I have a 1982 240D, the steering box has a good amount of play internal and yes it was properly adjusted, you can feel the click and play on the input shaft by hand on the coupler, and nothing moving on the output. The adjustment has been made to add stiffness/resistance to the system, yet still has play on center (more then one inch, and off center to one side). So, do remanufactured boxes take car of this? Or are they just resealed/painted and called rebuilt? Any comments? I read a ton of material about how to rebuild them by no comments on the end result or comments about replacement boxes, I don't mind the $400-500 if it takes care of the terrible feeling going down the highway, this is still a primary car and really loved. I see Maval and C&M boxes are available, any input?
Thanks

On your side of the water user martureo has a nice little side line on refurbished steering boxes - he'll exchange your old one. (Otherwise I'd do one for you)

Don't forget that the steering box isn't the whole system - play in tie rod ends and poorly set up suspension can also be the cause of a woolly feel.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Yes I read about the rebuild process, but have not figured out if it helps with the on center play. I don't want the box adjusted, I want it overhauled/machined so it works right. The play is in the box, with the car parked not running you can feel the play inside the box with a hand on the coupler, nothing happening on the pitman arm. I imagine it is similar to a constant velocity joint inside, the balls wear in the races and the only solution is new parts or machining for bigger balls. I don't have any leaks, no reason for a resealing.
I have several used boxes to try out, some feel better then others but just want to know of success stories with buying the reman boxes (or not). I suppose I could send one out for the adjustment and see...

Every time I've rebuilt a steering box there's no play in the centre like you describe.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

The play you describe is what I had in my W124 box, I then got a junkyard box which was a leaking item and piece mealed two boxes together to make one good one.

Your problem is in the input drum shaped thing - in my car its holding nut is internal to the box and quite an ordeal to setup - I found a person (builds american steering boxes) to help me out in the process. Result was good.

Do not adjust the allen head screw to take out this sort of slop - its impossible to remove with that.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)