steering box adjustment ?

[BFB]

can you guys give me the jist of trying to tighten up a vw steering box? I did try to search but gave up...
thanks

[gunslingertom]

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5189541

[gunslingertom]

I thought my steering box was shot or in need of adjustment, but it ended up that the steering arm pinch bolt was stripped. So make sure that is tight before you mess with the box.

[earthquake]

You should also do the "Washer trick"
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=330046&highlight=steering+box+trick

Just make sure the washer is not to thick.

Casey
_________________
74 CLASS 11 LOOK-A-LIKE
69 DUNE BUGGY
79 INTERNATIONAL SCOUT II
05 SCION XB SERIES RELEASE 2[#437]
95 Chevy C3500 dually
98 Ford E150
Link to Kelly J. Nolte 3/20/53 - 11/6/08
https://time-zonelabs.blogspot.com/p/about-kelly.html
DEATH TO CHINGERS!
[From a military recruitment poster in the novel "The Stainless Steel Rat" By Harry Harrison]

[BFB]

thanks for the replys, but more specifically what does the big "inverted nut and the top stud adjust or which one should be tried first? clockwise tighteten or loosen? and yes I did read the first link , just didn't seam to answer much except for how to make a tool for the big inverted nut...

[dustymojave]

The big socket on the front of the steering box that the linked thread talked about making a tool for is to adjust the end play on the steering shaft and its worm gear. If there is too much end play in the shaft, moving the steering wheel will cause the shaft to move back and forward in the box instead of steering the wheels. If that adjustment is too tight, it will be hard to steer the wheels. That adjustment needs to be right before worrying about the small adjuster screw on top of the box. It's NOT something that is likely to need adjustment many times in the whole life of the steering box though. I've adjusted that on my '58 Baja 1 time in 825,000 miles. And that '58 steering box has a nut with 2 flats where the shaft sticks out of the steering wheel side (back) of the steering box. You use a large open end wrench (24mm IIRC) for adjusting that and there is a pinch bolt that locks the adjustment there. '61 and later Bugs used the style of box shown in the linked article. You should not be able to feel any end play, but the shaft should turn freely.

That small adjuster screw in the top of the steering box is likely to need adjustment a little more often, but not a whole lot more often.

Adjusting the top screw:
Loosen the jam nut. Then turn the screw in gently until it stops finger tight, then back it off until the steering wheel has about 1/4" of play left to right at center of travel. Then lock down the jam nut. If there is no play at the steering wheel at center of travel, the steering box will tend to bind as you go from left to right and vice versa. There should be no play in the steering wheel anywhere else in the travel other than at center.

There are many places in a VW's steering system where play can occur.
- lug bolts or nuts (yup - I've seen it)
- wheel bearings
- outer tie rod ends
- inner tie rod ends
- steering dampener (the shock absorber attached to the inner end of the right tie rod) and it's mounting bushings and bolts
- pitman arm to sector shaft (vertical "output" shaft of the steering box), and this can be a loose pinch bolt or bad splines on either the arm or the shaft
- small adjuster screw on top of the box
- large end play adjuster on the worm shaft
- worm shaft to coupler pinch bolt and/or splines
- worm shaft coupler to rubber flex disc joint bolts
- rubber flex disc
- coupler to rubber flex disc joint bolts
- steering shaft coupler to rubber flex disc joint bolts
- steering shaft to coupler pinch bolt and/or splines
- steering shaft end where it pinches onto coupler
- collapsible steering column section connection to end disc at lower steering box end
- collapsible steering column section connection to end disc at upper steering wheel end
- steering column shaft in steering column housing bushing
- steering shaft to steering wheel adapter splines or key
- steering shaft to steering wheel adapter nut
- for aftermarket steering wheel, the wheel to adapter bolts.
- with some aftermarket steering wheels, the center of the wheel could be loose in relation to the rim and spokes
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[gunslingertom]

[Brian]

Someones been around and knows his shit

Dusty, I wish you posted that earlier when I had my problem :p When can I cruise by and I can grab you a 6 pack?
_________________
Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

[dustymojave]

I don't like beer to drink (I know...I'm weird that way ), but it's GREAT with lime juice for marinating carne asada.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[BFB]

thanks for the help

[dustymojave]

You're welcome!

But I missed a couple of items in that list of where the steering can be loose.
- In ball joint cars, the ball joints can be worn and loose.
- In link pin cars:
- the king pin can be loose
- the link pins can be loose.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.