chris850 Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Ok so here is the deal finally got the rust up front finished up but now I'm getting a bad "CLUNK CLUNK" noise coming from the steering box. It's not coming from the idle arm or any of the joints and it's only when I change direction from left to right or right to left. Anyone ever taken apart one of these boxes? I'm hoping it something simple when I get it opened. Picture of me welding for attention. Lol Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 I have no idea what you have taken off your car and then put back on ..... or replaced. So..... Loose lug nuts, either side Broken coil spring. Loose steering box mounting bolts. Loose top hat bolts Loose steering knuckle to strut bolts. Loose air filter housing Quote Link to comment
chris850 Posted October 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 I have no idea what you have taken off your car and then put back on ..... or replaced. So..... Loose lug nuts, either side Broken coil spring. Loose steering box mounting bolts. Loose top hat bolts Loose steering knuckle to strut bolts. Loose air filter housing I know where the problem is. It's definitely in the steering box. I was more looking if anyone has had any experience looking inside them. It was doing it before I started repairing the rust. I guess I need to make a build thread for this thing. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 Unless you had the previously mentioned things off or apart I don't see why the box would suddenly start clunking. Did you adjust the steering wheel play? Have you hammered on anything, like the wheels, that might have transmitted the shock to the box and damaged it? Quote Link to comment
chris850 Posted October 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 Ok i have found the problem after I got the box out of the car, I noticed the gear the steering column actually attaches to, all the teeth on it were pretty badly corroded. So I put it all back together and tested my theory and i am correct. The "CLUNK" sound I am hearing is it skipping 2 teeth and then catching the bolt. Pic for reference. So outside of getting a new steering box and possibly that joint it's pretty screwed. My temporary solution is to weld the gear directly to the joint. Any better ideas??? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 Not the box, but the rag joint connection. It's a spline with a bolt through somewhat like a cotter pin. Quote Link to comment
chris850 Posted October 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 Here was the issue. Welded to them together and all is right with the world. Quote Link to comment
G-Duax Posted October 7, 2016 Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 All is right in the world, except....... You cooked what ever was left of the shaft seal, and a good chance you screwed up the temper of that shaft, which will screw you up if it ever breaks at speed. Oh, and the part with the teeth on it, you called a 'gear', is actually a splined shaft. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted October 7, 2016 Report Share Posted October 7, 2016 Oh, and the part with the teeth on it, you called a 'gear', is actually a splined shaft. I agree. :lol: Not the box, but the rag joint connection. It's a spline with a bolt through somewhat like a cotter pin. The through bolt on the rag joint was likely loosened in the past to disassemble from the box. When it was put back on probably the bolt was not tightened or tightened properly and the spline ground away. Quote Link to comment
chris850 Posted October 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 All is right in the world, except....... You cooked what ever was left of the shaft seal, and a good chance you screwed up the temper of that shaft, which will screw you up if it ever breaks at speed. Oh, and the part with the teeth on it, you called a 'gear', is actually a splined shaft. I do not doubt that the temper at the end of the "spline shaft" (forgive me I was tired when I wrote that post) was changed slightly although probably not alot as it is a hardened steel with the other end of it submerged in a cold oil which is also the reason nothing happened to my seal. I only welded the very end so if it does break, it will likely not snap in the middle of the shaft. Also as I stated in my previous post it is temporary. It is so I can drive the car every now and then (this is only a toy for me not my daily). There are no reman parts avaliable for the box which means I have to wait till I can find a used box and rag joint. Mike you are probably right about it being someone who loosened it at some point. Quote Link to comment
G-Duax Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 What I have done with like worn spline problems, was to recut the slot, so that the pinch bolt could pull it tighter on the shaft. I've also drilled length ways down into the shaft/coupler joint, and inserted a dowel pin. But you had already welded it when I wondered into your thread. As long as your aware of the short comings of welding it....... Quote Link to comment
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