Steering box problems

Renewed my steering uj's tonight hopin' that would solve my steering problem ah've bin havin', and it's not them!!
When ah went to put the bottom uj on the box, the shaft turned a little bit but nothin' else moved i.e drop arm, wheels etc. When ah turned it a little bit more it started to bite and things moved.
It's doin' my head in and makes for some very interestin' driving when all of a sudden there's no steering untill it bites again!!!
There's no leaks anywhere and plenty of fluid.
Anyone got an idea as tae what it could be?

Cheers

Theres a thread on here somewhere abotu adjusting your steering box? I think I have the same problem as you, there is apparently free play in the steering, but all ball joints, UJ's etc are ok.
It involves the top on the steering box anyway.

Yeah, undo the bolt on top of the box with the Allen nut in the middle of it by about half a turn, tighten the allen bolt up and then re-tighten the bolt around it - this will tighten things up quite a lot (if your self-centering doesnt work any more you've tightened it too much!)

boydy1989 said:

Theres a thread on here somewhere abotu adjusting your steering box? I think I have the same problem as you, there is apparently free play in the steering, but all ball joints, UJ's etc are ok.
It involves the top on the steering box anyway.

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Steerin' box was adjusted a wee while ago before ah renewed the axle, swivel balls, drop arm ball joint etc and had a tweek again tonight... still the same.
The freeplay/ backlash in the steerin' should be no more than 9.5mm accordin' to the workshop manwell.
Cheers anyways

So using your beautiful assistant, get her to wobble the wheel while you check for movement from the point where the wheels touch the ground into the swivels into the steering arms up through the ball joint (which i know you just did!) up through the arm into the steering box, up out the top of it, into the steering rod ujs, right up to the wheel and the hands holding them. Eliminate everything from ground to hands and if it's the invisible bit in the box, get a new one!

bustersbus said:

Steerin' box was adjusted a wee while ago before ah renewed the axle, swivel balls, drop arm ball joint etc and had a tweek again tonight... still the same.
The freeplay/ backlash in the steerin' should be no more than 9.5mm accordin' to the workshop manwell.
Cheers anyways

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In all honesty, having read other stuff you write, i would have been very surprised if you hadn't checked this anyway. Had to say it though...

odenne said:

So using your beautiful assistant, get her to wobble the wheel while you check for movement from the point where the wheels touch the ground into the swivels into the steering arms up through the ball joint (which i know you just did!) up through the arm into the steering box, up out the top of it, into the steering rod ujs, right up to the wheel and the hands holding them. Eliminate everything from ground to hands and if it's the invisible bit in the box, get a new one!

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Ah'll try that Odie, but ah don't think the wee dug will understand what ah'm sayin' let alone turn the wheel with her paws ... OH! Did ye mean the missus?
Dunno if it helps any, but the allen screw is pretty flush with the lockin' nut and it's a gemmer box. Ah would've swapped the boxes over from the other one but it's an adwest box.
Ah'm hopin' it's summit really easy to fix as ah don't fancy forkin' out for a new one!
Did a google search earlier on part# NTC1581 and saw one for nearly two grand!!!!

boydy1989 said:

In all honesty, having read other stuff you write, i would have been very surprised if you hadn't checked this anyway. Had to say it though...

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Aye, nae wurries

Blimey - should be under £200 for the box with arm fitted from good ole Padds! (even less on the fleabag i think) but best confirm thass wot it is before splashing out unnecessarily! Only other thing is the rod end ball joints.

odenne said:

Blimey - should be under £200 for the box with arm fitted from good ole Padds! (even less on the fleabag i think) but best confirm thass wot it is before splashing out unnecessarily! Only other thing is the rod end ball joints.

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Aye, ah did see some cheaper prices around the £200-£300 mark
The rod end ball joints were renewed maybe just over a year ago, but ah'll have a look to see what they're like anyways

bustersbus said:

Aye, ah did see some cheaper prices around the £200-£300 mark
The rod end ball joints were renewed maybe just over a year ago, but ah'll have a look to see what they're like anyways

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£89 from Paddocks. Well £189 actually but that includes an £100 surcharge refundable on return of your old steering box.

redhand said:

£89 from Paddocks. Well £189 actually but that includes an £100 surcharge refundable on return of your old steering box.

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Cheers Red Ah'll bear it in mind incase it has to come to that

bustersbus said:

Aye, ah did see some cheaper prices around the £200-£300 mark
The rod end ball joints were renewed maybe just over a year ago, but ah'll have a look to see what they're like anyways

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Lock up the box in the engine bay as close to the box as possible, couple of pairs of vice grips should do it, then make sure no bastid has left the column loose under the dash. I had a vehicle years ago and the clamp under the dash had the bolt missing and it was slipping on the splines. By clamping it you can work the steering wheel to see if the play is between the steering wheel and the box. Although if you have worked it hard, lock to lock onto the stops then it should have thrown something up.

And then that only leaves the box, but the play you mention is normal in a steering box and it's not very common for to lose steering like you mention, normally if the box if fooked then it's all over the place all the time.

Take it the axle is not moving in the saddle, centre bolt broke?, leaf springs, one broke. Don't know what you have, need to look, probably coils and I'm talking ****e.

Poblem solved, need a new steerin' box.
BOLLIX!!!!!!!!

Cheers fur the advice guys

Oh Fook mate! Well at least you shouldnt have to much trouble gettin the drop arm off as you just replaced it

landy10 said:

Oh Fook mate! Well at least you shouldnt have to much trouble gettin the drop arm off as you just replaced it

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Aye, and a wee bit copper grease just tae be sure