resetting the steering 70 Dart

Dart Vader · Post by **Dart Vader** » Sun Mar 05, 17 6:10 pm

ok, so we think the pitman arm was incorrectly put back on so we've done lock to lock, then halfway to get the centre.

also one set of tie rods was fully out and the other side fully in.

so. going to reset it all by undoing all the steering, then using the pitman as the cente point put it all back together with tie rods equal on each side to begin with, the adjust from there.

is this sound logic?

would I expect to see one set of tie rods being markedly different on one side compared to the other, is there a bias of any kind?

thx

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Sun Mar 05, 17 6:32 pm

Justin, doesn't the pitman arm have a fitting spline, I.e can only go on correctly?

Dart Vader · Post by **Dart Vader** » Sun Mar 05, 17 6:57 pm

yeah, there's 4 wider splines, so I guess you could be a bit out.

it's just been so long disconnected that I have to start again

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Mon Mar 06, 17 1:38 am

Don't forget to make sure your steering wheel is centred as well. I centred my steering wheel on the column after centrering the column with the steering box. Then fitted the pitman arm, steering links and tie rods. Mine were also unequal lengths originally.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Mon Mar 06, 17 7:45 am

Just did this a couple of weeks ago. Centre the box by counting the turns lock to lock and set it at half that, that gets you in the ballpark. It will now be obvious where to slip on the pitman arm, fit it loose for now. Measure the steering arms, set them both at 13" between the grease nipples, both sides need to measure the same. loosely fit those, you will be able to see where the inner ball joints are sitting in relation to the torsion bars, turn the steering so that distance is the same both sides. The steering is now central, if your steering wheel is not in the correct position, remove it and correct it now. If it all looks good tighten everything up now. As long as the steering wheel is kept in the correct position when you do the tracking, all will be well with the world.

Dart Vader · Post by **Dart Vader** » Mon Mar 06, 17 7:47 am

Cheers guys.

Glad I've got a guide to base the lengths on.

This and the exhaust and I'm done !

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Mon Mar 06, 17 7:56 am

Just for information, sometimes the joint at the end of the column has a notch, if you line that up with the master spline on the box, when the box is central you end up with the steering wheel master spline at 12 o clock which is useful should you need to take off the wheel in the future.

Dart Vader · Post by **Dart Vader** » Sat Mar 18, 17 5:16 pm

That advice was bang on. Needs very little in the way of tracking now but both wheels turn the same amount. Did what you said and worked it backwards to the pitman arm. I was 1/4 turn out when I did it.

Cheers blue

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Sat Mar 18, 17 6:17 pm

Boom!