I'd like to attempt to see if I can remove some play in the steering wheel by adjusting the screw on the steering gear box and my question is how much can I safely turn the screw in to remove play?

I'd like to attempt to see if I can remove some play in the steering wheel by adjusting the screw on the steering gear box and my question is how much can I safely turn the screw in to remove play?

I've done this and it has made an improvement. If you go too far it will feel noticably uncomfortable immediately and the steering will feel like it has increased friction. Find a happy medium between taking out the slop and increasing the friction. You will probably have to turn the adjuster screw less than a full turn.

As said, I loosen the locknut and turn the screw in until it bottoms out, you'll feel it, then back off 1/4-1/2 turn and lock in place.

If gear is worn in the center, the wheel will be fine, but then go to one side of center and if wheel binds, too tight.

As said, I loosen the locknut and turn the screw in until it bottoms out, you'll feel it, then back off 1/4-1/2 turn and lock in place.

If gear is worn in the center, the wheel will be fine, but then go to one side of center and if wheel binds, too tight.and won't return to straight ahead without you turning it back.

Jeff

OK, thank you, I'll give it a try.

OK, I finally was able to get to adjusting the steering gear box today!.....As I stated, I have slight play in the steering wheel!.....I was afraid to adjust that adjustment screw too much, for fear of ruining something, so I adjusted the screw 1/2 turn in with the front wheels off the ground.....The steering wheel feels a little tighter however a test drive will tell for sure and as I stated in the frame connector thread, that'll have to wait another day!....Will keep yopu posted.

Are there any pictures here that show me where the adjustment screw is?

The screw is on top of the box with a lock nut.
Do not OVER tighten to compensate for something worn else wear...
Check ball joints tie rod ends, pitman arm etc for ANY play, before even thinking about steering box....(oh a little play is normal in bottom ball joints)
Adjust as Everett says above, but only to where there is no drag anywhere in the lock.
If there is still too much play, rebuild.
And yes adjust, then test drive, jack up and retest, often one gets a slight extra more.
The adjustment is often VERY sensitive..1/8 can make a big diff.

When adjusting the screw on the steering box, is it necessary to have the front tires off the ground?

yes, and then road test , jack up and recheck

i adjusted my steering before I reinstalled it in the car. Turning it by hand with the rage joint I could feel the gears tighten up in the center and then looser on both sides. I thought that makes sence because you would want all the play out of the gears when driving down the road. Mine was really loose because I turn that screw a good turn and maybe a little more.

roger

Job complete. Jacked up the front of the car, wiggled the steering wheel back and forth just enough to barely move the front tires, turned in the screw on the steering box till the play in the wheel was minimal and locked the nut. Test Drive....No binding....wheel returns after turns.

I must have turned the screw in about 3/8's of a turn. Not 100% perfect but a lot better (maybe 90% better). I didn't want to chance ruining the box.

Thanks to my buddy John. He volunteered to adjust the screw, so I could blame him if we messed up the steering box!

By the way, I have to say.....This site has helped more times I can think of with every aspect of my car.

Every time I have have question about my Camaro, I always find the answers here!

Gotta love it! Thanks Team Camaro!

I gotta give this a try. But why do you need to raise the wheels off the ground when you make the adjustment?

To makeit easier to adjust the preload.

To makeit easier to adjust the preload.

Do you mean adjust the screw some, turn the steering wheel for feel, adjust some more, and turn the steering wheel again for the right feel? Are you looking for that sweet spot when you eliminate the back lash and still put no bind in the steering?

Yes, but you won't remove all of it because of wear. You don't want it so tight the wheel does not return after turning, but caster will help the event of wheel return.

More caster, better return. The center of travel is where the most wear occurs, turn the wheel to lesser used portion of the gearbox and it will feel tight.

You'll feel it, adjust, feel, adjust, feel, etc. The correct method is a lightweight fish scale on the spoke of the steering wheel and adjust for a set amount of preload, amount of force needed to turn, but kind of hard to set with a worn/loose spot.

Here is an important point to keep in mind. The gearset inside the gear was designed with a slight amount of interference exactly on center. The gearset was also designed such ath it had a slight amount of clearance either side of center all the way to full lock. NEVER try and adjust the gear when it is not exactly on center. If you eliminate the off center clearance, damage to the gearset will occur when it tries to return to center.

