Steering box rebuild

[69candy]

Wheres a good place in Adelaide or Melb to get my 69 box recoe'd??

[nassi]

Wheres a good place in Adelaide or Melb to get my 69 box recoe'd??

Your shed?

[trav68]

+1 its very easy. Dial gauge torque wrench will assist in setting up the bearing preloads perfectly. A rebuild kit, basic tools, torque wrench and some moly grease and you are sorted.

[69candy]

LOL, I did that the first time!! Fitted new balls and all, but think the shaft may have some ware on it. Got some play in my steering and just want to make sure its all good. All new ball joints, tie rods etc and idle arm. Maybe I have not set it up properly??!! Dunno

[hybrid]

What instructions did you use to set yours up?
If you don't get the preloads right, you will have slop.

I didn't set mine up anywhere near tight enough first time around. I thought my box was a throw away job, but after pulling it apart it was probably fine. I put a kit through it anyway, but without the right setup with an inch pound torque wrench, you're probably not going to get it right.

I should have done a write up for the forum when I did mine in hindsight, but it's not easy when you're up to your eyeballs in grease.

The stangerssite instructions are great, but I can't imagine he would want me posting them here because it's part of his selling point.

[69candy]

Well I have an inch pound wrench, just not the instructions. I set it up by feel from mem!!
Did not seem to have any play but may have under load. I have heard that the shaft wears. so was thinking that might be the problem. 428 is out ATM for some improvements, so figured it was a good time!!

[hybrid]

Problem is, if the shaft is worn it's a throw away job and you (or they) need to find a second hand one.
My 66 one was still in pretty good nick. If your box still had grease in it, I would be surprised if its that worn.

I was very surprised at the feel of the box after putting the bearing preload in. It feels a lot stiffer than I expected.

[trav68]

BTW we are talking about a dial gauge in lb torque wrench not a click or deflecting beam style. These are fairly rare and odd ball.

[xpconnor]

Problem is, if the shaft is worn it's a throw away job and you (or they) need to find a second hand one.
My 66 one was still in pretty good nick. If your box still had grease in it, I would be surprised if its that worn.

I was very surprised at the feel of the box after putting the bearing preload in. It feels a lot stiffer than I expected.

Hey Hybrid

Does yours have a tight spot if you turn it through its full rotation at what would be the wheels centered position? I had a box rebuilt for mine and turning the shaft by hand (no steering wheel fitted) it is really tight when centered and just hoping the guy who rebuilt it did it right.

[hybrid]

I used deflecting beam in lb to do mine. Stangerssite recommends the dial type though.

[hybrid]

Problem is, if the shaft is worn it's a throw away job and you (or they) need to find a second hand one.
My 66 one was still in pretty good nick. If your box still had grease in it, I would be surprised if its that worn.

I was very surprised at the feel of the box after putting the bearing preload in. It feels a lot stiffer than I expected.

Hey Hybrid

Does yours have a tight spot if you turn it through its full rotation at what would be the wheels centered position? I had a box rebuilt for mine and turning the shaft by hand (no steering wheel fitted) it is really tight when centered and just hoping the guy who rebuilt it did it right.

Yes this is exactly how it should be, and it's the mistake I made when I originally built my car.
That tight spot is meant to be there in the centre of the steering to ensure there is no slop when you're driving in a straight line.

By the way, it should be relatively difficult to turn the shaft by hand. Easier if you have the flex coupler attached, but if you are just turning the shaft itself, it will have a fair amount of resistance.

[xpconnor]

Problem is, if the shaft is worn it's a throw away job and you (or they) need to find a second hand one.
My 66 one was still in pretty good nick. If your box still had grease in it, I would be surprised if its that worn.

I was very surprised at the feel of the box after putting the bearing preload in. It feels a lot stiffer than I expected.

Hey Hybrid

Does yours have a tight spot if you turn it through its full rotation at what would be the wheels centered position? I had a box rebuilt for mine and turning the shaft by hand (no steering wheel fitted) it is really tight when centered and just hoping the guy who rebuilt it did it right.

Yes this is exactly how it should be, and it's the mistake I made when I originally built my car.
That tight spot is meant to be there in the centre of the steering to ensure there is no slop when you're driving in a straight line.

By the way, it should be relatively difficult to turn the shaft by hand. Easier if you have the flex coupler attached, but if you are just turning the shaft itself, it will have a fair amount of resistance.

Thanks. Sounds like it has been set up correctly then.

69candy the guys at eastcoast mustang organised the rebuild for mine. They are in Melbourne and it was a workshop not far from them. You could give them a call to see who they used if you don't want to tackle it yourself. It was a bit expensive though in my opinion but I suppose if the guy did a good job and I don't have to touch it for another 50 years it was worth it.

[69candy]

I have the click type inch lb tool. Just had a look on the stanger site. Might give it a crack, as by the replies I don't think I have enough tension on it

[hybrid]

The problem with the click type is that you can't turn the shaft around and around with it and watch the reading change when it gets to the tight spot.
If you're in Sydney, I'm happy to lend you mine.

[69candy]

Thanks for the offer mate, but I'm in SA. Will ask around and see if anybody has one. Small country town but you never know!!