Backed off steering box adjustment, now it's perfect?

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May 27, 2013 | 06:04 PM
  #1  
A week or so ago I was here asking about steering upgrades. What I really should have asked about was replacement parts. But, that's besides the point.

I ended up adjusting my steering box top screw. It didn't help but a tiny bit so turned it back mostly where it had been.

Recently I noticed that the play in the steering was even worse and it would have trouble returning to center indicating the box was too tight.

So, (was in a hurry this morning driving my son to work) I got in there and loosened it about a half turn and hit the road.

And, holy smokes it's almost perfect! It feels as tight as it did 10 years ago. (If only my wife had the same adjustment. )

So, I'm good I guess. But I thought I might post it here in case turning it counter clockwise might help anyone else.

Could it have anything to do with overtightening it first then backing it off?
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May 28, 2013 | 04:28 PM
  #2  
Looks like you might have just randomly stumbled bass ackwards into a lucky quick fix, has this happened to anyone else?

I'd love to tighten up my steering with a one quick turn of a screw.
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May 28, 2013 | 04:34 PM
  #3  
1/2 turn ccw is a lot. It will be interesting to see how this turns out, just be careful driving in traffic.
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May 28, 2013 | 04:49 PM
  #4  
Don't know which way to turn it to tighten, but I'll turn it a little, if that makes it looser, I'll turn it the other way.
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May 28, 2013 | 04:51 PM
  #5  
Quote: 1/2 turn ccw is a lot. It will be interesting to see how this TURNS out
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May 30, 2013 | 10:39 AM
  #6  
Quote: 1/2 turn ccw is a lot. It will be interesting to see how this turns out, just be careful driving in traffic.
Well, I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the other thread. When I tried tightening it, I had my wife helping and after each quarter turn I'd ask her to check the play.

I know now I probably should have tried driving it a little between adjustments because by the time she said it felt a little tighter in the driveway it was no longer returning to center when I did finally drive it. Plus the play and the squeaking were still there, just a tiny bit reduced.

I lost count of how many times I turned it since it was so many. I'm guessing like 7 to 8 1/4 turns. I know, I thought it was too much then too... but I figured I'd get a new steering box if this broke it.

So anyway when I turned it a whole half turn backwards it was going back to a spot that was likely ahead of where it originally was.

Damn, now that I think about it more... Lucknuts got damn lucky again. Woot! Give it up to God.
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May 30, 2013 | 10:46 AM
  #7  
Oh, wait. Here's where I was confused.

The day I adjusted the steering box, when I realized I had overtightened it, I did my best to put it back almost where I found it. I couldn't be sure so I tried to err on the side of leaving it a little tighter than it originally was (like 1/4 turn), but I was guessing.

So, when I turned it way back ccw, it seemed to me I was turning it back past where it originally was.

But, I guess since I have no way of knowing it'll just be a mystery. Sorry for wasting yer time, guys.
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