Steering upgrade alternative ?

[Sub03]

2) How do you make sure you have very little play at the center ? Can it be adjusted ?

This is what i mentioned in my previous post, tightening the allen bolt on top of the steering box. There's a bunch of DIY's online about this.

Like M_Body_Coupe says, you want to tighten the adjuster enough to take out some play, but not so tight so the steering binds at center position.
I tried a procedure I found online which includes measuring the torque needed rotating the steering wheel through center position, wheels in the air, engine off. This was impossible to get right, with my tools/torque wrench anyway.

Ended up tighten the bolt in small steps while wiggling the pitmarm arm until I felt no play in it.

Don't go overboard tightening the adjuster. A little too tight and the steering binds, very tight you may ruin the teeth on the shaft(s).

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

Hey Mark,

Was your pump factory? I only ask because you can't be sure what valving the parts store rebuilds come with.

Great point, I never hooked up any pressure gauges to check things out either.

The pump I have in the coupe was a Mopar Reman:

R4470377 PUMP, Power Strg. Assy. (Mopar Reman)

This Mopar Steering parts catalog (http://starparts.chrysler.com/starlibrary/marketing/reman/Steering.pdf) strangely shows this as fitting:

TRUCK application, 1989-1987 AN Body 3.9L, 5.2L

...while 1989 M Body is 04470379 (OE part), R4470379 (service part).

Before installing the shims the steering feel was equivalent to prior experience I've had with these cars for years.

Having said that, all I said about the upgrade stands true, it was a very noticable improvement.

 

[Deleted member 1959]

Now I have doubled the thickness of the shims to 4 mm. There is not much difference in the power assist feel.
I am following the article "Pump it down" by Richard Ehrenberg, and it is pretty simple to do, so I cant see what I´m doing wrong.

I also tightened the allen bolt about ½ a turn, and it made a difference, but not a good one: At standstill in idle on grass it turns easily to the left, but to the right there is very little assist. However, when driving around slowly in the yard, it turns to the right with no problem.

I know that the previous owner had a mechanic adjust the steering box, because it was turning to one side by itself (can´t remember which one). It would do this a soon as the engine was on. The car has done 51500 Miles; Could the box be worn out ?

 

[Deleted member 1959]

I found a good article on Allpar by the same guy, and started adjusting the slack like he suggested by rotating the steering column back and forth and looking for play in the pitman arm. The problem is I can´t see the pitman arm - it´s hidden under the box...
The adjustment of the valve body also proves to be a challenge. The bolt closest to the header is almost impossible to get to. I could loosen the heat shield, but I could not remove it because the steering box is in the way... It´s not easy.

 

[Duke5A]

This is odd. Shimming the pressure valve in the pump makes a very noticeable difference. What you're feeling in the wheel though may be worn out parts. Back that adjustment on the box off a quarter turn. Over tightening that can cause damage to the box.

The pitman and idler arms don't have any play in them? What does the rag joint look like?

 

[Deleted member 1959]

I just took it for a short drive. The feel is the same as before when going through soft curves: about 2 inches of play around the center before it startes to turn.
But turning 90 deg. right takes some effort at slow speed, and at standstill it feels like it´s un-assisted.
There is no play in the steering coupler, but I could not check the pitman arm movement since I just can´t see it...
When I speed up in P the steering wheel turns slowly to the right.
I guess it must be the L-R adjustment that´s off and the valve body needs to be adjusted ?

 

[Deleted member 1959]

This is odd. Shimming the pressure valve in the pump makes a very noticeable difference. What you're feeling in the wheel though may be worn out parts. Back that adjustment on the box off a quarter turn. Over tightening that can cause damage to the box.

The pitman and idler arms don't have any play in them? What does the rag joint look like?

Rag joint ? Is that the steering coupler ?

 

[Deleted member 1959]

Decided to loosen the allen bolt about ½ turn back to where it came from so I only make one adjustment at a time.
The good news is that what I feel as 2 inches of play can´t be that bad, because the wheel reacts on the ground as soon as I turn the steering wheel in idle.
The shims must have an effect after all since it´s now harder to turn it to the right, so I must have lowered the pressure from the compressor.
Does this mean it now needs an adjustment of the valve body, and the pressure will "even out" between L and R ?

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

Does the steering wheel pull on it's own to Right or Left? Or is this only hapening when you are driving?

I ask because:
1) if it pulls on it's own you need to adjust the centering valve, as you pointed out, and as much as it could be a PITA to get to it, it is really the only way to correctly set the box to self-center

2) if on the other hand it pulls to a side only when driving, I would say that's a front end alignment problem (so normal steerign/suspension adjustments)

 

[Deleted member 1959]

It only pulls to the right at standstill in P, and only when I revv it at bit. When driving it does not pull to either side.
I will do the centering valve adjustment when my mechanic has a bit of time, because I feel safer using his 4-point lift.
The pulling began after I inserted the shims in the PS pump, so the shims must have lowered the pressure - result