Excess steering box play.

[Guest Rob J]

So yesterday when I drove the 65 I just bought, I noticed a huge amount of play in the steering. When the car is parked, with the engine not running, you can easily turn the wheel back and forth several inches each way. Seems like way too much excess play in the steering gear to me. My 65 GS doesn't have half as much play in the box.

I know you can get seal kits for the steering boxes, but I don't think a seal kit will solve a play issue. What are my best options to try and tighten up the steering a bit. Seems very dangerous to drive a big heavy car that will wander down the road with all that play in the steering box.

Edited July 12, 2011 by Rob J (see edit history)

[RivNut]

You'll probably need to put it on a rack and check all of the connections. Steering arm to center link, tie rod ends to steering knuckles, idler arm, control arm bushings, etc., every where something causes something else to move. It might even be in the gear box. I can't remember if these gear boxes are adjustable or not. It's a matter of checking every possible place something is moving that shouldn't be. No magical cure; it's probably a combination of a number of things.

Ed

PS - When I first got my '63, I thought I was going to have the front end rebuilt. A new set of matched radial tires to replace the bias tires that were on it made a hugemongous difference. What are your tires like?

[Guest Kingoftheroad]

You'll probably need to put it on a rack and check all of the connections. Steering arm to center link, tie rod ends to steering knuckles, idler arm, control arm bushings, etc., every where something causes something else to move. It might even be in the gear box. I can't remember if these gear boxes are adjustable or not. It's a matter of checking every possible place something is moving that shouldn't be. No magical cure; it's probably a combination of a number of things.

Ed

PS - When I first got my '63, I thought I was going to have the front end rebuilt. A new set of matched radial tires to replace the bias tires that were on it made a hugemongous difference. What are your tires like?

Rob,

When I bought my car, the steering was the same as yours. It turns out, the steering box was fine but, I did end up doing all the things Ed mentioned & a new set of tires / front end alignment. Now my old Buick drives as good or better then it did when it was new... It drives better then my newer cars !!

[CTX-SLPR]

The simplist thing to check for slop is the rag joint coupler between the collumn and the box. Check it by having someone turn the wheel and see if the collumn side moves but the box side does not.

[Guest Kahuna28]

There is an adjusting bolt on the top of the box, but you probably need to fix the issues Ed mentioned first. The adjustment isn't going to fix that much play, a tight box with a loose front end can be a little squirrely!!

[1965rivgs]

The center link and the idler arm are probably wiped out...the last item you should go after is the steering box. They never "go out of adjustment" unless the miles are very high. Even then, they are worn out and need to be rebuilt, not simply adjusted.

Tom Mooney