Steering: power steering 58 Hawk

[don samborski]

Put in new seals in power steering control valve. No leaks. Checked hose connections , they are okay. Adjustment nut turned to one flat then increased to another half. But the power doesn't seem to work. Feel a little assist to the left, not much. Its like no power steering at all. Any ideas?

Don

[bezhawk]

You say you increased the nut 1 flat? From what? loose? The nut is supposed to be all the way tight, then BACKED OFF one flat. Try that.

[don samborski]

I started out one flat then increased another half to see if that would help.

[rkapteyn]

You talked about having a 58 Golden Hawk
Those cars had the Saginaw steering box and did not have a ram.
Did you transplant these from a Bendix equipped 1958?

Robert Kapteyn

[karterfred88]

If is an adapted Bendix with control valve, see if the ball stud is moving in the sleeve. Did you do it in the car, or out by removing the pitman arm? Did you remove the hoses from the valve for any reason? Disconnect the flange bolts and let the rod move downward? Need to know what you did to help.

[don samborski]

The control valve was removed from the car and seals replaced. Yes the hose were disconnected. Not sure what flange bolts you are talking about. I removed unit with Pitman arm.

[don samborski]

Sorry Robert you are mistaken. 57 had the Saginaw, the 58 changed to Bendix.

[don samborski]

Just a note ,If pump belt is removed the steering is free no binding.

If is an adapted Bendix with control valve, see if the ball stud is moving in the sleeve. Did you do it in the car, or out by removing the pitman arm? Did you remove the hoses from the valve for any reason? Disconnect the flange bolts and let the rod move downward? Need to know what you did to help.

- - - Updated - - -

the 58's came with Bendix.

You talked about having a 58 Golden Hawk
Those cars had the Saginaw steering box and did not have a ram.
Did you transplant these from a Bendix equipped 1958?

Robert Kapteyn

[karterfred88]

The control valve was removed from the car and seals replaced. Yes the hose were disconnected. Not sure what flange bolts you are talking about. I removed unit with Pitman arm.

The Flange bolts I referred to are the ones holding the valve body to the tube holding the ball stud and return springs. When this is removed, there is a spacer and a large washer (bushing) that can easily cock and drag on the long bolt going through the valve body, interfering with the motion of the spool. It's sometimes tricky to get the flange back on and the spacer, bushing and rod back in right. If you left it connected and withdrew the seals and backing washers from the open end only, then that wouldn't happen. If that is assembled correctly the next spot to look at is the hoses, it's easy to put the wrong hose in the wrong outlet and wind up with no power steering and no leaks. Attention to whether the "ball stud" is able to freely move back and forth in the slot in the tube about 1/16-1/8 " is necessary to "bump" the spool and change hydraulic fluid flow direction. If the tube gets out of round by over clamping in a vice it can interfere, not enough grease on the ball stud (injected through the grease fitting) and excessive wear on the sleeve that moves in the tube can cause it to hang up. I would start by removing the spool and seals from the valve body from the cap end, on the car, no other disassembly needed. Fish the lower seal backing washer out with a hooked end of a piece of wire. reassemble inner seal, lip pointing to center of valve, slide on seal backer washer and slide spool into the valve body. Install the other seal, using a blunt toothpick to get the lips into the valve first, slide on the backer washer, the spacer and the spring retainers, install the "hug nut" tight, then one flat only back-no more no less, put the cap back on. Re-double check the hoses are in the right holes on the valve-they are easy to get the wrong one in the wrong place, include following the hose all the way to the ram to be sure right and left hoses go to right and left openings in the valve, input high pressure to the right inlet and return hose to the right hole. Good luck, at least it's not leaking that's a good sign!!

[SN-60]

Sorry Robert you are mistaken. 57 had the Saginaw, the 58 changed to Bendix.

Except for the South Bend Packards!

[bezhawk]

Except for the South Bend Packards!

Right! My Packard Hawk still had the Saginaw integral power steering