Steering problems

[Daves rusty bits]

My PM steering had started to play up a bit just recently, literally making a creaking noise and going stiff occasionally when I turned the steering wheel sometimes. The creaky noise seems to come from the top of the column, under the dash. There is a bush on the column there does it come out the top or down through the box?
Yesterday things took a turn for the worse and the steering seized up on a bend but did free up after I stopped. Now I have 3/4 of a turn of slack on the wheel but it worked well enough to get back to the shed.
I took the drag link off one end and the steering wheel spins freely both ways without the creaking noise or binding. I was going over today to jack the front wheels off the ground to see if it turns freely to rule out a king pin seized. What next? Steering box off I expect unless anyone has some ideas. Dave

[Pavel]

Do you have power steering on your Major?
Before ripping things apart how about checking the steering box oil level.
There is a grease nipple at the top of the column which lubricates the top steering bush -- as well as the felt grease retainer. You have to remove the st. wheel to get at/remove the grease retainer.
Pavel

[Daves rusty bits]

Hi there Pavel, there`s no power steering to worry about. I jacked the front axle end up and all moves as it should but I greased it all while the weight was off it to make sure. I changed the fuel tank in early Jan so the oil was topped up and the nipple on the top of the column greased while it was easy to do.
Now, while I was turning the front wheels to see if they moved ok, I could see the steering shaft going up and down by about 15mm out the top of the column and the bush is sticking out the top by about 10mm, which hadn`t happened before. I guess that means something in the box that should move isn`t and the shaft is moving instead.I`ll take the box off to see whats going on and hopefully order parts before they close for the weekend. Dave

[shepp]

Sounds like the steering wormshaft top bearing has collapsed ( which is lower down actually in the steering box and not in the column) allowing the shaft to move upwards when the wheel is turned. Whilst stripped down replace the top and bottom wormshaft bearings and races, the oil seal and gaskets, the column bush, and check the main nut and particularly the roller on the main nut for wear. They are fairly simple to do, but on re-assembly you will have to experiment with the shim pack between the column housing and the steering box housing to get the correct amount of slight free play in the steering wheel.

[Daves rusty bits]

Ten out of ten Shepp, that`s exactly what I found, the balls had fallen out of the top bearing and dropped down to the bottom of the housing.
When it was all cleaned and reassembled I had to take out 4 shims from under the column one at a time until it gave just a small amount of movement. I also took 1shim from the end plate and the worm drive and rocker shaft looked to be in good order, only a couple of light scratches where the balls went through, it could have been a lot worse. It was a lot of fiddling and repeated taking apart and refitting but it feels so much better it was worth taking the time to do it.
At least I know how it all works now and it should be good for a long time, thanks for your reply its nice to confirm what I found Dave

[oehrick]

I had that happen Dave, in an HA Viva Pickup on a ring road roundabout in Norwich, at rush-hour - a ball dropped into each notch in the rack so I ended up across the central island with a full RH lock on - good job my mate who came out with Landy & trailer to rescue me brought a hacksaw with him!

I'm trying to get the front screw out of the front of the drag rod, either too much wear or collapsed spring giving me wavy steering on the road, either not put enough heat on it yet or not hitting it hard enough !

Glad yours was sorted without too much aggro