Re-indexing steering shaft/greabox

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
In removing my PS gearbox, I was an idiot and didn't mark where the U-joint connected the main shaft.
I knew I was replacing teh gearbox so I didn't mark that end either.
Now I have the new gearbox, U-joint, and main shaft all seperate form one another... and a problem.
Hoe can I get them all indexed back up so that the steering wheel lines up right w/ the wheels and box?
(Actually, my wheel was waaay out of alignment already)

I was thinking of something like turning the gear all the way one way, then doing teh same w/ the tires?
 
in the past, I've centered the wheel as best i can, then(with the box removed) rotate the pitman arm all they way in both directions, and approximate the center of travel. Slap 'em together and hope for the best!
 
isn't there a hash mark in the end of the sector shaft ( what the pitman splines too) ?

Seems i remember that being the case on the Toy steering box(s) I've replace, they could have been marked by someone other than me.....
 
Yes, there's a mark on the end of the Pitman, so that it splines correctly w/ teh output end of the box. Actually, in my case there was already a Pitman attached, in better shape than mine so i just left it.
This problem is on the other end of the box, the input side.
Actually, though, it turns out that if you look closely at the end of the U-joint that splines onto the input shaft of the gearbox, the collar has a bolt in it. On the corresponding portion of the input shaft (attached to box), there is a slightly flat spot... so that although you could slip the U-joint on there in any orientation and mesh w/ teh splines, there's actually only 1 orientation where the bolt will slip past that flat spot. So, thsi really means the U-joint end has to be lined up w/ the gearbox and cosequently the Pitman arm.

I guess this means that, in theory, as long as the steering column hasn't moved (but I'm sure it did when wiggling that thing out of there) it should all line back up again.
 
But, seeing as your truck doesn't have an airbag, or any other sort of steering controls, you have nothing to worry about in that aspect. ( the horn contact is a bronze brush on a ring to the steering wheel, a non issue)
If the vehicle had the above mentioned items, there would be a " Clock Spring" that you would need to be sure was positioned properly, or you'd break it if wound too tight or reverse wound.
 
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