Steering STILL sloppy after brand new box!!!!

[Mr. Belvedere II]

I just got my car back from the shop after they initially told me they couldn't perform an alignment because the steering box was no good. Since I purchased the car 12yrs ago I always dealt with around 6-8 in of play in the steering wheel and chalked it up to a lousy steering box. I had removed my power steering pump awhile ago because it leaked so badly and have driven it without ps for a long time now. After having it replaced I noticed absolutely zero difference in the reduction of play in the wheel. Not only that but now my steering wheel is pointed off to around 2oclock when driving straight. I am so pissed because it's not even a mild improvent and my wheel is way off center. What the heck is the deal!? I feel like maybe there was nothing at all wrong with my existing box. I am seriously beside myself right now

 

[dan juhasz]

Most rebuilt boxes are of little a
Improvement.
You need to do an alignment 99 percent of the time to get a straight wheel. It didn't change your toe but you need to re establish center.

 

[khryslerkid]

The steering wheel alignment can be taken care of by adjusting the tie rods. You have to loosen the clamps on the sleeves, and turn one side then the other, in the direction that brings the wheel back to center. You have to turn each side the same amount of turns. Maybe only one or two turns each side at a time.

You really have to study what you are doing as not to effect the toe in, or out. You're just moving the steering linkage over to correct the steering wheel position.

As in finding where the play is coming from, find a helper to turn the steering wheel back and forth and you watch what's going on. If the steering shaft going into the steering box is doing all of the moving, and the pitman arm, attached to the underside of the box, isn't moving, then it's the box. An adjustment can be made with the adjuster on the steering box. (Refer to your manual for instructions)

If there isn't any play in the steering box, then it has to be one of the other steering components, tie rod ends, center link, idler arm. If it's a combination of parts it will make a lot of play.

 

[Mr. Belvedere II]

The steering wheel alignment can be taken care of by adjusting the tie rods. You have to loosen the clamps on the sleeves, and turn one side then the other, in the direction that brings the wheel back to center. You have to turn each side the same amount of turns. Maybe only one or two turns each side at a time.

You really have to study what you are doing as not to effect the toe in, or out. You're just moving the steering linkage over to correct the steering wheel position.

As in finding where the play is coming from, find a helper to turn the steering wheel back and forth and you watch what's going on. If the steering shaft going into the steering box is doing all of the moving, and the pitman arm, attached to the underside of the box, isn't moving, then it's the box. An adjustment can be made with the adjuster on the steering box. (Refer to your manual for instructions)

If there isn't any play in the steering box, then it has to be one of the other steering components, tie rod ends, center link, idler arm. If it's a combination of parts it will make a lot of play.

Thanks for taking the time to reply KKid, I appreciate it. I am coming to the hard realization that a front end rebuild is likely inevitable. But I need to get the power steering pump a new seal and get it back in and do all the looking for play outside of the box. I know "new" doesn't equate to "good" but i really was under the impression from the shop the steering box would take care of all the slop for an alignment but I just didn't see what difference there is between my old one and this new one. Ugh I dunno but there will be follow ups on this post for sure.

 

[khryslerkid]

The shop you took it to should have been able to tell you just what parts you need.

I don't know how many customer's cars I dropped off at an alignment shop, come back later, start down the road and the steering wheel would be crooked. I'd turn around and take it right back and make the guy that did the alignment fix it. That's the first thing you do before making any tie rod adjustments, is to hold the wheel straight. Man that really burns me up when I see that. It's the first sign of sloppy work!

 

[Mr. Belvedere II]

The shop you took it to should have been able to tell you just what parts you need.

I don't know how many customer's cars I dropped off at an alignment shop, come back later, start down the road and the steering wheel would be crooked. I'd turn around and take it right back and make the guy that did the alignment fix it. That's the first thing you do before making any tie rod adjustments, is to hold the wheel straight. Man that really burns me up when I see that. It's the first sign of sloppy work!

In all fairness they told me I needed to get the power steering pump back in and hooked up before they could properly perform the alignment. But yeah the wheel being off so much was just irksome on top of not anything being different in steer feel. I paid 250 for what feels like a crappy crooked steering wheel

 

[eldubb440]

it's always disappointing when a new box turns out to be sloppy

 

[Mr. Belvedere II]

it's always disappointing when a new box turns out to be sloppy

I have yet to determine if it's the box or what, but I'll get to the bottom of this for sure

 

[Mr. Belvedere II]

I have yet to determine if it's the box or what, but I'll get to the bottom of this for sure

But I was surprised that it

it's always disappointing when a new box turns out to be sloppy

i was surprised that it was just as loose as the old one was with the power steering pump out. I thought for sure that it would be tight left to right at least with out the power assist

 

[eldubb440]

I have yet to determine if it's the box or what, but I'll get to the bottom of this for sure

problem with a sloppy box is you're never quite sure if you've found the bottom


hope you get it figured out

 

[RT K_line]

A power steering gearbox will feel sloppy without a pump hooked up if I remember on mine before. And the alignment wasn't done correctly if the wheel is that far off as stated before. After you put the pump back on and it still feels too loose, there is a screw with a lock nut on the top of the gearbox. Loosen the nut and turn screw clockwise 1/4 turn at a time until you get the feel you want. But carefull you can make it to tight and it will feel like it's binding on return to straight position. Good luck.

