Manual Recirculating Ball Steering System: Overhaul: Reassembly
- Place steering gear housing in a vise with worm shaft bore horizontal and side cover opening facing upward. All seals, bushings and worm shaft bearing cups should be installed.
- Place upper ball bearing over worm shaft. Install worm shaft and ball nut assembly into housing and up through the upper bearing cup and seal. Install lower bearing, bearing cup and bearing retainer in worm bearing adjuster.
- Install worm shaft and worm bearing adjuster in housing. Tighten worm bearing adjuster until a slight amount of worm shaft end play exists. Install pitman shaft adjuster screw and shim in slotted end of pitman shaft.
- Using feeler gauge, check clearance between adjuster screw and pitman shaft when holding adjuster screw upward. Clearance should not exceed .002" (.05 mm). If clearance exceeds specification, a different thickness shim should be installed.
- Rotate worm shaft until ball nut is at center of its travel. Install pitman shaft into steering gear ensuring center tooth of sector enters center tooth of ball nut.
- Fill gear housing with lubricant, and install NEW side cover gasket on gear housing. Install side cover over pitman shaft. Reach through side cover hole using screwdriver.
- Turn pitman shaft adjuster screw counterclockwise until screw bottoms and then back off screw 1/4 turn. Install pitman shaft side cover bolts and pitman shaft adjuster screw lock nut. Adjust worm bearing preload and over-center preload. See WORM BEARING PRELOAD and OVER-CENTER PRELOAD under ADJUSTMENTS.