ||
     Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 19 Registered: 10-2024 |
Hi. Restoring my 49 MK VI. I found the steering has about 3 " of free travel. What is causing it? What is the solution? | ||
| Jeff Martin Frequent User Username: jeff_r_1 Post Number: 742 Registered: 07-2018 |
Could be many things, not just one. Commonly wear in the ball joints on the tie rod ends, or any of those ball joints in the lower steering mechanism. The main connection from the steering box drop arm _ both ends. There are two big springs in there to take up any road shock, and they can break. Worn king pin needle bearings _ the felts fail and let in water, this is caused from plugged lines in the Bijur system and or lack of use. You have to jack up the car, support the lower control arms on each side so the tires are just off the ground, and from there you can determine where the play is. On my car it needed the whole steering mechanicals gone through... (and the suspension) Worn ball joints, worn bushings, and even the steering box had to be adjusted to take up the play in the box. The king pins were shot, all the needles bearing were dry and broken, the lower pin bearings and its needle bearings were this wet black mess of bits and pieces. Go to the parts manual links under steering and suspension to familiarize your self. When everything is all set up, tight and all worn parts dealt with, there will be no play in the stub axles when you grab them with the wheels pointing forward. | ||
| Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 20 Registered: 10-2024 |
Hi Jeff. Thanks for answering. I should correct my original statement. Its the steering wheel that has the 3 " of free travel. It spins for 3 " before there is any movement on the control arm. | ||
| Jeff Martin Frequent User Username: jeff_r_1 Post Number: 743 Registered: 07-2018 |
Before I get into this, I'll ask how does it drive going in a straight line, does it feel like you have to correct the steering wheel to keep in from wondering down the road ? You adjust any free play in the box by moving the tab on part #17, clock-wise or counter clock-wise bring the cam closer or further away from the steering arm drive. The steering wheel has to be centered with the wheels pointing straight forward to make this adjustment. To be sure that the steering wheel is centered, take the car out on as flat as possible and level road while driving. Let the car track forward while you have your hands off the wheel to determine the "centre" of the wheel. A side road that dead ends is preferable for this. Once the car is tracking properly, take a piece of masking tape and mark the wheel at the top for the "centre" position. This assumes that all the steering geometry is set correct and all the mechanicals are in good condition. Removing the box out of the car and doing this on the bench is preferable. That's a big job though. Note that due to the design of the box, there will always appear to be some free play before the steering drop arm begins to move. So in your case once the steering wheel is centred, you would have 1.5 inches on either direction before the drop arm moves. I'd have to check mine to compare to your 3 inches though. When I first got my car, I had to move the tab on part #17 a fair amount to take any play _ pointed out in with the red arrow. The manual will tell you which way to turn it, but I can't remember off the top of my head. It should not be dead tight obviously. The whole housing (part #17) is concentric, this is how the adjustment is carried out. This also assumes that the internal bearings in the box are in good order, and that the shims to take any bearing play are correct. If you grab the wheel and make a good effort to move it up and down, there will be no discernable play if all is well. The same goes for the drop arm, but that's almost impossible to test that due to its tight location and its control arm mounted to it.  | ||
| Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 21 Registered: 10-2024 |
Thanks so much Jeff. I've never had the car on the road since I bought it. Had it towed to my house and started rebuilding. I'll try the tab and let you know how that worked. Again Thanks. Chris | ||
| Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 22 Registered: 10-2024 |
Hi Jeff. Is there a special tool to move the tab? It's really impossible to rotate it. | ||
| Jeff Martin Frequent User Username: jeff_r_1 Post Number: 744 Registered: 07-2018 |
You have to loosen the 4 nuts on the studs so the housing can rotate with in the main cast iron housing. I would drain the oil a bit first. Use a brass or aluminum drift to gently tap on it, probably aluminum is best since you could bang up the tab quite a bit. It should move fairly easily. I would caution you to go over the steering linkages first as well as the suspension before going into the steering box. Going through the manual first is advised. http://rrtechnical.info/ | ||
| NormanGeeson Unregistered guest Posted From: 80.7.90.89 |
CHRIS Tools to do the job are a hammer and length of timber. The ring is usually tight to rotate. Just slacken the set screws about one turn and use hammer and timber to strike the tab. Make sure the front wheels are off the ground when carrying out the adjustment and the steering wheel has 100% free rotation after adjustment. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 23 Registered: 10-2024 |
Is striking it clock-wise to tighten or loosen the steering wheel? | ||
| Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 24 Registered: 10-2024 |
Hi All, Just found the perfect tool. Oil Filter Adjustable Pliers. Turn Counter-clockwise to tighten the steering wheel free travel. Worked out perfectly. Thanks for all the help. Much appreciated. Cheers Chris | ||
| Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 27 Registered: 10-2024 |
Thought I would post pic of tool that did the job. May be of help to someone else. Cheers Chris  | ||
| Jeff Martin Frequent User Username: jeff_r_1 Post Number: 745 Registered: 07-2018 |
I would have never thought of that ! I'm guessing that you could feel the slack taken up in the box ? You're from Canada too !  | ||
| Chris Tokarski New User Username: 49bentley Post Number: 28 Registered: 10-2024 |
Hi Jeff, Absolutely. No slack in the wheel now. The tool worked wonderfully. Yes I'm a Canuck. Cheers Chris |
