Thread: 27 chevy p/u

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Jerry is correct. It is very unlikely that your steering box is skipping teeth. If something inside was broken it would more likely be sloopy loose or it would lock up and not work at all. If you did not ream the bushings after you installed them in the spindles, they are probably too tight and misaligned. Did you have to force the kingpins in with a clamp or beat them in with a hammer? If so, you have a problem... After installing new bushings in a spindle, they have to be reamed so that the kingpin will slide in with gentle pressure. THEN.., after the bushings are properly reamed, the spindles are assembled to the axle and the kingpins locked in place.

The symptoms you describe sound like the kingpins are so tight that the steering doesn't have any "rebound" (the steering comes back to straight on its own) and it just stays wherever it was pointed last. IF that's the case you'll need to take it back apart, rent a reamer from the local parts store and make the necessary cut. While you have the steering box disconnected from the front axle you can check it for slop and rough spots. If it operates smoothly it's good to go.

Times 3.. I don't think the problem is in the box. When you assembled the kingpins originally you mentioned the front being hard to turn but was getting better. It's probably still to tight and should be disassembled and measured. When properly "fitted", the new kingpin should slide into place with a minimum of pressure but no appreciable play.

You''ll need a micrometer and an adjustable reamer at a minimum and after measuring the kingpin, set the reamer for another 1 to 2 thousandths over to give the pin room. Pass the reamer through with a few spins round and test fit the kingpin back into the bore. Rinse and repeat if needed. ( Caution, once you remove material, you cannot reinstall it! go to much and you'll be forced to replace the bushing!)

There shouldn't be any "break-in" period, and everything should move free and easy when assembled. HTH

For sure ream the bushings to the proper size for your kingpin, but on an old style steering box on an early Jeep I was chasing steering slop and decided to adjust the backlash on the steering gear, using the locked adjustment screw on top. It was sweet, took all of the play out of the wheel, but then I turned it away from center and it locked in place. The worm had worn a bit in the center portion, but not on the extremes so when I adjusted out all the slop in the middle it was an interference fit on both ends. If you played with the gearbox adjustment you may want to revisit that with the box disconnected like Jim mentioned above.