The steering on my '84 is a bit loose so I was trying to tighten it up. The procedures I have seen say there is a center screw and then the big adjustment. My set up does not have the center adjustment screw. I have read that the big bolt that needs to be loosened is 40mm. I cannot get this thing to budge at all using vice grips or whatever, so I have been looking for a 40mm socket. What else have any of you used to move that thing? I'm also guessing a 1-5/8" socket would work as well. Found one of them, but snap-on wants $75 for it. No way I'm paying that for one socket.

And from what I read, I loosen that big bolt then tighten the one that is in the center of the big one, correct?

Thanks

 

All setups have the small, fine adjustement screw. Before you go messing up your preload by turn the "big" screw, pop the cap off the little adjuster, loosen the little lock nut and turn the screw OUT with a flat head screwdriver. That should remove most of not all of the end play you have. If it still isnt right you'll have to adjust preload by turning IN (a little bit!!!) the BIG screw. I've used a monkey wrench to get that sucker loose . Only adjust this as a last resort though... too tight and you can fry your box in no time.

 

Also check you bushings in the idler arm, right by the exhaust manifold. Heat makes them shrink up and die and that can cause significant looseness as well.

 

By "loosen the little locknut" do you mean put a 14mm socket on the sucker, pull until you bruise the crap out of your hand, add a few feet of pipe, get 12 of your best friends just just pull on it as hard as you can, hook up a few V8 pick ups and get those same people leaning on it, and still not be able to move it?

Any advice? WD40 be a bad idea? Or maybe it's already adjusted to its limit? But I cannot move that locknut.

 

Well I had same problem it was like really tight, it eventually came loose but after adjusting it a few times the whole entire thing snapped off, rendering it useless. I ended up having to buy a used replacement, after 3 tries at the local auto slavage place I finally got one from a guy in Canada that works good

Be careful and good luck...

 

Very odd, I don't recall having such a problem getting mine loose the first (and only) time I did this adjustment. hmmmm.

 

Always check the bushings before messing with the box. People often overtighten their steering in an efford to reduce play, when the problem actually lies in the old loose bushings...

 

http://www.mazspeed.com/steeringgear.htm

Awesome writeup here