There are two things to look for in terms of getting the gear exactly on center. Rotate the gear full lock to full lock. Count the total number of turns and partial turns. Divide the total in half. Start at full lock and come back to one half the total number of turns. You should be on center. Also, look closely at the input shaft on the gear. There should be a flat milled on the shaft. The flat will be exactly at 12 o'clock when the gear is on center. This is where you should try and eliminate lash in the gearset.

I know that this observation is correct for manual gears. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be the same for power gears. Looking straight down at the aluminum top cover. There should be several threads on the adjuster screw showing above the lock nut. If the screw does not have some threads showing, the gear may have been adjusted in its previous life and the gearset may be worn so that no adjustment is available. Time for a new gear or a complete rebuild on the current gear with new components.

Jim

This morning I followed David Pozzi's advice from another thread (pasted below) and ended up tightened the screw ~ 5/8 of a turn. With the steering wheel on center I turned until I felt resistance, for good measure backed it out 1/8 of a turn, and locked it in place. Because of the weather it may be a few days before I can test it out, but I am optimistic that my steering will be tighter.

"The gears have a tight spot on-center, straight ahead. Adjust the screw with wheels pointed straight. Turn it down like you would tighten a small screw, just go til you feel added resistance, then tighten the jam nut. The factory says to raise the car and measure inch lbs at the steering wheel, something like 12 inch lbs (1 ft lb) is the spec, but you can get away with just turning the screw down lightly. Get it too tight and the steering gets sticky on-center and you will find yourself zig-zagging down the road.
David"

Thanks Jim.... always helpful.

I have your steering gear papers somewhere for reference so I can probably answer my own question, but I thought I'd ask here so everyone can see the answer.

Question.... my gearbox is dry. If I take the top cover off, will I easily be able to see a gear or the gear set and do a visual observation of the center spot, and the adjuster in the cover? If I do, is there a seal that'll need to be replaced, or will the cover just go right back on?
I just thought I could be 100% sure that I'm on center if I can see the gear(s), center the front wheels, then pop the cover back on and make the adjustments. Of course this is taking into consideration that my box is dry. Would it still be possible when filled, or will it spill from the exposed top?

Thanks!

Okay, I took a few minutes to run the car up the road, even though a very light misty rain developed while I was out. At first the power steering box seemed tight and didn't want to return to center, but after it warmed up it loosened up. The steering is noticeably tighter now, this is a good.
Because it was tight when cold I backed the screw out another 1/8 turn, but won't get a chance to try it again for at least a few days.
Thanks for your help guys!

I ran a search for "binding" and I got this thread. Seems like adjusting this screw might be what I need to do, but wanted to solicit some advice before doing so.

My steering will bind occasionally, but I have no idea why. It usually happens when I'm coming out of a turn. It will stick pretty hard and I have to force it out of the turn. For that matter, the wheel never returns. I'm always using my arms to steer out of a turn. Also, I get that zig-zagging effect that Andrew described above. Final problem is, despite what seems to be steering being too tight, I still have about an inch of slop in the wheel before the wheels start turning. Is something worn out?

In this thread, folks are referring to this screw under the a locking nut. Is this what I need to adjust?

If it matters, I have Unisteer rack and pinion.

Thanks!

Just realized the last post to this was January... 2010.

Nevertheless, anyone got any ideas on why my steering is jacked up?

Thanks!

Well, most of this thread is useless to you, it only applies a steering box.

Your problem might be in the joints in the steering shaft to the rack, the play is likely worn parts.

Well, most of this thread is useless to you, it only applies a steering box.

Your problem might be in the joints in the steering shaft to the rack, the play is likely worn parts.

So, you don't think that my wheels not straightening out after turns and going down the highway have anything to do with the steering box?

Zac, all of the other posts are about the adjustment on a Saginaw steering box which you do not have. Most on here aren't going to have much info on a rack and pinion setup. However, your issue may be a pump mismatch to the Unisteer setup if it was not installed as a full pump and rack setup. If they use a Mustang rack, the valving in a stock GM pump is not correct for it.

Ooohhh. Gotcha. I'm a complete noob on steering, can you tell? :o

Thanks, Steiner. I'll look through some posts on rack and pinion issues.

Instructions here:

http://www.chevelles.com/techref/shea_2.html