 

[Dennis H]

Firm Feel. Stage 2.

 

[Mr. Belvedere II]

And how the heck can you test it before it goes in the car??? I mean I just paid big money to get it installed if it's a no good part from autozone who do I get my money back from!?

A power steering gearbox will feel sloppy without a pump hooked up if I remember on mine before. And the alignment wasn't done correctly if the wheel is that far off as stated before. After you put the pump back on and it still feels too loose, there is a screw with a lock nut on the top of the gearbox. Loosen the nut and turn screw clockwise 1/4 turn at a time until you get the feel you want. But carefull you can make it to tight and it will feel like it's binding on return to straight position. Good luck.

ok I hope that's the case here, friend! nobody wants it to be true more than me right now!

 

[Mr. Belvedere II]

Firm Feel. Stage 2.

Yaaaaaaaaaaeh iiiiiii knoowwwwwwwww

 

[Kern Dog]

it's always disappointing when a new chick's box turns out to be sloppy

Back in my single days, it was always a gamble. MOST of the time I was quite happy with their "grip".

Back on topic....I never saw the OP list the actual car, model, year or anything specific.
Sometimes the steering box mounts have cracks that can be hidden under grime/grease. Try the following:
With the car off, unlock the steering wheel and reach under the hood and try to twist the steering coupler. There should be very little movement. If there is more than a few degrees, either the coupler needs to be rebuilt or the steering box does.
Who "rebuilt" the steering box? If it was anyone other than Firm Feel or Steer and Gear, you really should have done the research. MOST of the others simply disassemble, clean and REgasket the steering boxes. Sure, they may not leak anymore but they will be no tighter than before. The Firm Feel guys are the best in the industry. They replace springs and other hard parts to tighten up the resistance and reduce the slop. Maybe the problem lies elsewhere.
Start the car, have a helper turn the wheel half a turn each way while YOU look at the steering box from under the hood. There will be some very slight flex but it should not be moving much. If it is, look at the steering box mounts for cracks.
How is the idler arm? These are a weak link in the Mopar steering system. They develop slop and make the steering feel loose and sloppy. Sometimes the mount for the idler arm gets ovalled out, causing the idler to move around when under a load.

 

[Mr. Belvedere II]

Back in my single days, it was always a gamble. MOST of the time I was quite happy with their "grip".

Back on topic....I never saw the OP list the actual car, model, year or anything specific.
Sometimes the steering box mounts have cracks that can be hidden under grime/grease. Try the following:
With the car off, unlock the steering wheel and reach under the hood and try to twist the steering coupler. There should be very little movement. If there is more than a few degrees, either the coupler needs to be rebuilt or the steering box does.
Who "rebuilt" the steering box? If it was anyone other than Firm Feel or Steer and Gear, you really should have done the research. MOST of the others simply disassemble, clean and REgasket the steering boxes. Sure, they may not leak anymore but they will be no tighter than before. The Firm Feel guys are the best in the industry. They replace springs and other hard parts to tighten up the resistance and reduce the slop. Maybe the problem lies elsewhere.
Start the car, have a helper turn the wheel half a turn each way while YOU look at the steering box from under the hood. There will be some very slight flex but it should not be moving much. If it is, look at the steering box mounts for cracks.
How is the idler arm? These are a weak link in the Mopar steering system. They develop slop and make the steering feel loose and sloppy. Sometimes the mount for the idler arm gets ovalled out, causing the idler to move around when under a load.

The unit is a Duralast from autozone, as for your other tips, I'll check it out!

 

[Kern Dog]

I added metal to the open areas in my K member to support the steering box mounts. ZERO flex here.

 

[Kern Dog]

This is an A body K member but you can see the open voids that allow the flex to occur.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I didn't bother to read thru all the posts, but a power steering box, without proper oil pressure to it, will have lots of input shaft play. Your mechanic sounds a little less than knowledgeable. Be careful with that screw with lock nut adjustment ...read the shop manual. You can bind up the steering if not done right...........MO

 

[1962polara]

Your best to diagnose the real problem before spending any more money...you seem to already mis diagnosed the real issue by having the box restored (not that that is a bad thing ).
As stated by another member there's more components to the steering system. Good luck.