Steering Problem on the Tuna Boat! UGGG

[msuguydon]

Man if its not one thing its another.

I am concerned about the rudder on the tuna boat.  I went for a twenty minute ride yesterday to the little ice cream place down the road and at times the steering seemed to be floating, no feel in the steering wheel.  SO when I got home I popped the hood and gave the steering column under the hood the once over.  I got rubbing.  



Picture One.

This is where the under the hood steering shaft mounts to the power steering gizmo.  The heads of the bolts are rubbing against the top of the power steering box.

Picture Two.



I can pull the steering column up, toward the fire wall, it exposes the silver shaft, but bolt tops do not rub.  


As I write this I know Frank and others will be saying... Check you shop manual... ok, ok, DAD!!.. I will!

[msuguydon]

Shop manual says exessive play or looseness in Steering Mechanism may be due to a loose worm thrust bearing adjustment.... ahhh ... okay ..now to find the worm thrust bearing....

[EMSjunkie]

Shop manual says exessive play or looseness in Steering Mechanism may be due to a loose worm thrust bearing adjustment.... ahhh ... okay ..now to find the worm thrust bearing....

Its inside the steering box

that steering thingy the steering shaft hooks to.  

prolly be easier to replace the whole steering box thingy than to tear the steering box down and relace the "worm gear thrust bearing"

just put an inboard with a jet drive on it, that'll fix 'er right up

Vance

[Dave]

Shop manual says exessive play or looseness in Steering Mechanism may be due to a loose worm thrust bearing adjustment.... ahhh ... okay ..now to find the worm thrust bearing....

Its inside the steering box

that steering thingy the steering shaft hooks to.  

prolly be easier to replace the whole steering box thingy than to tear the steering box down and relace the "worm gear thrust bearing"

just put an inboard with a jet drive on it, that'll fix 'er right up

Vance

Is there a screw with a lock nut on the top of the steering box.. Look in the manual Don. If there is the play maybe adjusted out with that but the steering needs to be dead straight while making this adjustment..
Dave
ps; love them squirt boats..

[Dave]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/58-64-Chevy-Caprice-Impala-605-500-Power-Steering-Box_W0QQitemZ290133866900QQcmdZViewItem


Look at the kinda shinny aluminum cover.. see the screw and lock nut ..
Dave

[Dave]

Inj fact i see yours in the first pic. Some times they have been adjusted enuff that they cant be adjusted anymore.. Aslo you could have worn tie rods  Etc.
Dave

[msuguydon]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/58-64-Chevy-Caprice-Impala-605-500-Power-Steering-Box_W0QQitemZ290133866900QQcmdZViewItem


Look at the kinda shinny aluminum cover.. see the screw and lock nut ..
Dave

You mean the LASH ADJUSTER SCREW?

[Dave]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/58-64-Chevy-Caprice-Impala-605-500-Power-Steering-Box_W0QQitemZ290133866900QQcmdZViewItem


Look at the kinda shinny aluminum cover.. see the screw and lock nut ..
Dave

You mean the LASH ADJUSTER SCREW?

10-4 good buddy that would be it...
Dave

[GPster]

I'm going to hazard a guess. I think '58 may have had power assist that involved the power steering slave cylinder type of assist. I would predict that the steering box may have been changed to a newer one and what-ever "rag-joint" that looked like it would work was used. I'm making this assumption because the normal joint  at the steering box involved the use of a 12point bolt, not the newer than '58 6point. If those assumptions are correct then the "Book" would not be correct. This might need you to go clear-up to the steering wheel as far as identifying what you have. Is the key in the steering column (not a '58). Is the shift indicator correct ( '58 had a 2 speed automatic)? Normally the two bolts on the "rag-joint" would have the nuts on the side away from the steering box. It also appears as that "rag-joint" is being used as a universal joint. I know this doesn't fix anything but I hope I didn't make it too much worse. GPster

[Dave]

Joe i did a google on 58 boxes and found a used one for sale on a racing site (dam puker crashed here so i dont have it handy) It was the same as the one in dons car so im thinking thats a stock box.. Ill look in my book  when  i get home. Idstill have someone loook at the tierods and also the ball joints or what ever 58 uses. It could be a number of things..
Dave

[msuguydon]

Okay, I will tell you what I know and don't know....

The power steering unit on this car is not a 1958 power steering unit, this is a later model saginaw power steering unit.  This is where my knowledge starts and stops on that front.

I was concerned about noises, bangs, bumps etc... coming from the front end and approximately 3 weeks ago had a licensed mechanic go through the front end, he replaced A-Arms, re-aligned everything, found bolts/nuts that were missing, replaced those, tighened up the steering box, bleed the brakes, installed new bushings.

Things were very good, no noises, bumps bangs.. now as I turn the wheel I get these brieft moments of looseness or slop.

[msuguydon]

[Dave]

ok don with the car safely in park fire it up and reach under the hood and turn the steering shaft by hand while watching the pitman arm on the bottom of the box.. See if it moves as soon as you tru to rotate the shaft. if it doesnt maybe the lash adjustment will fix it or it could be sumpin else in the box. Also note it there is any movement of the box it self like the bolts to the frame are loose frame cracked etc. You can also put your foot on the tire and feel your way around this also.. If its a replacement box i think its a 605 i can confirm that also.. I think...
Dave

[msuguydon]

ok don with the car safely in park fire it up and reach under the hood and turn the steering shaft by hand while watching the pitman arm on the bottom of the box.. See if it moves as soon as you tru to rotate the shaft. if it doesnt maybe the lash adjustment will fix it or it could be sumpin else in the box. Also note it there is any movement of the box it self like the bolts to the frame are loose frame cracked etc. You can also put your foot on the tire and feel your way around this also.. If its a replacement box i think its a 605 i can confirm that also.. I think...
Dave

Ok, while safely in park, I fired up the car and turned the steering shaft by hand, the pitman arm moved as soon as I start rotating.  

The box does "flex" when I turn the wheel.  There is some movement of the steering box.  

As you may recall, the box did break away from the frame and was re-welded by Rooman about 6 weeks ago.

[58 Yeoman]

Don, I'm assuming that when you pull up on the steering column shaft, that the clamp with the single bolt isn't moving on the shaft coming out of the box?  The shaft inside the box is moving with the clamp/steering column, meaning that the clamp is tight?