Steering box / column

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Webley1991

Well-Known Member
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Location
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I took the side plate off the steering box earlier as it is leaking.

I originally planned to disassemble the whole thing. Is it really worth replacing the balls and races or should I just leave them? To me disassembling the whole thing seems like asking for trouble if it's still working alright.

With the plate off I can give it a good clean out in a de-greasing tank and then put fresh oil in.

The column top bearing has split and the balls have fallen out so that obviously needs doing.

What are your opinions?

Thanks
webley1991
 
If it steered OK and had little slop leave it the hell alone. That being said, replacing the balls is not a hard thing to do.

Do check the cover for warping - face down on a sheet of glass. They do tend to warp if the adjuster is overtightened and this makes them impossible to seal. if it's warped, a solid thumping to initially flatten and then flatting on a sheet of emery on plate glass will get it flat again. BTDT too many times.

ajr
 
I should have added in my original post that it is leaking around the rubber o-ring at the shaft side.

With the shaft removed, is it possible to replace this without removing the washer?

I can put the cover plate down onto an engineering surface plate to check it.

Should the main nut be loose (as in able to be rocked from side-to side by hand) on the worm gear?
 
Main nut should not be that loose - that should be tight as it holds the adjuster in place on the side cover and in adjustment.

Do check the flatness - the reason i usually sugggest plate glass is few folks have a granite at home... :)

Not sure on the O-Ring - trying to remember if that is actuallly a seal and not an O-rring - but I don;t have my catalogues here at work.
 
Thanks for the reply.

According to the manual, the "main nut" is the piece with balls inside that moves along the actual steering worm inside the box.

This is what I was referring to.
 
usually column /worm is worn as much as races and balls i usually have to fit new column,nut bearings and races ,new seal and fill but not totally with cv grease or one shot for swivel housings,you cant adjust the wear out only over tighten it
 
With all due respect to James above, I've found a ball replacement effective if the races are not totally shagged. The ball size on the recirculating balls are a slightly smaller than stock size - I usually get the stock size a few thousandths up from there and fit them. The box in my 109 was done this way and has been good for the past decade.

I do apologize for the misunderstanding on the terminology - thought you meant the adjusting lock nut.

ajr
 
I did disassemble the box today as I had to remove the outer part of the steering column to get the top bearing out.

To me the inner column looks like it has had each of its end welded to a new piece of steel rod for the middle section. To me it looks quite roughly done, or is it supposed to be like this?

If I replace the balls and races can I re-use the shims from the bottom plate or will the end-float need re-setting? How would I go about doing that?
 

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you can reuse shims fit as many as needed to remove free play and add a little preload but not to tight so that it becomes notchy to turn ,shaft often wears where balls run top and bottom of worm
 
mrchurchill109 said:
With all due respect to James above, I've found a ball replacement effective if the races are not totally shagged. The ball size on the recirculating balls are a slightly smaller than stock size - I usually get the stock size a few thousandths up from there and fit them. The box in my 109 was done this way and has been good for the past decade.

I do apologize for the misunderstanding on the terminology - thought you meant the adjusting lock nut.

ajr
Click to expand...
obviously if hard facing is still in tact you can, but its rare too find many like that
 
Is it best to replace the o-ring without disturbing the washer?

I can't see how I would remove the washer without destroying it.
 
So I got everything together on Friday with the view to re-assembling it.

All of the internal parts are fairly worn (well it is over 30 years old). Should I just rebuild it as best as I can with new balls, races and seals?
 
Webley1991 said:
So I got everything together on Friday with the view to re-assembling it.

All of the internal parts are fairly worn (well it is over 30 years old). Should I just rebuild it as best as I can with new balls, races and seals?
Click to expand...

are bearing surfaces either end of worm pitted,
 
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