[choochie]

Hi all.

I have some play in my steering box. When the car is standstill, i can move the steering wheel around each way before it bites. A few centimetres. Mainly noticable when driving.
Is there an adjuster nut, or something I should be looking at to find the problem?

I have checked the steering rod from firewall to the box, and it turns the same amount all the way (so not a loose bolt on the knuckle in the middle of the rod.

Thanks for the help

 

[blake]

mine has a little play too, maybe not as bad as yours but i just assumed it was a gq thing hahah

 

[Lawrence]

Manual says up to 35 mm is acceptable on both Gu and gq.

 

[purplebus]

on the top of the steer box there is a nut with either a screw or a square fitting through the middle of it. you can access it through the inner guard as well. from memory crack the 2 of them and tighten the inner one up about a 1/4 of a turn and then lock it off with the large one. you only need to tighten the small fitting a little bit. repeat if neccessary. AFTER DOING THIS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FULL LOCK BOTH WAYS AS IT ONLY TAKES A TINY AMOUNT TO TIGHTEN TO FAR AND YOU WILL LOOSE FULL LOCK TO 1 SIDE.
I have done this to all 3 patrols I have had and it works a treat.

 

[pighunt]

Might have to give this a go. Mine has the same play and just put it down to the lift.

 

[BeNos]

Yeah do as purple bus has done. Just do it on small amounts and retest but yeah you don't want it to tight as it will bind up. Or just put a Gu box in it. Much nicer haha

 

[choochie]

Thanks for the help lads.
I'll give purplebus's advice a go tonight.

 

["The Converted"]

Yeah do as purple bus has done. Just do it on small amounts and retest but yeah you don't want it to tight as it will bind up. Or just put a Gu box in it. Much nicer haha

Is the GU box a straight swap? I think my box is on its way out...Its leaking from everywhere and there's some fked up whining/humming noises coming from under the bonnet when I turn the steering wheel even a couple inches, and a very slight vibration that can be felt through the steering wheel lately.

 

[KillaMav]

Is the GU box a straight swap? I think my box is on its way out...Its leaking from everywhere and there's some fked up whining/humming noises coming from under the bonnet when I turn the steering wheel even a couple inches, and a very slight vibration that can be felt through the steering wheel lately.

A Gu box can be fitted into a GQ with little work. The only issue is that you need an aftermarket draglink and the end will need to be changed over to a GU end at the top. This gives great improvements as it lowers the draglink a little in very lifted patrols.

On the other hand for cheaper you can change over to a 082 box which is what I did and I got mine from a 1999 coil cab GQ and it has a larger shaft which is stronger and a larger pitman arm and the standard GQ draglink will fit it. I changed mine in my shorty in about 2hrs with no previous experience in power steering.

Standard Leaking 1990 GQ box

New late model GQ ute box

Installed

I really like the newer box. Mine was not loose just needed new seals etc and seized and could not be pulled apart.

 

[choochie]

Top stuff purplebus... that worked a treat. No more sloppy steering
I should have measured turning circles before hand, but after a test drive it still seems the same.

Thanks again

 

[purplebus]

Top stuff purplebus... that worked a treat. No more sloppy steering
I should have measured turning circles before hand, but after a test drive it still seems the same.

Thanks again

glad to pass on what another passed to me.. its the cycle of nissan knowledge.

a quik easy fix isnt it..!!!!

 

[choochie]

Very easy! Happy it was an easy fix, and didn't require a new box or something ($$$!)
Was holding off steering alignment because of that, so now can get that sorted

 

[tassie patrol]

just go easy on tightening up the screw on the top of the box as if it's done to tight the steering will become a bit notchy in it's movement ( kinda grabbing feel ) from the steering wheel as you turn it in normal driving

 

[bigsim1]

on the top of the steer box there is a nut with either a screw or a square fitting through the middle of it. you can access it through the inner guard as well. from memory crack the 2 of them and tighten the inner one up about a 1/4 of a turn and then lock it off with the large one. you only need to tighten the small fitting a little bit. repeat if neccessary. AFTER DOING THIS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FULL LOCK BOTH WAYS AS IT ONLY TAKES A TINY AMOUNT TO TIGHTEN TO FAR AND YOU WILL LOOSE FULL LOCK TO 1 SIDE.
I have done this to all 3 patrols I have had and it works a treat.

Can you supply a pic of these screws? i have movement in my steering as well and would like it to be a bit tighter

 

[purplebus]

Can you supply a pic of these screws? i have movement in my steering as well and would like it to be a bit tighter

in the pic above from killamav the box with the 082 number on it, if you drew a line to the top of the box through the word koyo. basically the highest point of the box in that pic. the bit on the raised hump is actually a nut with a thread tapped through it with a screw or a small bolt looking piece through it. hope this helps, it will make more sense if you read this then look at the top of the steer box, its something you dont notice until you know it is there. good luck.

 

[bigsim1]

ok i had to read what you wrote a few time to understand, then look on my ute, then come back and read it again lol. But i tightened it up, worked great, no play at all now, now that i have done it it seems so simple, and i havta wonder how i could not posibly have understood... lol, thanks!!!

 

[choochie]

Gonna resurrect my old thread instead of starting a new one ... but recently I was wondering what the mechanics was by tightening the bolt. What actually happens within the box itself?

 

[spud027]

Just came across this trolling unread threads.. Have adjusted mine up and it's heaps better..

Can't offer advice on the mechanics sorry...

 

[BeNos]

i cannot exactly remember but it moves the gearsets closer into mesh or further depending on which way its done. thats why if to tight the gearset can bind up as the gears have no clearance and bind up putting stress on bearings and stuff.
it works similar to diff backlash.

 

[maverick/wanna b patrol:)]

loose steering

thanks to purple for putting up the post on tighning steering box wow it worked on mine made a huge diff on the play thanks alot