[Healeys] Seized steering box

[WILLIAM B LAWRENCE]

Since it's an aftermarket unit I wonder if the worm section of the column is properly aligned with the column shaft. if these were out of alignment it would cause binding even though the worm was properly held between the bearings.

Bill Lawrence
BN1 #554
________________________________
From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2020 8:03 PM
To: healeys at autox.team.net <healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Seized steering box

Ron,

Please keep us posted on what you discover; I have a DW steering column on the bench and would like to see resolution of your problem before I install it.

Is there a chance it's something in the column, I think there should be a felt 'seal' in it?  Did you fill the box with the Millers oil that came with it?

Bob

On 4/19/2020 5:25 AM, Michael Salter wrote:
Actually, in addition to the ball bearings the problem could be the sector shaft seized in its bush.
If there is a small amount of free movement before resistance is felt I would look at that.

M

On Sun, Apr 19, 2020, 8:20 AM Ron Fine, <ronfineesq at earthlink.net<mailto:ronfineesq at earthlink.net>> wrote:
Last summer I installed a new DW steering box in my BN7.  It was installed without any adjustments pursuant to the instructions.  I drove about 200 miles and the steering box worked as expected.

After about a 6 month pause I took my car out for a short drive yesterday and discovered that the steering wheel was very hard to turn.  I was only able to get around the block and back into my garage.

I jacked up the front, disconnected the tie rods and confirmed that the box has almost frozen up.  Very difficult to turn the steering wheel.

I adjusted out the peg so it would not be causing the problem but the bearing or something inside the box is seizing up.  The box is full of oil, no leaks.

I know what is inside the box since I spend some time 20 years ago rebuilding my original box and the only thing I can think of that would seize up are the two bearings, but, I can’t understand why that would happen to a new box while the car was resting in my garage for the past 6 months.

Any ideas as to what to check before I pull this box out again.

Thanks,

Ron


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