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Procedure for Aligning Rag Joint With Steering Box |
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RB401 
AMC Apprentice 
Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 232 |
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 Topic: Procedure for Aligning Rag Joint With Steering BoxPosted: Jan/11/2011 at 11:30pm |
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Hi All, I am attempting to install a new steering box in my car. Is there a specific procedure for aligning the rag joint to the stub shaft on the steering box and to the shaft on the steering column? The parts seem like they only go together one way. But when I have the box on center, my steering wheel is off maybe a 1/4 turn. I am thinking maybe I don't have the rag joint properly indexed to the box stub shaft. This is for a power steering car. The TSM has a procedure for manual steering couplers (rag joints), but for the power steering rag joint they just say put alignment marks on the parts which is not much help when installing new parts.
Thanks,
Dave
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'73 Javelin AMX, 401, T5
T5 Swap Page: http://mysite.verizon.net/amxjavelin/t5swap/t5swap.html |
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69BBB3904spAMX
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Charter Member Joined: Jun/29/2007 Location: San Jose, CA Status: Offline Points: 2761 |
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Posted: Jan/11/2011 at 11:42pm |
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When the wheels are straight, pull the steering wheel and remount it so it is on center, not 1/4 turn off ?
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37 Ford Tudor 60 hp V8 flathead, all original, never restored
69BBB3904spAMX 70 Camaro 1st car 74 Hornet Hatch 6 cyl floor/auto 2007,2008,2009 PT Cruisers Aluminum Deck Car Trailer |
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timoboy
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Joined: Oct/27/2008 Location: San Diego, CA Status: Offline Points: 394 |
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Posted: Jan/11/2011 at 11:54pm |
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On my 73 this does not work, the wheel is keyed and can only go on one way. All 3 of mine are a little off too and I have yet to find any front end guy who has the skills to fix it.
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needafasterAMX
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Joined: Feb/20/2008 Location: TLH,Florida Status: Offline Points: 724 |
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Posted: Jan/12/2011 at 9:14am |
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I fill your pain on finding a good front end guy these days. But it is in the front end adjustment . I think the both tie rod ends have to be adjusted one way or the other to get it centered.The old alignment shop that I finely found fixed mine and told me just how tweaked my front end was and were. It is something I will have to fix one day.
But he was able to align it were it does not eat the tires up. and have a straight steering wheel.  Edited by needafasterAMX - Jan/12/2011 at 9:22am |
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74 AMX, 401
Viper spec T56 6 speed trans Hydroboost brakes with rear disks from a Avenger 3:73 TG rear,now Trutrac with 3:15 A Turbo is in my future. |
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amx39068
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Joined: Feb/21/2008 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 11576 |
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Posted: Jan/12/2011 at 11:20am |
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Not aligning the steering wheel is just a sign of the shop being lazy. They are supposed to put a gizmo fro the steering wheel to the brake pedal that holds is centered and then simply adjust the tie rods ends to get the wheels straight. Ask beforehand to ensure they will do what you need before plunking down any more hard earned cash or go back to the place that did the last one and tell them to do their damn job and make it right. As you can tell, a shop failing to do something as simple as this annoys the heck out of me. It's not like it's hard to do rather they are just lazy and don't do the complete job. They took your money and now they need to do it right. If they fail to do so and you paid with a credit card call up the credit card company and tell them you dispute the bill. Maybe that will get their attention.
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Dan Curtis-Owner and CEO AZ AMC Restorations; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amcmusclecars/ & Curtis Real Estate Development
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69 ambassador 390
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Joined: Nov/22/2009 Location: Peoria, AZ Status: Offline Points: 3539 |
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Posted: Jan/12/2011 at 9:23pm |
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A lazy shop can cause driving issues also. If they don't center the box before doing the alignment you can get phantom pulls from the power steering spool valveing not being centered. It will also mess with the steering angles. Sometimes they have to remove the pitman arm after centering the box because someone has installed it wrong. With the box and wheel centered the pitman arm and idler arms should be in the center of their travel also. Just turning the adjustment sleeves to center the wheel may not be enough. You may want to check the box to make sure it is centered and check the pitman and idler also. Do this with the wheels streight ahead. If they aren't correct you cannot get a straight steering wheel.
Where are you so we can recomend a good shop? Edited by 69 ambassador 390 - Jan/12/2011 at 9:24pm |
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Steve Brown
Algonac, Mi. 69 Ambassador sst 390 84 Grand Wagoneer 69 Cougar XR7 65 Fairlaine 500XL 79 F-350 Super Camper Special |
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poormansMACHINE
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Posted: Jan/12/2011 at 9:28pm |
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That shortcut takes 1/4 turn out of your turning ability. If you had a later variable ratio13/16 box, it would make for some real erratic straight line steering control. |
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69 ambassador 390
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Posted: Jan/12/2011 at 9:49pm |
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Steve Brown
Algonac, Mi. 69 Ambassador sst 390 84 Grand Wagoneer 69 Cougar XR7 65 Fairlaine 500XL 79 F-350 Super Camper Special |
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KermitDRambler
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Posted: Jan/12/2011 at 10:14pm |
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Dave,
The input shaft on the steering box should have a line on the end of it for an alignment mark. That line points to 12 o'clock when the sector gear is centered. The coupler/rag joint has a small pointer or notch on it that you line up with the line on the steering box input shaft. When installed properly, the opening in the coupler for the pinch bolt will be at the 3 o'clock position.
Matt
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RB401
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Posted: Jan/13/2011 at 1:23am |
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Matt,
Per the '74 TSM, those are the instructions for a manual steering box. I did find though the instructions for a power box. Essentially, the TSM says divide the total number of turns lock to lock by two. From one side rotate the input shaft back 1/2 the total number of turns. Then to get the gear exactly on center, the flat on the input shaft should be parallel with the top plate of the box. You then install the coupler/rag joint onto the input shaft. It should go on only one way with the flat in the coupler mating with the flat on the input shaft. When installed correctly the pinch bolt should be pointing straight up and the stop pin should be in the 12 o'clock position.
I think this where my problem is. The machining on the new coupler is not the best. (Nor was it very good on the original factory unit.) The flat portion in the coupler which mates with the flat on the box input shaft is, unfortuneatly, not a flat. Just some of the splines are machined away so its still somewhat round inside the coupler. Enough so that the alignment could be off by 2 or even 3 splines. Same story with the factory part of the coupler that splines onto the steering column intermediate shaft. While there is a flat on the shaft, there is no flat inside the coupler. The factory just rolled some of the splines to make it sort of flat. Because of this sloppy machining, the indexing can be off a few splines at both ends of the coupler/rag joint.
I am going to take the steering box off the car this weekend and check and verify that the alignment is correct at the input shaft end and if necessary see if I can index the steering wheel by moving the coupler a few splines at the intermediate shaft end. Edited by RB401 - Jan/13/2011 at 1:26am |
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'73 Javelin AMX, 401, T5
T5 Swap Page: http://mysite.verizon.net/amxjavelin/t5swap/t5swap.html |
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69BBB3904spAMX wrote: