Is it sloppy? Are you saying he box has 85K miles on it? Who rebuilt it? If it was rebuilt it.

 

Is it ps or manual? Have you tried to add grease to it and if so, did it take a lot Let's see what our resident rebuilding expert chockostang will advise.

Thanks for your relly!reply! Its a factory power steering car. The power steering pump, hoses, ram and control valve ALL leaked for years.. The one amd only component i wasn't going to touch was the steering box.. It seemed to work fine but after removing all the tierods it seemed lose... I have not added grease... I tried slightly adjusting the screw on top of the box and it did tighten up.

 

I would be all - in for having @CHOCK at least inspect it, be sure everything is within specs, and even if it was a box from a factory power steering car (less stress/wear) the grease is still 55 years old and it should be checked for water contamination or breakdown.

 

Is it ps or manual? Have you tried to add grease to it and if so, did it take a lot Let's see what our resident rebuilding expert chockostang will advise.

 

They last for decades and "powered" (manual) everything from the cobras to cop cars to dump trucks!

 

Any doubts, I would send it to @CHOCK

 

As previously suggested, have it inspected by Chock.

Easy re & re with the engine out.

 

As previously suggested, have it inspected by Chock.

Easy re & re with the engine out.

Thanks Uncle Buck, thats the way I will go!

Be very pleased to help the poster.

Dan

Hi Dan, nice speaking with you! The pump will ship out today! I will get the steering box out and send it soon! Thanks alot to everyone on this thread!!

 

CHOCK

 

Be very pleased to help the poster.

Dan

 

My box isn't as good as it can be but it's fine and I'll have him rebuild mine when I swap engines or if I decide to get a Borgeson box I'll just donate it to him. The boxes will take a bunch of type-2 grease but it'll probably start leaking out the bottom to some degree. Just be warned that if it's super worn tightening adjuster screw will only accelerate the wear and it might fail. I tightened mine down and backed off just a tiny bit. Mine still has enough teeth to keep itself....but if you tighten up and it stars getting sloppy again, or binds....stop driving the car immediately.

 

If you are installing a V8, make that decision before you install the engine!!!! I removed mine with a 200 six in it and sent one to CHOCK for rebuild. I could NOT imagine removing or installing a steering box in the 65/66 with a V8 in it. I did not install my original 19:1 box, I found a 16:1 box that came out of a power steering car, and had CHOCK rebuild it. I love it......yes, it takes a little more oomph in slow tight spots to turn the steering wheel/box, but the feel of it on the highway with a more steady and quicker response, it was worth it for me. As I am getting older though...........PS sound nice, but am still happy with my decision.

 

I have removed and installed my steering box with the engine installed, which is a bit of a hassle, but doable. With the engine removed it is obviously doable.

Having it inspected and/or rebuilt is obviously a good idea but if you decide to leave it in place, at least pump it full of grease. Take out one of the bolts and start pumping grease into the filler hole until it comes out of the bolt hole. Turn the steering the other way and pump a little more.

 

I have a 64.5 and have the engine out with factory PS. How can I assess if my box needs to be rebuilt? I'd prefer to NOT send it away to have it evaluated. Is there a simple test that I can do?

 

Not really.
Test is with box out of car, set the high center at 10" pounds. No guessing.

 

This is where having a helper turn the steering wheel back and forth while you’re under the car looking for loose parts. If the steering wheel has a lot of play in it but none of the other steering linkage parts are moving then it’s likely that your box needs some attention. if you move the wheel back and forth but the linkage moves as you rock it then look for loose tie rod ends or other pivot points. ie. Idler arm, control valve ball stud (if ps equipped).

 

Well, I know everything from my Pitman arm down is solid as they are all new parts. This gives me something to test with my helper.

Thanks for the explanation seems simple enough.

 

As if the car is going straight not turning left or right.

 

and the 10 inch pounds is the torque required to turn the shaft. You can do it in the car, but then you need to remove the steering linkage and preferably the top bearing in the steering column too, so that you only measure the resistance in the box itself. The 10 inch-pounds is the total torque. First you need to loosen the pitman arm shaft by pulling it up with the set screw in the cover and adjust the preload of the input shaft bearings by tightening the big nut. I don't recall the value but I think about 5 inch pounds. Then you go on by tightening the lash between the input and output shafts until the total is 10 inch pounds.

The whole procedure can be found in the workshop manual. But really the box should be taken apart for inspection because if the teeth are worn, there's no hope of getting it right. Being a box from a car with power steering, chances are it's OK.