im berking stumped

Loose lug nuts make a racket you can't miss, a coworker found that one out the hard way (ironically after leaving a shop that usually leaves your lugs massively overtightened).

Yes. All of them are. Wheel bearings have no play.

GameboyRMH wrote:

wvumtnbkr wrote: We changed over to a shaft from a Jeep cherokee to get the U joint instead of the rag joint.

The rag joint isn't a bad thing to have, it's an intentional failsafe in the steering. Without one your column U-joints will wear faster, and if a catastrophic amount of force goes through the column, you could have a more costly and dangerous failure. If a rag joint fails you just end up with a ton of play in the steering. I'd prefer to have a rag joint in an offroad vehicle.

The steering shaft off of a Cherokee is the same just with the u joint instead of rag joint. It is a factory piece.

Ours was going in a 78 malibu road race car so no offroading happening (unless you blow turn 1 pretty bad!)

I would put a GC steering shaft and box in my Cutlass Supreme, but I don't have enough cash and know-how to do so.

G_Body_Man wrote: I would put a GC steering shaft and box in my Cutlass Supreme, but I don't have enough cash and know-how to do so.

They are around $50.00 or less from a junkyard. Remove two bolts and loosen with rubber mallet. It is pretty easy once you see the two shafts side by side. Well worth the improvement in steering feel IMHO.

So I've got it torn down. Spidles move smoothly on the ball joints, no play.

Tie rod ends don't move smoothly. Replacing undwr lifetime warrenty.

Idler arm has some sticky spots throughout travel. Will replace with new.

Drag link studs rotate easily, thank God.

Steering box still stiff with nothing but the column hooked to it. Feels the same as when everything was hooked to it.

Column spins free when disconnected from the box.

Found passengers side wheel bearings loose again. Fifth time in a thousand miles. Replacing with new timken bearings and races.

Thoughts?

To add, when you jerk the steering wheel back and forth vigoursley, I can hear a knocking sound from the box. Also, while turning the wheel and using a mechanics stethoscope, I can hear a slight grinding sound inside the box.

So I'm confident that the box is on its way out.

Now to find another.

Replaced all four tie rods, steeringbox, and lubed. Di replace idler arm, as they sent me the wrong one. Figured that I knew box and tie rods were bad, so I'd start there.

Drives much better. Only 4 miles or so tonight, just to shake down.

Still not impressed with steering wheel return. May not be enough caster, may need to break in the new stuff. Much less spooky so far.

Thanks for the help so far guys. Hope to do a lot more miles tomorrow.

Why a jeep box in the elcamino ?

Inexpensive firm feel quick ratio box.

It's a bolt in as well.

Got to remember how bad the stock power steering was in 1964.