I'm working on my 32 3 w coupe. I installed the pitman arm on the Vega box. When I turn the steering wheel to the left, it barely turns the wheels. Turning to the right gives me the full turn. What is the best way to center the steering? I've tried rotating the pitman arm but with little success. Thanks
With pitmen off,and side rod off; Have wheels/tires straight ahead. Turn steering wheel all the way one way tell it stops,then count the turn it takes to get all the way around tell it stops again=use 1/2 of number of turns,too come back to real center of box and stop there****!. For side steer, then is when you add pitmen arm to box so it is straight down,with out moving anything ! Than adjust side steering rod so it fits/right size an drops into spindel arm an pitmen arm=centered steering. If crosssteer,then pitmen arm goes straight ahead. ****that is also were any steering box slack/sloop is adjusted at. Never adjust off this center spot !!
I'd attach pictures if my phone was working properly. Dana, a dumb question but wouldn't the steering wheel just spin indefinitely if I take the pitman arm off? I have the steering attached with u-joints and the shaft. If this works and I am able to center the steering, to I then attach the pitman arm pointing straight ahead?
no, it will only go a certain amount of turns. The only box I know of that turns forever is teens-20s Dodge car. They used those to lift snow plows before hydraulics . Yes, but find the true center of the box. Yes count turns and go back 1/2 of that..but..the box at center, pitman off, you should feel a very tiny drag if you are at dead center. If you want it perfect, leave pitman off, find 1/2 way point on counting turns, then adjust the screw with the locknut in a bit, to feel that slight drag as you turn the steering a quarter turn each way past that center. Screw it in a bit at a time until you find/feel that true high spot. Then put pitman arm on, then adjust the length of the cross steer tie rod to have the tires straight ahead with the box still at that high spot you felt.
Your removing pitmen arm,not steering shaft or its links/joint.=steering wheel is still hooked to box/box has no pitmen arm on it at this point,then center box. After add pitmem as noted.
Sometimes OEM pitman arms have a few of the splines inside that are wider than the rest (not sure if Vega did this or not). This is so the factory application can't be installed a spline off. You can take a small triangle file and remove this fat spline, so it looks just like all the other splines. Then you have infinite adjustment of your pitman.