Steering Question-sigh

[63larkcustom]

Ok.. Here goes. When I turn the wheels on Lucy to the right it turns very smoothly. When I go to turn them back, There is a really loud popping noise and the steering feels very clunky. Is this the column or the gearbox? Bad analogy, but when you turn it left, it sounds like a popcorn popper. As always... thanks in advance.
Bob

[StudeRich]

Something in the system may be LOOSE! Center pivot bellcrank pinch bolt tight? Center Pivot Housing to frame crossmember bolts? Steering gear to frame bolts? Column to dash bolts? Pitman arm to box NUT? Tie Rod Ends?

If none of those are the prob. check for alignment mark on steering wheel vs steering shaft alignment mark aligned, and at 12:00 with wheel straight ahead, the tires should be straight ahead, if not the pitman arm is installed wrong or the gearbox is assembled wrong. IF correct this should put the steering gear on "high center". Good luck!

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[leyrret]

Smooth one way and rough the other could be steering box problem. Something with kingpins a possiblity also. You may try disconnecting box
at pittman arm and see if you can isolate noise to box. Lift front and see if you can detect anything by manual moving steering at wheels.

[PlainBrownR2]

Better start simple here before we go into major steering surgery. I had a situation like this on my 64 earlier this fall. This happened probably within the span of about a week. Wheel was popping, it would bind when I wheeled it to right, and to add to the trouble the horn was going off when the wheel was turned. The latter was an easy fix, done it before. I disconnected the relay so it wouldn't annoy me(or the other drivers). The fix came when I removed the wheel and flipped it over. Well, the age of the insulation on the horn wire had caused it to crumble and short and the wire crumbled when I touched it. The reason for the bind came from the brass plate on the back of the wheel. The tip on the switch had managed to score the plate to the point where it cut a groove into one side of the plate. This explained the jerky motion of the wheel and the popping noise. At this point the switch was also in the wrong orientation because the bracket had bent when the groove created on the wheel pulled on the switch. Not a problem, I went to a spare column I had, pulled the plate out, carefully inserted it on the back of the wheel, rebent the bracket so the switch was parallel to the wheel, reassembled the wheel to the column, and its been doing great ever since.
I should mention to pull the wheel I had to use a steering wheel puller(probably any compatible puller that will accept a couple of long bolts for the mounting holes in the wheel may suffice) to get the press fit wheel off of the column.


1964 Studebaker Commander R2 clone
1950 Studebaker 2R5 with 170 turbocharged
[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00003.jpg?t=1171152673[/img=left]
[img=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00009.jpg?t=1171153019[/img=right]
[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00002.jpg?t=1171153180[/img=left]
[img=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00005.jpg?t=1171153370[/img=right]

[laughinlark]

I had the same thing happen in my 64 Cruiser. It ended up being the thrust bearing on the king pin. I jacked up the front end and supported it with stands. I had my daughter turn the wheel both directions and noticed the right hand thrust bearing vibrating. When I cleaned the outside bearing surface to get a closer look I noticed a couple of holes 180 degrees from each other. I used a needle type grease tip on my gun and greased both holes. My daughter worked the steering back and forth while I greased the bearing. The noise went away. If there aren't any holes you can drill a couple of 1/8 inch holes through the outer case of the thrust bearings to grease them.

Gordon

[leyrret]

Could be upper column problem but a I would think a noise in this location would be obvious but not everyone has same ear.

[63larkcustom]

I dug into it a bit more, it is in the upper column in the shift bell area. Going to get a wheel puller from a buddy to see whats going on with it.