Steering cunnumdrums

1st September 2012
I had not used my buggy much in the last month as there seemed more important pressing matters that made having time for this very difficult. I also was aware that my steering box seemed to be acting rather oddly when it was turned full hard lock to the left . I had thought this was because of adjustment of the box but further examination proved that the front bearing on the box was shot. This had not been a new box I refurbished and the wear on it was an unknown factor. 

I knew I would have to remove the Steering box and examine this further. The steering box was removed from the car by first undoing the steering column bolts on the universal disk. This released the column from the box. The tie rod ends where then undone and knocked out whilst the box was still bolted onto the beam. This made the process much easier. The box was then removed by undoing the two big bolts that hold the clamp around the beam . With the box removed I could see clearly that the box was unusable without serious repair:

 

The Video shows the extent of the wear on the main spindle of the old box.

 I found my original steering box that I took of of the beam during its restoration. This seemed in much better condition and started to clean it up so that it could be fitted in place of the warn one. I cleaned the box down with a wire brush attached to my angle grinder . This took most of the rust of and was then able to paint the box with Red Oxide and then Hammerite.

The box once painted was re- assembled and the top removed and filled with grease. The newly painted box was then fitted into the car. This was in principle exactly the reverse of removing it. With the box in situ .The bolts was all torqued up and I took the buggy out for a tentative run. It was apparent from my first run that the box had to much play on it and the top nut on the top of the box had to be screwed in to adjust this.