Hello All,

I obtained a nice tight steering box from my secret junk yard. I am getting ready to put her in tomorrow. I have never completely removed one and put another in place.

My question is how do I get the steering centered? obviosly I can rotate the spindle all the way to the left or to the right. Do I turn the spindle all the way to one side and then count the turns to the other side and divide by two to get close??

As I said this is new to me.

Thanks all

Jeff

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If you always do what you've always done, you always get what you always got.

Both the input shaft (where the steering shaft connects) and the output shaft (where the pitman arm connects) have double-width "master" splines so you can line everything up correctly. It's possible to hamfist the job and force things together the wrong way despite the master splines, but if you take care to line things up correctly before connecting everything, you should be fine. Remember that there are two adjustments to make on the steering box, both of which are best done with the pitman arm disconnected. See here. And don't forget to fill up the new box with appropriate lube!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Not sure how to fill the new box up with lube

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If you always do what you've always done, you always get what you always got.

There's a brass plug on top to add lube.

As Dan said, adjust it before you install the box.
It easier with the pitman arm and steering shaft off. If you turn the box thru it's range, there's one spot that will feel tighter than the rest, this should be the center. It's hard to find it with any of the steering linkage connected. Adjustments given in Dan's link should be made at this tight point.

The only box that I have installed without adjusting was one I aquired off a Drivers Ed simulator. As it never had any load put on it, it was as tight as a NOS box!

The same adjustments can also be used on manual steering trucks with the frame mounted cast iron boxes. My '82 D150 was all over the road till I adjusted the box.

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Slant Cecil

I'm still a little confused from reading a former post. where it says
From post http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic ... eft#156514"



Thanks

Jeff

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If you always do what you've always done, you always get what you always got.

There are 4 master splines on the shaft the pitman arm goes on so there are only 4 ways to put them together. I have mine off a 1/4 turn so I have to borrow the big socket from work again to fix it.

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Got her done thanks to all your help. I too was a 1/4 off. I checked it double this time and had my neighbor confirm that she was straight on. the Demon is smiling once again

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If you always do what you've always done, you always get what you always got.