67 GT car. So I’m replacing brake system and while I’m there wondering if there is any service should be done to steering gear box? Is
There lube in box? Grease?
I can move steering wheel about two inches either way before feeling any resistance. (Power steering car not running). Wondering if I should use this adjustment screw to tighten things up a bit.
On the WCCC website you will find a video showing how to do it and yes that is adjustment screw.
Here’s another good resource: http://www.stangerssite.com/lubrication.html
As shown in the video, take a look at all your other steering components too. Any slop in the idler arm, for example, can add up to a lot of slop in the steering wheel.
Check your rag joint as well. When I picked up my 67 last year it was holding on by a thread.
Awesome video worth watching several times. Very informative. Thanks. Sure enough there was no grease in gear box and the 1/4 turn adjustment seemed to help a bit. Will drive it around a bit and see how it feels. Looks
like it might need an idler arm as well.
My '69 had a bad rag joint as well, replacing it and minor adjustments to the steering gear box made it much better.
Went from 2 inches of play in the wheel down to just a little bit of play.
I used a rag joint from an on-line parts store, tried the one available from the “Mustang/Cougar” establishments and was not happy with it.
You can over do the “tightening” of the gear box so proceed with just small turns.
The online video’s are very helpful, luckly in my case my wheel geometry was in good shape, just the rag joint and minor adjustments in the steering gear box.
Good luck.
I hear that a polyurethane rag joint can make a significant difference. WCCC carries one for a tilt column but somehow not a fixed column (yet). Maybe that will change in the near future…
Spent the better part of a weekend removing the Master Cylinder (was replacing the Distribution block) and figured while I’m here I’ll remove the steering box to have it rebuilt. What a job!! I have a 4-speed, and the clutch linkage adds to the fun.
Had to remove the clutch rod spring, disconnect the rag joint coupler, pull back the steering column, remove the screws on the steering box (ok, that was a given), remove the rag joint from the gear box, and then disconnect the pitman arm from the power steering unit (using a ball joint separator, which I didn’t have, but I do now). This was after I had removed the master cylinder. and all the “fun” associated with that! Of course in the process of trying to get the unit out through the top of engine bay, it slipped and fell back into the void and got wedged between the exhaust manifold and the shock tower! 1/2 an hour later and a crowbar finally persuaded it to come out! No damage done to anything except my fingers! Of course I’m doing this all without a lift (front tires up on about a 1 ft. block). I love doing this stuff, but sometimes I just want to scream!
I was eventually successful!
Nicely done. Welcome to the world of wrenching on 50 year old cars.
Yes. That looks like a bucket of fun.
It wasn’t born in there so it’s got to come out! That’s what my old friend tells me when I tell him how impossible some of these parts are to get out.
Its funny how it something you would expect to be pretty simple especially on an old car turns out to be a giant pita! But then again the same can be said for todays modern car. Im used to working on a modern light duty truck diesel trucks and trust me it doesn’t get any easier! Ive had several things on my cougar that at first glance looks like a piece of cake especially from what Im used to working on then it ends up kicking your butt!
I think we can all relate to that 
Thanks everyone for the support. We’re all in the same boat (I mean car!).
Boxed up the steering box and shipped it off to Precision Products for a rebuild and repair (if required).
It wasn’t in that bad a shape, but I couldn’t adjust it to have zero play without it binding up a little in spots.
I had it adjusted so that the steering wheel play was tolerable (maybe an inch) but it would have a slight binding in one spot.
I figured that the binding was probably not good for the long term health of the gears so I made the decision and pulled it out.
I must admit at several times during the extraction process, I questioned the wisdom of doing it, but now that it’s out I think I made the right call.
Jay