Help I stripped the adjustment screw on my steering box - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#16 12-08-2005, 01:36 AM

An acceptable amount of steering play is VERY useful for when you are traveling around in the triple digits. 2inches? Probably not...

but the standard...what is it...20mm or something? That is handy and actually makes the car nicer to drive...but too much is annoying.

When you tighten, be sure to have the front end up in the air and turn the wheel left/right with the engine off and feel for binding. Binding bad AND dangerous. Slightly loose is better than too tight...but any extreme is unacceptable.

kmaysob · #17 12-08-2005, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

I'm going to ask at the dealer today if they can try to adjust as much play out of my wheel with that as possible....hopefully they can get rid of some, I have around 1" of play.....

i asked them to do that at the dealer when i had an alignment and they quoted $110 and another hour. hah! i told them hell no ill do it myself. took me ten min.

nhdoc · #18 12-08-2005, 08:20 AM

The spec for steering wheel play is 25mm (1") so don't get all excited about having that - it is the correct amount. As for 2", that is excessive and should be addressed at some point but is hardly what I would call an urgent or emergency problem.

pawoSD · #19 12-08-2005, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmaysob

i asked them to do that at the dealer when i had an alignment and they quoted $110 and another hour. hah! i told them hell no ill do it myself. took me ten min.

The same thing occured here, so all I do is loosen that locknut and turn that bolt? Which direction to remove play? I don't want all of it gone, maybe just a little would be nice, I have around an inch or so currently....our 83 has virtually none, maybe 2cm like I saw mentioned earlier........

They also said that the car will never drive perfectly (steering) until I change out my weak rear springs/shocks. They said since it sits lower in the rear it throws off the front a little bit too. Hmmmm.....guess thats a project for next summer or something. With the alignment it drives very very nice now though, its very pleasant to be able to let go of the wheel and have it track straight down the road!

t walgamuth · #20 12-08-2005, 08:57 AM

will adjust it.

if it is sitting low in back and the shocks are old i would change them first. new bilsteins will raise it up some. we debate how much. brian may have actually documented it.

tom w

pawoSD · #21 12-08-2005, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

will adjust it.

if it is sitting low in back and the shocks are old i would change them first. new bilsteins will raise it up some. we debate how much. brian may have actually documented it.

tom w

That sounds better than doing the springs.....is replacing the shocks very difficult? I'd be willing to try it myself if it is not too hard....I know the rear shocks are dead, the car bounces in back quite a bit when I go over larger bumps or "waves" in the road, and the rear of the car can easily be made bounce by hand on the trunk rail. Whats the procedure to swap out the shocks? Do the springs have to come out too?

WANT '71 280SEL · #22 12-08-2005, 11:23 AM

If you have a sagging rear end, you need spring. I don't THINK shocks would compensate much as they don't have much resistance, relatively speaking. Maybe raise a little, but your springs are probably tired, it's common. As for replacing shocks, it's very easy. Just remove the old ones and put new ones in. You have to remove the back seat so you can get to the upper mounting nut. The bottom bolts are straight forward. Since you live in MI, go through first and PB Blast the bottom nuts and bolts. The top nut won't need it since it's in the cabin. When you buy shocks, make sure they come with all the other hardware such as shock bushings, I think they do though. If not, buy those since they're dirt cheap and come off when the shocks do.

Thanks
David

pawoSD · #23 12-08-2005, 11:50 AM

Well, I am pretty sure I would need the springs as well as it does sit a couple inches low, are the rear springs dangerous or hard to replace on your own at home? I'd be willing to do all of it myself if it doesn't risk my life in the process....

Parts total for both springs and shocks etc is only about $325 or so, probably less. Not bad at all. But. How hard are they to change?

Also the service tech at the stealer said the rear springs were weak, and he's always been right before, so I trust his advice.

WANT '71 280SEL · #24 12-08-2005, 02:13 PM

Your rear springs are weak. The only specialty took you'll need is the MB spring compressor which Brian Carlton rents out in the "tool rental" thread.

As for adjustment of the steering boxes. Mine is excessively sloppy and I've adjusted it to no avail. I wanted to go to the junkyard and pull one but why can't I adjust it out of the car? I would think you could do a better job with it sitting on the bench and moving the arm, etc.

Thanks
David

boneheaddoctor · #25 12-08-2005, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WANT '71 280SEL

Your rear springs are weak. The only specialty took you'll need is the MB spring compressor which Brian Carlton rents out in the "tool rental" thread.

As for adjustment of the steering boxes. Mine is excessively sloppy and I've adjusted it to no avail. I wanted to go to the junkyard and pull one but why can't I adjust it out of the car? I would think you could do a better job with it sitting on the bench and moving the arm, etc.

Thanks
David

more of a case of you can compare "feel" in the car real readily before you take time to pull it....and find out its no better. It will feel different on the bench than it will in the car.

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