Steering Box Lumpy...but is it dangerous? [...it is now!]

[SGKent]

I take a piece off wood and drive a nail in it. Bend the nail back some at an angle. With the tire off the ground I spray white paint on it or chalk the tread at the center while spinning the tire. Then slide the board and nail under it and spin the tire so the nail leaves a precise line on the tire. Do the same to the other side. Roll the car back and forwards a foot or two to give the suspension a chance to relax. Use a tape measure with two people between the lines at the back as high as I can get then do the same at the front about the same height. Go as high as you can on the back before the body gets in the way. The difference is about 1/16th - 3/32nd inch narrower in the front because you can't get high enough to be at the center height of the tire usually. I usually use two people, and I start at the 1" line on the tape. An alternative method is two long thin straight boards like 1/2 x 1/2 etc with the ends on the lines and mark the boards where they cross over each other. Do the same on the back and check the difference. Rims aren't the best to measure off of so use the line you made at the center of the tire to measure it instead of the rims.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Manfred58sc]

In your 20's you can travel about and rely on others for help while more or less broke, that is called the Bohemian experience. After age 30 you cross the line into being a bum as far as society is concerned. Heed my warning.
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator

[SGKent]

[Abscate]

Steve l now you and I qualify as swami-Gurus.

Teens....kids
Twenties adventurous young people
Thirties to sixties ...leeches off society
Sixty on ...Guru
_________________
.ssS!

[SGKent]

[Ian]

It's hard to get an alignment correct on a Bus without an alignment machine. Most Buses came stock with one fixed tie rod and one adjustable. The side with the fixed tie rod has to be pointed straight ahead first before anything else can be adjusted.

Basic order of operation for VW Bus alignment:
1. Make sure tire PSI is correct on all 4
2. Set camber using offset adjusters on top ball joint.
3. Turn wheels until the side with fixed tie rod is in the green zone on alignment machine
4. Lock steering wheel with spring loaded lock so that the fixed tie rod side stays in the green and then adjust the adjustable tie rod side until it is also in the green.
5. Unhook drag link and adjust until steering wheel is straight and hook it back up.
6. Turn wheels side to side and make sure steering wheel is centered and wheels return to proper toe setting straight ahead.

The fixed tie rod and drag link design throws most alignment shops for a loop because they are only used to working on late model cars.
_________________
All your Buses are belong to us.
Love and good roads!
IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROB CRESS 1968-2012

[vintage water]

[Abscate]

Mon Dieu c’est beau!
_________________
.ssS!

[SGKent]

nice work.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Manfred58sc]

Very impressive! And right next door.
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator

[HastaAlaska]

Update - day 16 in the desert.

The Just Kampers parcel bounced back again, it was rejected by Spanish customs for a 2nd time. something to do with the paperwork not being correct.

We're waiting to hear from JK if they are going to send it again.

if that is not an option I will look for an option in the EU. I contacted a local(ish) VW guy but he said that steering boxes are very difficult to find in Spain.

Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for the alignment info, it's appreciated.
_________________
Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[HastaAlaska]

Day 33 update!!!

The steering box snuck through Spanish customs on the 3rd attempt and arrive a couple of days ago. It's been ridiculously cold here -15C (5F) wind chill. So I just about managed to fit it in yesterday. Test drive today.

A couple of things to note that I would like your opinion on if anything sounds odd. NOTE: The old box was aftermarket and the new box is stock rebuilt so I

1) I couldn't get the center of the steering box to line up with level spokes on the steering wheel. I will pull the steering wheel when I next have the appropriate tool.

2) I had to adjust the drag link quite a bit from where it was before. I hope that's not a bad sign.

3) I'm a certain as I could be that the box is centered correctly. but when I turn the wheels full lock left there is 1.5" space between tire and the stabalizer bar, when I turn full lock right it touches the stabalizer bar. This was the same as it was before I replaced the box so probably not something intruduced by this work, but I have no idea why this is. FYI - there are no stoppers on the beem to allow me to adjust this out.

