DC/SC Steering Play

Thanks,
Glenn F.

If you want to do a really good job the whole steering top cover neds to comme off. The steering wheel shaft is usually worn by the bushing at the top of the cast piece and may need to be machined down and the bushing replaced with a thicker one. Then the bearings (cups and cones) on the steering wheel shaft need to be replaced. It is incredible how bad some of them are when taken apart. The proper procedure for turning the drop arm shaft to get a new surface is to mark the steering box shaft with a punch at the top 12 o'clock position with the wheel centered, remove the drop arm and turn the steering wheel until the punch mark is at 4 o'clock position. Replace drop arm in this position. After thousands of hours you can then move it to the 8 o'clock position. Also, check the crown nut on the end of the drop arm shaft inside the steering box. Many times this nut is loose and can give you a lot of slop. Some people are mistaken in thinking that you can simply turn in the jamb nut on the outside of the steering cover. In reality that does almost nothing to reduce slop in the steering. In fact if you overtighten it just by a little, it will make steering much harder. Also, taking shims out from under the steering shaft doesn't do a lot if the other things are not looked after. A rebuilt steering unit has almost no play at all. Don

Glenn