Jeff -- good point, most likely there is an early style steering
box on Cindy's 2000 (SRL311-05474).
After 30+ years, you never know what you will find under the
hood of a roadster, but the early steering box has a drain
plug sticking out the side of it. (later does not).
After sitting outside for years, water will quite often
enter the steering box. There is a nice channel between
the hood and fender that also help direct water right
into the steering box vent.
I recommend removing that drain plug, with a little pan
underneath to catch any oil. Look for any metal chips,
water, etc. Hopefully the oil thing to come out of the
steering box is about a pint of 90W gear oil.
Remove the filler cap on the top of the steering box.
Plastic, but upi can use a 3/8" drive ratchet extension.
Refill the steering box with good old gear oil. Personally
I use Castrol 85W/90 Weight gear oil in it.
The early steering box used a simple pivot fitting into
a grooved shaft. As the shaft rotates, the pivot is moved
up and down. This movement the moves the steering arm. Design
has been around for 50 years before the Datsun, and suffers
from the flaw of the pivot and groove getting warn out. You
can compensate for SOME WEAR. If oil came out of the steering
box when you drained it, you are in luck... if it was dry,
or full of water, you might not be able to adjust the slack
of the pivot and groove.
On the top of the steering box is a slotted screw and hex
nut. The slotted screw pushes down on the pivot arm. Loosen
the hex nut, then slowly tighten the screw. Not too tight,
just check the free play of the steering wheel. If you tighten
the pivot down too much, you will cause excessive wear.
It is very handy to raise the front end of the car when
checking for how much much free play is in the steering box,
and feeling the resistance when adjusting the pivot point.
Hold the screwdriver in place (in the slot), and retighten the
locknut. Check the steering again.
Reason for going through the draining of the gear box is I
have seen many gear boxes that are just plain dangerous. It
is one thing you do not want to mess with, but want to make
sure everything is fine. If you have something like 1/4
turn of the steering wheel back and forth, but NO MOVEMENT
at the pitman arm (shaft attached to the steering box), it
needs MAJOR WORK.
Ironically my '67 2000 seeped oil out the bottom of the
steering shaft. No much, but I would top up the box at
each oil change. I should have replaced the seal, but
it was always topped up with fresh gear oil, and never
did show any signs of wear.
My early '68 2000 has a later style steering box. Most
likely due to an accident. Ironic part is the steering box
shaft is different between early and later roadsters, but
there is an late style steering box in the car.
Long write up for a fairly quick adjustment, but wanted to
explain a little behind it as you should not blindly just
crank down on the adjusting screw.
Cheers,
Tom Walter '68 2000 -- Rodney the Garage Queen!
Austin, TX
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