May I suggest jacking the car up, firmly jackstanding it, and being underneath while an associate moves the wheel? Putting your hand on items as the wheel is wiggled in the slop-zone may allow some deduction. Wiggling the stering linkages by hand while you're under there may expose some slop that would be hard to detect otherwise.
Is the slop in the box, in the linkages, or both? This will allow you to narrow your attention, perhaps? Remember that the box has a limited (usually generous) amount of adjustment, and when you get to the end of the adjustment, you must rebuild or replace. This should be a once in a lifetime thing, though, as those boxes are really robust.
There have been good suggestions all around, and a front-end rebuild might do wonders for your car anyway, but there are many parts that make up the whole that could contribute. If you pay somone else to do it, it could run $600-$1,000 around where I live, but now that I've done the 1960 that I'm rebuilding, it doesn't seem too scary anymore. Just make certain that things are tightened properly and the cotter pins done well if you chase it yourself.
One item not mentioned, and I don't know if your car has it (my 1960 does not, 73 does) is a small rubber block with 4 bolt holes in it that goes between the steering column and the box itself. It is a sort of u-joint in a way. These can also get worn and should rereplaced any time that they are suspect.
Good luck!
-Kenyon
Mark McDonald <tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi folks, it's me again. :)
Spring is here so I've got the '68 convertible out and I've been driving it around, and I've noticed that the steering is really sloppy. By that I mean it has a lot of play in it-- you can move the wheel a lot before you start to change directions.
I've tried tightening up the little nut on the steering box, and that does seem to increase the resistance, or the strength needed, to turn the wheel, but does not take out the play.
I am thinking I need a new steering box to really fix this problem. Opinions?
Also, is there one brand that is better than others, in terms of rebuilds? (I assume you can't get a new one.) My local parts house can get me a rebuilt one by Cardone.
Thanks, Mark
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