Hi all I've replaced all the linkages as they were very worn just waiting for another adjustable tie rod. But my question is we took the bus out last weekend on its its longest run so far Skelmersdale to Abergele she ran very well however the steering has what i call the laurel & hardy effect.... i have to rock the steering side to side at times to go in a straight line also there's a resistance if you know what i mean, then suddenly there's a click and i have to compensate by steering the opposite way till i hit another resistance. I assume its the steering box as i can now rock the wheel side to side and the motion carrys down to the box but doesn't come out the other side. So what action do i need to take please. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
The steering box might need adjusting. http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/adjusting-your-steering-box.55052/
Get your better half behind the steering wheel and get her turning it left to right. You need to be underneath looking at the front suspension beam, looking at the middle where the steering arms join the main arm. The centre pin is what that arm mounts to. There are pics on here of what to look for (I’m on my phone at the moment and can’t get pics very well). As the steering is rocked you might see the pin moving around sideways or up and down. Again it’s posted on here what to look for and what wear is acceptable. Hth
If the steering arm coming out of the box doesnt move when you turn the steering, there is an adjustment you can do following procedures in Bentley. What you are describing sounds like the effect of slight wheel or road camber offset pushing the bus off in a big circle. So the steering 'leans' on the bias of the whole steering system. If you find you are pulling slightly on one side or the other of the steering wheel all the time when you are going in a straight line then this is likely the case. A puff of wind or a bump and the steering clunks across to the other side and you have to haul on the steering wheel to bring it back. The adjuster makes up for some wear in the bushings in the steering box, but in the end the wear gets too bad to be adjusted out. Like this below. This shows how as the box is adjusted by pulling the shaft sideways to tighten the gearing, the shaft cuts down into the brass again... This is the side cover of my steering box before I hacked out the bushing with a Dremel and pushed in a new one. DONT DO IT ! Find a machine shop and ask them to replace the bushing - the original brass is cast into the cover, so it has to be milled out. If you have an RHD late bus , then they are fairly unobtainable in good condition, seals are cheap and easy to replace, this brass bit is not. Before assuming, check it isnt the idler pin bushings in the front beam, these wear and are relatively easy to drift out and drift the replacements back in. This pin tilts and clunks too.
Yes Matty It has adjusters welded to the beam it was done by the PO The main ball joints are new also fitted by the PO. Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
You do need to be clear that it is the steering box. The drag link can also get bad. Clunky steering: Loose/split coupler from steering column to steering box. (Ball bearing race at top of column.. clunks and graunches but steering still works). Worn/misadjusted steering box Drag link ball joints Idler arm pivot bushings Track rod ball joints Suspension ball joints, yes the one the PO decided not to replace even though they did some of them. Check everything before assuming the worst. Do not trust totally in the competence of anybody including people paid to work. They all make mistakes and parts can degrade within months if mistakes were made, or you are unlucky with rubber parts.
The van steering new was never the best, with all the joints it makes the feeling vague at best add on the fact the steering box might be 40 plus years old, it makes for no go cart handling , I was going to get mine rebuilt as long as the worm gears were in tolerance being a RHD it’s hard to get a NOS, I have seen a few LHD ones
Cheers mike I'm going through things one by one So far replaced Rubber steering flange with a Heritage one Drag link Both track rods when the other adjustable one turns up. (Ive sent the fixed one back) As i forgot my beam is narrowed Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
It will be interesting to find out what the rebuild actually involves. If everything is good, then even tiny movements of the steering wheel will move the steering. Took me a lot of work replacing parts, fitting bushings and the steering box hack, but right now it seems to be possible to expect it to go in an almost straight line hands off the steering wheel. When I started off, a side wind would make it jump sideways and passing trucks ( or being passed by trucks) was a nightmare of pre-emptively moving the steering wheel..
Mine was like that so got a good old box as mine was properly dead. Check all the underside stuff too though.
That is way too much play. All tweaked up and everything in good order, and you should have maybe 1/2" play, if that, before the wheels start to move. Bay steering can never be a precise as rack and pinion, but it's not that bad. Does the steering box drop arm start to move as soon as the steering wheel is turned?
Pop your drag link off, tweak your box up http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/adjusting-your-steering-box.55052/
