Ok, so take it easy on the flaming, this is my first old car and I'm still learning. Never had anything with manual steering before. I've searched around a good bit, but not having any luck. I've ordered a rebuild kit for the front of my '52 Styleline in an attempt to fix a lot of play in the wheel and a tendancy to wander all over the road. I am curious as to what this thing is, and if it's original. The u-bolt wrapped around it is touching the oil pan and that doesn't seem right to me. At one point, this car has had a lot of questionable stuff done to it and I'm trying to sort it back out. So... what is that in the center of the pic? Is it original?
not original, and not even from Chevrolet. it is an aftermarket "fix" for a sloppy idler arm. when you rebuild the idler arm, leave that off.
Could that be my wandering and slop issue? I'm trying to daily drive this thing, so trying to minimize down time.
If the idler arm and tie rod ends are tight and good. Some times you can adjust the steering gear box and tighten up the slack in it. Look on the gear box, you will see a round threaded bolt with a lock nut on it. If I remember right, it should have a slot in the round threaded bolt. Jack the front wheels off the ground. Move the steering wheel side to side and watch the wheels for movement. If you have free movement in the steeringwheel from side to side before the front wheels move. Lossen the lock nut on the adjuster, turn the slotted bolt in a quarter turn (right) clockwish. then turn the wheels completely to the left and rignt. You should not have any tight or binding feel while turn lock to lock on the steering box. You can adjust it tighter until you remove the side to side slack in the box as long as you do not get any binding or high tight spots in the gear box. If you do get a bind spot, back the adjuster bolt back out until you just have a smooth turning steering wheel lock to lock...left till it stops and right till it stops. The slack will show up when the wheels are straight ahead. Hopes this helps...l
Your doing the right thing to rebuild that front end. Even with the whole front end rebuilt you might still have some play in the steering box. With the rebuilt kit installed and a fresh alignment it should be much better.
Thanks guys. I've built a few mini trucks and a drag car, but this is my first sled. It's great to get such quick helpful responses. I'll try to snug the box up some this afternoon.