Steering box and Astro shaft drama.

[newtownhood]

APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR LONG POST, BUT I TRY TO BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE TO AID IN QUESTIONS
I recently replaced pretty much the entire suspension on my '86. Upper and lower control arms, new upper and lower ball joints, new inner & outer tierods, new end links, Bilsteins, eibach springs. The inspection shop said sloppy steering was the steering shaft, so I got the Chevy Astro part. Still sloppy. Bought a rebuilt Cardone "sport suspension" box from Summit. My friends shop installed it. And another shop aligned it. Now the car turns more one way, than the other. Like turn right, and it grinds the inner Fender, turn left and it hits the stop. Parking in a tight spot is really no fun! I thought the pitman arm was installed one link off. They say that's not possible. They got the wheel straight, the car is straight, no pulling...just I'm not able to turn the same in both directions! Did Cardone build the steering box wrong? The Astro shaft has not be "clocked" so the fact they adjusted the wheel "correct", is that why it's messed up? They want me to order a replacement steering box which is going to be a hassle when trying to get full credit back. Any ideas? Appreciate any input in advance!

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

If you got your Astro Shaft from a salvage yard it wouldn't be clocked correctly as the ones Kirbans sells are re-clocked for the correct alignment.

As for the "slop" have someone move the steering wheel side to side and feel the movement of all parts to see where the play is.

 

[newtownhood]

The issue isn't the slop now, the issue is the wheel turns 2 times left and hits limit, and 3 times right and hit the fender well. They're saying my box is wrong. but there were 2 options (Sport or Nonsport) and I'm under the impression the only difference is ratio and they're completely interchangable? I'm at loss.

 

[captrob]

Sounds like the steering box wasn’t centered when the pitman arm was put on. Is it hitting the internal stop in one direction and the spindle stop in the other? As far as I remember, the steering box/pitman arm shaft is splined so the pitman arm can be installed where it is needed with the steering box centered.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pacecarta]

post a pic of the right and left tierods

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

My thought is the Astro Shaft is from a salvage yard and is off kilter, clocking the steering wheel to the right.
When you turn the steering wheel to the left to center it the wheels are pointing to the left and the left tie rod is shorted to make the left wheel straight and the right tie rod is lengthened to make the right wheel straight. This would push the right tire into the fender and limit the travel to the left.

The steering stops on the A- arms should keep the tires out of the fenders.

However, if the tie rods are the same lengths, please disregard this post and I'll shut up.

Is the Astro Shaft from a salvage yard, or is it from Kirbans?

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

From the OP the left/right steering issue started once the box was installed. I'd suspect that the box was assembled incorrectly.

Easy to do on a re-man line. Many GM steering boxes have internal stops (one left, one right) in varying lengths. This controls the amount of angular rotation that the output shaft can move. Mix up stops and this left/right unbalance will occur.

RemoveBeforeFlight