[Stan R]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Just reading your original post I need to ask this. If it drove OK in 1979, the likely wear parts since then are not the steering gear box. Now if you were unhappy in 1979, it's possible, I guess. A high dollar rebuild with a faster steering ratio will improve the steering for sure if you want to go that route. If you want it to handle like a 1971 GTO did in 1971, the steering box is likely not at fault. I would do a "dry park test" first to assess the steering linkage. With the car parked, steering wheel straight on the ground, have an assistant wiggle the steering wheel back and forth through the looseness until he feels resistance in both directions. While this is going on, you should be looking and feeling for movement in the inner and outer tie rod ends, up and down movement in the center link, idler arm and pitman arm. All of these items are far more likely to give you a loose, disconnected feeling from the steering system than the gear itself. If all those parts are nice and tight and you are still not happy with the steering, then a new box may be a good option. There is very little to wear out in a Saginaw steering gear. They are very rugged and reliable. The sector gear can wear a little and it is adjustable. It is extremely rare for the ball/rack to wear out, especially at only 122K miles. Good luck with it.

Originally Posted by Lifetime Goat

I have a 1971 GTO with 122k on the chassis and one of the oldest parts left is the original steering box. Every other component on the car has been rebuilt except the WW motor. On the highway I have a lot of play, which back in 1979 when I got it was normal, however it is time to tighten it up. Here are my choices;

1. Rebuild the original steering box so something on the car is original.
2. Toss in trash and install something better and what would better be?

Thanks is advance.

I have a '71 Goat with manual steering and comparable mileage and had a similar issue with about a 20-degree rotation of the steering wheel between the points where the wheels would start to turn. In my case the fix was very simple...turning in the pitman shaft lash adjuster screw until all lash was removed between the ball nut and sector gear teeth. I should have done this years ago instead of putting up with the sloppy steering action.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Stan R

I have a '71 Goat with manual steering and comparable mileage and had a similar issue with about a 20-degree rotation of the steering wheel between the points where the wheels would start to turn. In my case the fix was very simple...turning in the pitman shaft lash adjuster screw until all lash was removed between the ball nut and sector gear teeth. I should have done this years ago instead of putting up with the sloppy steering action.

That's the second (extremely easy) adjustment that often gets cranked-down too tight, in compensation for the first adjustment (more difficult/involved) that's maybe not tight enough.

Originally Posted by Schurkey

And of course, BOTH adjustments. The common problem is that the second adjustment is too tight, because the first adjustment is too loose, and they're trying to compensate.

[NeighborsComplaint]

Originally Posted by 64speed

That’s why I went with the Borgeson. At the time I bought mine it was 400 something but now it’s a little over 5

10-4

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

That's the second (extremely easy) adjustment that often gets cranked-down too tight, in compensation for the first adjustment (more difficult/involved) that's maybe not tight enough.

That is very true, more so with a power steering gear. The much higher ratio of a manual gear, combined with the direct feel of what your doing makes the sector lash adjustment pretty easy and effective on a manual gear. On either gear, the actual adjustment is you pushing on an extremely strong coil spring with the adjustment screw. This gently pushes the tapered sector gear a tiny bit deeper into the rack gear. If the teeth have allot of wear, you will have better feel and less play for a while until the fresh edge wears in. Then it will get loose again. If the wear is very minor or just plain out of adjustment, a larger part of the sector tooth surface will be pushed into contact with the rack gear tooth. Then the adjustment will last much longer. Certainly worth a try anyway.

On a power steering gear, you are turning more parts inside and there are more wear areas. The torsion bar pin hole and pin can be worn in addition to the spool valve, valve housing and more. When adjusting the lash on a power steering gear, mark your starting point on the screw and cover. I take multiple test drives to see how it behaves. I would make my initial adjustment no more than 1/4 turn of the screw. Then test drive. If the steering feels twitchy and does not have a good center feel, it is over adjusted. Take half of your adjustment away and test again. If the first adjustment made it better, but not quite enough, adjust another 1/8 turn and drive again. It's a bit of trial and error. In my experience, you should never need to adjust more than 1/2 turn total. Please note this is "back yard" type on the car adjustment. Pontiac and Saginaw steering DO NOT specify adjusting the gear in this manner. As Schukey mentioned, this is adjustment #2 of the steering gear. Both adjustment 1 and 2 done properly are preformed with the steering gear removed and on a work bench. Adjustment 1 is done with the rack gear and sector removed. This is the shaft bearing preload adjustment. You need a beam type inch lb. torque wrench to do this one. Then with the gear assembled, you perform the sector lash adjustment, again with an inch lb. torque wrench. I have had good luck tweaking the sector lash on the car if the steering linkage and all the joints are in excellent condition. If there is wear in the steering parts, than the sector adjustment if often over adjusted just like Shurkey mentioned. Good luck with it.

[grivera]

F-Body here but I also use Borgeson box for the reasons mentioned by 64Speed. Very happy with mine.

[389]

Keep the box, either have a Tom Lee rebuild it or stash it and buy a brand new, 800 Series, Saginaw with a 14:1 ratio with a 30 pound torson bar. It will snap right back to center just like a fast ratio manual box, but it will be easy to park.

I like a 13" steering wheel with the 14:1 ratio. I use the Grant steering wheels with the holes in the spokes just like the ones from the sixties had.

You could use a 13" steering wheel with your stock box and it will speed things up.

I jack both front wheels off the ground loosen up the lash lock nut, and rock the wheel back and forth, you should feel a little bit of movement once you get the feel of it try tightening the set screw a 1/4 turn and see if the movemment became closer and tighter. If not stop. leave the set screw alone, lock it all up and get a new box.

Here's where I buy all my boxes, they are the best!

https://leepowersteering.com/collect...aginaw-gearbox

[daduck]

I had my stock box and pump (1977 Grand Prix) rebuilt by powersteering.com and have no leaks and tight steering. It was a 2 week turnaround with ground shipping....but I am in MO and they are also.