Hi all,
Three and 1/ 2 years when my 82 was rebuilt from the accident, I had an new quick ration steering box {#88991244} installed. All parts in the front end are new! I have had problem with the steering since getting the car back. The past two weeks I have replace the bearings in the tilt column and now the steering has much less play and feels and lot better. But there seems to be a little play left in the steering wheel, very little.

I also found out this weekend that the orfice in the power steering pump needs to be change in order to increase the hydralic pressure coming from the power steering pump. The quick ratio box requires more power steering hydralic pressure then the standard box. Please see, http://jeffd.50megs.com/Pump_valve_mod_page.htm



So does new steering boxes require adjustment to eliminate all play? I have put about 4 thousand miles on the car since the front end was rebuilt.

 

Did you change your "rag joint" between your gearbox and the "steering"shaft? That is where most play occurs.

 

driveshaft ??

lmao...


usually the idler arm wears out first

second is the box,

third is a TRE

ive owned a billion different vehicles over the years cars trucks vans duallies and so on and never really had any rag joint problme excpet for once i broke one on the very first vehicle i had and that was a 69 f-100 pickup, it was loaded down with gravel at the time coming to town from the gravel pits, i bolted it together directly on the side of the road without the rag joint rubber piece jut to get it back into town

thats the only time ive ever had any trouble/slop due to the RJ and ive owned probably closer to or over 200 vehicles now

really a rare occurance



good luck

 

Actually they wear out quite frequently. They are often overlooked and will wear out way before your gearbox. I too thought my gearbox was bad (over 200k miles) and it turned out to be the rag joint. If you take off the plastic shield and have someone turn the wheel slightly back and forth, you will see how much it rotates. Only 3/16 inch play at the joint will translate to large movements of the steering wheel.

 

Yeah, I've replaced ragjoints on both my vehicles because of excessive play. I believe they failed due to oil from input shaft leakage before my time. I've since replaced the input shaft seal on one and rebuilt the other box.

A new box may, in some cases, require adjustment. There's a tech article on montecarloss on bench adjusting the box that has some good info. They should, however, be pre-adjusted from the factory/rebuild.

 

Hi all,
Thanks for the respondes. As I said all parts in the front end are new including the rag joint. I going to order the parts to adjust the preesure from the power steering pump. I also going to have the dealer adjust the steering box. I have less then 1 inch of play and that is at the steering wheel.

I just wanted to know if new steering boxes required any adjustments!

 

Well just today, I found the rag to be shot on mine..Was suprised because without the plastic off, I could not see the movement..I thought it was the box...Well gotta change it tomorrow....Any suggestions on how to do it? Thanks, Tom

 

You can pick up a rag joint kit at AZ or the equivalent for around $6-8. I was not able to use the supplied hardware, though, and had to purchase bolts to fit and drill new holes for them. If someone knows of an available piece that fits better, maybe they'll post.

You can pull out your shaft by removing a bolt at each end. Expect to spend some time with a grinder or drill removing the existing joint from the shaft.

 

BruceEmbry: If you've got an inch of play it should be pretty easy to determine where it's at. You can place the front end on jackstands and, turning the input shaft by hand, trace the movement through the linkage to find the problem. Start with the car on the ground and try turning the shaft. If the input shaft moves and the pitman arm doesn't you know it's the box.

 

Hi Naf,
I said it less then an inch And for the final time the rag joint is new. I was asking steering box because I know that it is new also and never has been adjusted. I just wamted to know if anyone had to adjust a new steering box.

 

I've had to adjust a rebuilt box. It had way too much play and I found the plug was loose on the input. They should come pre-adjusted but with rebuilds you never know. With a new box I'd expect there to be a little more quality control but it wouldn't hurt to check it. Unfortunately to do it right it needs to be out of the car and relatively free of oil. You may be able to do it hanging with the pitman arm disconnected but by the time you get there it's almost pulled.

Do a quick check. Pop your hood and try turning the input shaft by hand (steering unlocked). With the wheels on the ground the pitman arm shouldn't move. Pretty easy to see how much play you have in the box.

The rag joint suggestion was for Gallileo06.

 

Thanks for the suggestion...Man I tried to get the rag from GM, and they no longer carry it...The "HELP" one is gonna be alot of work...You have to grind the rivets out and reuse some parts....Its a bitch...I still dont have it done yet...........I might have to pay someone to put the damn rag joint in.......

 

I eliminated the rag joint all together by going with a Borgeson polished stainless steel u-joint and their cut-to-length collapsible shaft. Takes up a lot less space too.

 

Hi Every,
Well, I will cut to the chase!
The other day I pulled the Rag-Joint cover back and guess what I found. The Body-shop three years ago said that they replace all of the steering parts. Well you guys are right, they forgot one part. Yes the Rag-Joint is bad.
So I spent today replacing the Rag-Joint. And you know what, no more play in steering column. The car now drives like it suppose too.

Ok, here one for the books. The GM orginal rag joint will make a clunking sound when it goes bad. I had this clunking sound. How to check for bad Rag Joint, open your hood and grap the steering shaft where it comes out at the firewall. Move the steering shaft back and forth with you hand, if you hear a clunking sound, the Rag Joint is bad.

 

Glad ya found it dude....Mine looked good, and I never even considered it......

 

Was your car wandering a little bit because of this or was there just play in the steering wheel?

 

Mine had play, and wandered.....BTW, What is the easiest way of doing the rag change...........

 

This is where I got mine:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Camar...spagenameZWDVW

 

Damn you gotta buy the whole thing you can't just replace the joint?

 

You can just replace the joint, like I mentioned above.

 

Ah, I missed that. If I had $100 it'd probably be a good idea to get a new steering shaft. Has anyone tried this kit? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Camar...QQcmdZViewItem

 

That may be the same piece sold at the parts store for around $6-10. Hardware in it still looks incomplete.

 

After replacing the rag joint and driving the car, I can answer yes to both questions. I will also note that the body shop that installed the new steering box tried to tighten up the steering by ajusting the box. I loosing the adjustment set screw and lock, back it out and then fiinger tighten it. After I finger tighten the set screw I back it out 1/2 turn the tighten down the lock nut. All play, wondering is now gone and the steering wheel is much easier to turn. A few weeks ago I replaced the bearings in the steering column.

In closing, I had bad bearings in the steering column, bad rag joint, and an over tightened steering box ajustment.

 

Where did you get your new rag joint from Bruce?

 

How does this rag joint eliminator kit look? http://www.unbalancedengineering.com/Camaro/

"3rd Gen Rag Joint Eliminator (1983-1992)

Eliminates the factory rubber-fiber rag joint which can degrade and introduce steering slop. This is especially true on cars with the additional heat generated by headers. The kit includes a CNC machined coupler made from 6061-T6 aluminum which is then anodized black for corrosion resistance, and four grade 8 fasteners. A set of detailed installation instructions is also included. Cost $36"

 

What were the part numbers you used? I dont know what the stock splines are

 

From AutoZone Special Order, MotorMite 31008.

 

From AutoZone Special Order, MotorMite 31008. Do a search on this site using "Rag Joint" and you will find other people who have used the same part. Motormite website says its for an Ford.

 

Was it a complete kit or did you have to drill and buy new bolts like naf did?

 

It is complete kit as for replacing the Rag Joint. You will have to drill two rivets out of the old joint.