Manual Steering Gear

There are two adjustments that can be made on the steering gear: worm bearing preload and pitman shaft overcenter preload. Prior to adjusting the steering gear, all outside loads must be removed.

WORM BEARING PRELOAD
1. Disconnect battery ground cable, then raise and support vehicle.
2. Remove pitman arm nut, then mark relationship of pitman arm to pitman shaft for installation reference.
3. Remove pitman arm using a suitable puller.
4. Loosen steering gear adjuster plug lock nut.





a. Torque adjuster plug, until proper loading preload is 6.5 inch lbs.
b. Tighten adjuster nut to specifications.
c. If gear feels lumpy after adjustment, bearing damage is indicated. Gear should be disassembled and inspected as necessary.
5. Install pitman arm, align marks made during pitman arm removal.

OVERCENTER PRELOAD
1. Turn steering wheel gently from one stop over to other. Turn wheel back exactly half-way to center position.





2. Turn over center adjuster screw, clockwise to take out all lash between ball nut and pitman shaft sector teeth.
3. Tighten jam nut to specifications.
4. Check torque at steering wheel, taking highest reading as wheel is turned through center position.
5. If necessary, loosen jam nut and adjust the overcenter adjuster screw to obtain proper torque of 16 inch lbs. Tighten jam nut and recheck reading through center of travel.
6. If maximum torque is exceeded, turn the over center adjuster screw counterclockwise, then come up on adjustment by turning jam nut clockwise.
7. Install pitman arm onto shaft, lining up marks made during removal.