Technical Vega Steering issue

Hey everyone! Question, why does my Vega Steering box have so much play before I even move the tires??? It feels terrible when I drive it... any way to tighten this and eliminate that?



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It's wore out.

 

You can "try" adjusting it by loosen the jamb nut then tighten the screw with wheels straight (that's where it'll be the tightest so don't try adjusting slop when left or right). Small small increments at a time. As Vicky stated above, then this well not help.

 

Your photo doesn't show much detail but it looks like there are ****on head Allen screws holding the sector cover on. A GM Saginaw box, or one produced by Borgeson on the original equipment will have hex head bolts holding the cover.
If what I think I see is right I would suggest replacing it with a more reliable, quality steering box, yours looks like an off-shore knock off.

 

If you do adjust it, jack up the front end, tires off the ground, when you do.

 

You'd also want to be on the center point of the box and gear

 

"Is it fair to say"... The worm should always be checked first, before moving the sector.
End play adjusted by the loosening of the BIG stamped end nut, then gently adjusting the cone. There should be no end play, (checked by applying 6 inch pounds to the cone. Then tighten stamped lock nut.)
Now proceed to adjust the sector shaft adjustment, first counting equal numbers of 'turn', lock-to-lock. Count at steering wheel, all the way to right; now count turns all the way to left. Halfway is center. The worm is ground with a 'high center', so that is why you adjust it THERE.
After adjusting, there will be some free play on either side, as in 1 turn either way...but the car is not driven with wheels turned so extremely, this accounting for the 'high center' adjustment.

 

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First;Jack front wheels off the ground,take steering rod off pitmenarm. Then run steering wheel around tell it stops,go back the other way slowly counting as you go how many turns. Then turn back 1/2 way= If it was 4 turns total,go back 2 turns=you are now at dead center! Now with out turning it at all,adjust as JonnyGee shows in post #3. You can feel as you go by moving a tiny bit/ note that the factory makes dead center to have less play by design,an as you move off dead center the play will get bigger always { that means if steering box is not on dead center when car is going straight down the road,it will have too much play an wonder.

 

There appears to be an echo in the room.

 

If reading is required,
there is no echo because it's not read the first time.
Think about it

 

This is how information is absorbed other wise it's just looking. I guess reply #3 didn't register as well ?

 

Do you need to be on the center point of the box and gear?

 

Yes. The gears are designed to be tight in the middle for straight line driving to prevent wondering. As the gears go off center they loosen up by a very small amount. The dynamic forces that apply take up the slack figuratively speaking (a load that want's to return) when wheels are turned.

 

^^^^^ I forgot to mention. If a box that's being adjusted get's tighter when turned off center, stop. Your only making matters worse.