I while back I had a rebuilt steering gear installed. It then went to a body shop. It felt sloppy to me but I didn't know the car well and thought i might have something else worn. It turns out all the slop is in the steering gear. I see where it appears to have an adjustment screw but wonder if that actually will fix the issue. I had a 69 Ford many years ago and when I tried to adjust it it just would stick in a position, not successful. Are they truly adjustable or is it most likely a crap rebuild?

thanks,
Steve
69 Cutlass w/power steering

 

Yes there is an adjustment, but it is not the obvious screw on the top cover. It's the adjuster plug on the input end of the box. The Chassis Service Manual details the procedure. The box needs to come out to do this.

 

Steve, you replaced the rag joint and the other steering components, right? I wouldn't adjust the steering gear if the car still has an OE center link and tie rod ends.

 

It appears to me the play is solely in the gear. So to do any adjustment it has to come out? That stinks. Should this have been checked before it was installed? Is it possible to do without the benefit of a steering wheel? Unfortunately I located and purchased it so they may not cover the cost of pulling it. A lesson learned on that. The PS pump they put in started leaking 6 months later and again I had purchased it. I wound up pulling it and getting a free replacement.

thanks,

Steve

 

Steve, all you need to remove the steering gear is wrenches/sockets and a pickle fork to separate the pitman arm from the center link. If you bought the steering gear and had a shop install it I don't see why the shop would feel obligated to R/R the steering gear again for the adjustment, unless of course you paid them another service fee. Not trying to be an @$$ but if you remove the steering gear to make the adjustment per the FSM and reinstall it you won't be happy with the steering. If you still have OE steering components they all work together to give you the sloppy feel. Also, even the Cutlass in the 60s and 70s was designed for 0 effort power steering. There's no way you will ever get the steering to feel like a modern car with rack and pinion steering. You can get steering and suspension components reasonably from Kanter:

https://www.kanter.com/index.aspx

The only problem is that most of their parts are probably Chinesium. If that concerns you then order Moog parts individually.