[Healeys] Steering Box problem

Alan Bromfield bluehealey at gmail.com
Tue Aug 9 04:15:05 MDT 2011


Team.
My Longbridge BN4 is fitted with a later steering box - the domed alloy top
lid version.
Unfortunately I have a strange problem with it which I would like to explore
with you.

If I tighten down the drop shaft to minimise backlash at the steering wheel
in the straight ahead position I encounter a tight spot half way between the
centre and full right lock. the tight spot spreads through about half a turn
of the coumn and then releases again as you complete the turns through to
full lock. If I slacken off the drop shaft preload I can avoid the tight
spot but then I have about 4inches of free slack at the steering wheel in
the straight ahead position.

With the drop shaft removed the column spins freely in the tube with no
oscillation so the column isn't bent and the bearing races/cups at each end
of the worm are not damaged or pitted and run freely.

I understand there should be a tight spot in the cetre of the worm but I
can't detect it.

My thought processes suggest that maybe the worm is machined wrong with the
tight spot in the wrong place. Is that likely?
Or
The box casting is machined incorrectly so that the drop shaft isn't truly
perpendicular to the column axis. That would cause things to tighten up as
the cranked arm that holds the peg swings downhill toward the column.

Any suggestions or insights guys? A new column from Jeremy Welch at
BigHealey is around 1800GBP which I would like to avoid if possible!!

Thanks..........
-- 
  _________________________________________
(______________ Alan Bromfield_______________)
        (_______\____1957-BN4____/________)
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