How much steering play is TOO much, and how much is normal?

[AllanS]

I put my car up on stands and played with the steering box this afternoon, and was able to adjust it to where I wanted it, but I noticed that there's a good cm of play at the steering shaft coming from the steering box. This is play that, looking down at the box from above and moving the shaft, is in the box itself, ie. the steering links are tight and doing what they should be doing. Basically, I can move the shaft a good cm, without the linkage moving. The steering wheel reflects this; there's no play between the wheel and the steering shaft whatsoever.

Is this amount of play normal/acceptable, or do I need to start looking for a new steering box soon?

[George M]

Allan, there should be almost no play between the steering box input shaft and the universal joint. Getting the box adjusted correctly is more work than most are willing to put forth. Need to score the top allen screw to keep track of it. A very fine line to get all the lash out of the box and not set it too tight to accelerate wear and reduce returnability. Other thing you want to check is the pitman arm pinch bolt at the bottom of the box. You may be deceived into believing you have lash in the box when the reality is you are getting some incremental movement of the box splined output shaft without a change in position of the center tie rod (drag link). My guess is if your box feels good just off center than there is nothing wrong with it. These boxes are very robust. You simply need to draw the respective involutes of the worm and sector gears a bit closer together by adjusting the allen set screw on top of the box. The challenge is finding that elusive proper balance.
HTH,
George
90 735iL/149k

[AllanS]

Well, even when I tighten it to the point that it becomes pretty hard to turn the wheel, there's still that amount of play. I can move the shaft a good cm like I said, until the the pitman arm starts to move the other steering components, and then the force required to turn it increases. Where the pitman arm meets the center tie rod, and thereafter, everything is nice and tight.

I'll check the pinch bolt today- would it need to be simply tightened, or am I looking at replacing it and other components, like the pitman arm itself, in your opinion?

Thanks for the information, btw- I wouldn't have thought of that, and now it gives me something else to look at. Hopefully that's where the problem lies.

Thanks!
Allan

[George M]

If the pinch bolt on the pitman is loose then I the male splined output shaft and/or the pitman arm splined female hole could wear...but generally not the case. Some just say the heck with it and put a little weld on the pitman and output shaft to seal the deal but unnecessary if nice and tight...have a look anyway. Your box may be done but would say this is generally not the case.
Good Luck,
George

[AllanS]

I looked at it again, and the play is a lot less than I stated- basically non existant- when the wheel is near center. Well off center, is where the play comes on for some reason.

The pitman arm pinch bolt seems to be as tight as possible. I couldn't see above it, to check for play in the spling, but while laying beneath the box, and moving the steering shaft while the wheels were dead straight, the arm moves almost exactly with the shaft. I think the reason that i saw so much play before, was from the perspective of looking down.

Either way, I'm not going to worry about it any more!

Thanks,
Allan