Tightening up steering?

Old Big Girl has some play in the steering. I took the adjusting screw out of the box, cleaned it real good, made sure all the threads were good, oiled it and put it back in. I then tightened it down snug, and put the lock nut back on. It didn't seem to help much, it still has about 2" free travel before it starts to turn. I know it should have some free travel, but 2" seems a little much. No slack in cross rod or tie rod. Is it I'm just used to power steering, and have forgotten how an old manual steering feels? Or is there some way to get it a bit tighter? [S I'll probably be going with a GM power box this winter, so I can keep what I have for a while, I 'd just like a little better road feel, it seems like it is just in a dead zone unless you keep rocking the wheel.

I have that same feeling with the toyota box... more free play than I would like...

When you tighten the the adj screw, rock the input shaft back and forth gently until the play is nearly gone then tighten lock nut. Don't over tighten just enough to take out slack.

my son was in the truck moving the wheel back and forth slowly as i tighten the screw, it moved a lot more when he was moving the wheel in fact i went to far ,, I had to loosen it backup ..

That 2 inches of play can also be different according to how big a steering wheel your using. If you have large wheel with 2", a small wheel won't be 2".....In all of the old trucks I've owned with the original steering wheels in use, I believe I would have been proud of 2"....heheh! On the tightening on the screw, rocking the steering back and forth does help getting it tighter. The problem is when the round end on that arm wears, it only wears at the front and rear of that ball. That arm never pivots all the way around so the end effect is a ball that is sorta flattened like a fat pancake. If it's getting that worn and you tighten it too much, it's easy to go too far and really harden up the steering.

Never thought about rocking the shaft, I'll get the wife to do that while I snug the adjuster. It's still got the 18" wheel smallfoot, so it steers real easy. I'm not going to change it until I put the GM column in, I can't see buying another smaller wheel and instal kit when I'm going to take the stock stuff out anyway at a later date.

That dead 2" at the top though is scary.......makes you think something has broken, then it catches. Been a long time since I've driven anything like that, lol.

I bought my Daughter a 94 ranger , it has a box on it and it was scary to drive .. it wouldnt get no tighter till he moved the steering wheel just a little one way then the other ,, (rocking it ) and I turned it while it was moving , I turned mine in a bunch and found out it was to much ,, I dont guess it was ever adjusted before .. but its all good now ..

Try this link Bama...
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_steerngear_adjstmt1937-48.htm

Torchie.

Thanks Torchie, some good info there. Looks like it gets involved to do the job right. I'll have to read it a few times and look at the diagrams and look at mine to see exactly what they're talking about.

My last adjusting got it close, so I'll probably leave it as is for now. It doesn't wander a bit, just a little more free play than I'd like, but I've driven much worse. Now if I could just figure out why that damn right front brake pulls it to the right when you stop I'd be much happier. Linings are dry, drum was smooth and dry, adjusted correctly. I've about decided I'm looking at the wrong side, it may be the left side isn't doing it's share of the work. Going to have to look into that.....

That could be it ... left side not working ......... make sure the hose in not collapsing and holding shoe close to drum on right side ,, . jack up the front and pump up the brakes hard then jump out and see if the right drags any or have some one push down the peddle easy till the right starts to grab , then see is left is also .. Just my 2 cents

I've got all new stuff, steel lines, Master cylinder, braided stainless flex hoses, new wheel cylinders. I used the shoes that were on the car, they looked nearly new and were dry, no signs of oil or grease contamination. All bleeders bled fluid when we bled it. Have even went back and re-bled it again to make sure. I'm wondering if the left flex hose is collapsed where they put the ends on, letting some fluid through, but not enough. May swap left and right hoses when I get a chance and see if that helps.....