Any thoughts on these?

I'm off to find an alignment place in the nearest city. First time moving in a month, fingers crossed!

Thanks guys
_________________
Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Manfred58sc]

sounds like you did not line the pitman arm up with the hash marks on the box. Both the arm and the box have a locator mark. Not a safety issue
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator

[SGKent]

As stated, the pitman arm and steering have a mark. The arm has a mark on each side. One has an R and one an L. That is RHD and LHD.

The way you center the box is with the arm disconnected from the drag link, you turn the box with the steering wheel until you feel a lite drag. That will be as it goes thru center. There should be an equal number of turns to either side from that tight spot. That tight spot IS center. Then you attach the drag link with the wheels centered forward. If the steering wheel is crooked when you pass thru center then with the drag link off then you have to pull the steering wheel and center it to the spot that has a little drag.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Manfred58sc]

I actually run mine one tooth off so that I can make my left hand turns with a smaller turning radius. I used my Bus for deliveries for years and this makes "U" turns a breeze. personal preference. In my experience alignments just don't last on Bus's especially if you drive on rough roads.
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator

[HastaAlaska]

[SGKent]

It is lined up perfectly for a LHD vehicle. If yours is LHD then that is good to go.

to center the bus you park it with the wheels straight ahead. Do not turn them. Jack it up and put safety stands in. Remove the drag link from the arm. Put the key in to unlock the steering. Turn the steering wheel slowly until you feel a slight drag thru center. That tight spot is center. Adjust the drag link to go back in without changing the wheels. Tighten the nut. Turn the steering all the way to one side and count the turns. Go back to center. Now count the other direction. They should be the same. Once you verify that take it for a drive and see where the steering wheel points. If the spokes are off now pull the steering wheel and put it back on centered and torque the nut. The steering wheel, steering box, alignment and car are all now centered on straight ahead. You can check the distance between the tire and sway bar etc when it is fully turned now to make sure the stop nuts are properly adjusted. That spec is also in the Bentley manual.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[HastaAlaska]

thanks for this. I believe all the steps have been followed correctly.

I will need to check the clearance from the sway bar after today's antics at the SEAT garage.... Maybe it has changed after the alignment, I don't know if alignment would resolve that issue.

They managed to get the "alignment done" - it took 2 goes because when they put it back down the readings changed (?) so they did it again. I told them that it should be 0 - 3mm (1/8") toe-in. They said their machine works on degrees and could not set it to that, so in the end I don't know what I have. The language barrier makes these things challenging.

They also tried to remove the steering wheel to re-center it as advised. It was last removed in 2019 by me, but, to quote Busdaddy, has since "become one with the steering column". They couldn't do it.

I watched, they tried VERY VERY hard. With the biggest pullers that I've ever seen. The steering wheel is now, well, no longer pretty.

All up today's outing cost over 200 bucks, yep for an alignment and a beat-up steering wheel, the steering is nowhere near straight and I'm out of ideas how to get it off to fix that.

It's doesn't feel like a satisfactory end to this saga, as I know there is work to be done, but all things considered, I'm just grateful to be able to easily get to food and water at this moment.
_________________
Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[HastaAlaska]

now that I have better internet here are a couple photos to put a picture to the scene that I was describing.

To be honest, I didn't take many pics, but I did record thousands of videos for the whole saga, so later in the year I plan to put an episode together for anyone who is interested in seeing it. It has been quite the story being stuck here this past month.

Great company made it all bareable.

our attempts to help with problem of ice on the inside the window at -9.5C (15F) - It helped a bit, not a lot.

Probably the most beautiful and empty place I've been broken down for a substantial period of time.

Thankful to Just Kampers for their perseverance in sending the package so many times, 3rd time lucky!


Thanks so much to everyone here for all your help with this situation, now and always. You guys are the best, really!
_________________
Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Manfred58sc]

So you chew up some tires, not the end of the world. Off you go...
_________________
Fat chick owner/operator