My '73 steering box has about 3mm of axial play on the output shaft when the steering wheel is moved +/- 90 degrees from straight ahead with the wheels on the ground. This axial play is accompanied by some knocking. The top of the adjusting screw is flush with the lock nut. Oil level is good. Would it be safe to assume that the box has reached the end of its natural life?
Yep. Mines got the knocking when adjusted correctly(about half inch of adjuster showing and a half turn of steering wheel free play!). Its ok when adjusted up like yours, but on its last legs for deffo. Probably a bearing gone.
Thanks. It's also quite disturbing to see how much the steering box is able to move the chassis leg when the wheels are on the ground - I sort of wish I hadn't seen that.
Move is probably the wrong word - flex would be a better description because everything seems to be attached. Is this not normal?
mine was only held on with 2 bolts when i bought the bus, the other 2 were sheared off in an apparent abortive attempt to replace it. moved quite alot.
No, well at least not something I've noticed TBH. I'll investigate some at work, but I doubt the chassis should be flexing if that's what you mean? How do you make it do it?
Check that the chassis leg with the steering box on is welded to the front valance? It's difficult to access with the box in place and I've seen them not attached.
Wheels on dry concrete floor. Son in driver's seat moving wheel approx 90 degrees either side of centre. Looking underneath from the front I can see the steering box and output shaft pivot up/down about the chassis leg depending on which way the wheel is turned. The box is firmly attached to the chassis leg and the chassis leg is welded to the front valance on both sides. I would guess that this is the most stress the steering box would experience because shocks from the road would be absorbed by the steering damper and passed onto the beam not the steering box. The support tubes through the chassis leg appear to be present but I can't tell whether the leg is original or has been patched.
