Loose Steering AGAIN
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Loose Steering AGAIN
Hi guys, I've got an 85 GSL-SE with loose steering, posted in the past and you guys recommended checking all the components - I did, they are good. I'm afraid its the gear in the steering box (which they dont make anymore).
The QUESTION - I came across this site that claims to rebuild the units, has anymore had any experience with them?
https://www.carsteering.com/buynow/1...R?crid=2480898
The QUESTION - I came across this site that claims to rebuild the units, has anymore had any experience with them?
https://www.carsteering.com/buynow/1...R?crid=2480898
#2
Junior Member
I sent my manual steering box to a place called powersteering.com. It's about $300 to rebuild. Still waiting for it to come back, it takes one to two weeks. Not sure what they charge to rebuild power steering box.
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Ken B (10-14-21)
#6
Old [Sch|F]ool
Is it "loose" or does it wander?
Recirc ball steering always has a kind of springy feel as you feed load into it. If the car wanders, that isn't a steering problem, that is a suspension problem. Rear-steer vehicles like ours are painfully sensitive to any looseness in the control arm bushings (and no, you do not want poly bushings, because they have looseness by design) and the suspension geometry in general does not tolerate certain kinds of tires.
Any time I have seen a bad box, it was because somebody was screwing with it and they damaged it from overtightening the adjustments. My '81's box has less play than the rack and pinion setup in my '84, but the "feel" is a lot different. The '81 is a little springy as load builds, the '84 is more like slop ending in a concrete barrier. The trick is the '81 tracks straight and does not wander, because the alignment is good (1/2 degree positive camber, you do NOT want negative camber!) and the wheel bearings are well adjusted.
Recirc ball steering always has a kind of springy feel as you feed load into it. If the car wanders, that isn't a steering problem, that is a suspension problem. Rear-steer vehicles like ours are painfully sensitive to any looseness in the control arm bushings (and no, you do not want poly bushings, because they have looseness by design) and the suspension geometry in general does not tolerate certain kinds of tires.
Any time I have seen a bad box, it was because somebody was screwing with it and they damaged it from overtightening the adjustments. My '81's box has less play than the rack and pinion setup in my '84, but the "feel" is a lot different. The '81 is a little springy as load builds, the '84 is more like slop ending in a concrete barrier. The trick is the '81 tracks straight and does not wander, because the alignment is good (1/2 degree positive camber, you do NOT want negative camber!) and the wheel bearings are well adjusted.
Last edited by peejay; 10-14-21 at 05:25 PM.
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#8
Rotary Enthusiast
I looked at (most of) the video, I like that guy. He is only adjusting what he is calling the preload. On the 85 you have the box with the 2 adjusters on top. The flatblade/14mm adjusts the preload on the sector shaft bearing and the plg with the 4 holes adjusts how closely the teeth mesh between the recirculating-ball nut and the sector shaft gear teeth.
This is great thread: https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...7-gsl-1114116/
And this is my short take on the steps: https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati.../#post12486422
This is great thread: https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...7-gsl-1114116/
And this is my short take on the steps: https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati.../#post12486422
#9
Junior Member
For those, like me, who wondered what the "recirculating" part of recirculating ball steering meant, check out this Youtube video. Clears up a lot of what's going on inside the worm part of the steering box.
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Toruki (10-19-21)
#11
Senior Newbie Member
My steering has about 3 inches of play but the car does not wander . Never adjusted the box. My biggest improvment to the steering wws nee tie rods and a moog idler arm but thats NLA and worth an insane amount of cash for what was a 50-90$ peice.
#12
Junior Member
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