Steering box

Hi everyone my bus recently failed its MOT amongst other things on the steering box having excessive play, I have tried adjusting it but this does not seemed to have made much difference, so I need a new or decent second hand replacement, my bus is a march 1972 kombi LHD and the current box is a ZF one, my question is ..there appear to be a number of diffrent types available dependant on date of manufacture..will a box from a later bay say 73 onward fit my bus or will I have to trawl around for another ZF one??

Thanks in advance and merry Xmas

Mark

 

Put simply if your existing box is has a cast iron body then it is not interchangeable with the later box which has an alloy body. The later box is available new from VW Heritage. Failing that someone like Megabug may be able to help you with a used one.
Oh and merry Xmas

 

Thanks for the reply....going to post and see if anyone has a cast iron box for sale!!

Mark

 

Have you tested all the ball joints in the system too?

 

They are all new I fitted a new drag link and track rods..its the box you can move the steering wheel miles before anything happens!

Mark

 

How have you been adjusting it?

I wouldn't paretic. trust a reconned box.

 

front jacked up steering centred, lock nut loose screwed adjuster in until steering stiffens and then backed off untill steering lightens

Mark

 

Has it got any fluid in it? i only ask as i replaced mine (later type) and found the one i took off as dry as a bone, fluid may take up a little of the play? an even the new one after adjusting still has some play.

 

You should still be able to detect some resistance as the mid-point is passed over.

 

Oil level is good , tried various positions of the adjustment screw(if that makes sense) but just cant eliminate the play

Mark

 

And the steering bush is in good condition?

 

Brand new

Mark

 

Telling you to suck eggs, but has it got oil in?

Pop the drag link off at the steering box end, jack up, find the centre point of the box by counting turns, then turn the wheel 180*. Rock the drop arm and adjust until it just stops clicking, then tighten. Might do the trick.

 

Cheers I will give it a go

Mark

 

The apparent "slack" at the extremes is the result of the worm profile, based a combination of the need for less applied effort to hold the steering at full lock and the utilisation of the trailing arm suspension to provide for virtual self centering of the wheels when returning to the mid-position. Which is why its always a good idea to check alignment from the datum mark on the steering box itself.

 

The reason for slack at the extremes is so when you adjust out the wear which is mostly in the centre of the worm from forwards driving, it doesn't then bind at the extremes. And it doesn't matter if your steering is a bit loose cornering - much more important for straight ahead driving.