Adjusting 80 series steering box

[frank rabbets]

I think Clive was just driving in his usual style to shear the shaft LOL.

I doubt a larger shaft would fit an old box unless it's possible to replace the bushes or bearing it runs through. Perhaps they do a kit.

 

[chapel gate]

The sector shaft has to be replaced as well. New units come with the upgraded sector shaft so the new pitman arm is needed too. So an existing box can be upgraded with new sector shaft and pitman arm. There the same as on a 105 series.

 

[clivehorridge]

That I don't know, maybe you can order the bigger shaft seperately...
@clivehorridge: what did you do to shear off the shaft??

Well, just finished the job this morning. I must say, it is a totally different car to drive. There is no play in the steering wheel. It steers as sharp as a knife now. Great!

There's the rub Geert, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary.

From parked, I steered across the road in the first stage of a 3-point-turn and as I reversed the lock (going backwards) there was a bang and the steering wheel felt like it wasn't attached to anything, probably because it wasn't!

That's it, the rest was a recovery truck and a sizable repair bill.

Metal fatigue was evident, most of the broken cross-section showed signs of age, only the centre was a fresh break.

 

[frank rabbets]

Were all the 80's built with the narrower shaft ?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Were all the 80's built with the narrower shaft ?

Yes.

 

[clivehorridge]

I think Clive was just driving in his usual style to shear the shaft LOL.

I doubt a larger shaft would fit an old box unless it's possible to replace the bushes or bearing it runs through. Perhaps they do a kit.

I bought the truck in 2006 and although the PO didn't say so, I think it had stood for a long time.

About a year before the shaft sheared, I had a ball joint shear off at the taper. The joint was seized tight and the strain on the taper pin obviously got too much and it let go.

When the shaft sheared, I could only explain it (in my head) by relating to the seized ball joint, putting too much strain on the pitman.

I have no other explanation.

As for my driving Frank, Shayne and Chas will vouch for me, I'm an old fuddy-duddy on the road, and slowly but surely offroad.

Shayne keeps wanting to change up 2 or 3 gears and overtake me.

 

[frank rabbets]

Only joking Clive.

Any stiffness in the system after the shaft will put strain on the shaft. Also a lot of hard off roading will put more strain on the shaft.

I was also thinking about rust. I know some polished and hardened shafts can break if they rust as this destroys the surface and cracks develop. I would think the steering shaft is ground to a finished size though. Is there a shoulder where the shaft comes out of the box or is it parallel all the way along its length ?

 

[clivehorridge]

Only joking Clive.

Any stiffness in the system after the shaft will put strain on the shaft. Also a lot of hard off roading will put more strain on the shaft.

I was also thinking about rust. I know some polished and hardened shafts can break if they rust as this destroys the surface and cracks develop. I would think the steering shaft is ground to a finished size though. Is there a shoulder where the shaft comes out of the box or is it parallel all the way along its length ?

I know Frank, just appreciating the joke!

You're right about the "after shaft" stiffness, and in hindsight, the main shaft must have been under tremendous strain given that I'd been driving a year with a seized track rod end

AFAIK the shaft (certainly the part that's visible before it disappears into the steering box) is parallel.

One of the disadvantages of power steering, you lose a lot of "feel" of what's actually going on under the truck.

Still, we'd all look like Popeye without it

 

[frank rabbets]

I WAS Popeye after working on a farm for 2 years then driving LWB Land Rovers with no power steering from 1967-1985. Lovely and simple to work on (every day). Where have the years gone .

 

[ayi luna]

Great..

 

[$ully]

Good thread. After beating around the bush for way too long I have finally done this adjustment and WOW, what a difference. Ended up turning the adjustment screw 180 degrees clockwise. Thanks.

 

[clivehorridge]

Good thread. After beating around the bush for way too long I have finally done this adjustment and WOW, what a difference. Ended up turning the adjustment screw 180 degrees clockwise. Thanks.

It is a revelation, especially if you've been a couple of years "steering" the truck in a straight line all the time.

After taking up the slack, the difference is amazing

 

[frank rabbets]

Welcome $ully. Plenty more on the forum to have a go at lol.

 

[Turtlemick]

It's an interesting read,thanks... I have redone a couple of times now and doing something wrong, I've taken the slack out but went a bit to tight( returns to centre almost) driving straight a slight turn of the wheel keeps it there and not returning to centre. I,m guessing I have to many high spots. Anyhow does anyone have a good quality picture or exploded view.. Can't picture how adjuster works in my head and think I'll be pulling top off for better inspection

 

[Dave_S]

Not looked at this yet, but on the list. I'm still not sure which nut we are adjusting (apart from the one behind the wheel), but will have a nosey....

 

[frank rabbets]

The tight spots should checked with the wheels off the ground and by moving the steering back and forth by gripping the road wheels. i.e. the steering is adjusted to get rid of the high spots. That's before one drives on the road.

 

[Turtlemick]

Hey frank can I have some clarification on step 7. You turn screw back (so that's anticlockwise ? )so it becomes loose then back carefully......is that clockwise or anti clockwise?? Reason I ask is cause when I get to step 9 it's not playing the game... From tight to loose is also no where near 180 degrees, more like 1/4 a turn...any help on these would be greatful. I have got a lot of the play out but now it's a bit tight . Thanks in advance

 

[frank rabbets]

Yes anti-clockwise will loosen the box and should get rid of the tight spots but when spots are just gone the screw needs to be tightened just enough to remove the play in the adjuster but not hard enough to actually adjust the box and bring a high spot back.

The box wears unevenly with more wear dead ahead so you will probo have a little play left even with no play at the extremes.