Steering Issue

[ricksi]

I have a 260 MCM with an Alpha drive. As I turn the steering in either direction, it starts to chatter ( or shutter) as it approaches the end of it's range and continues until it is moved in the opposite direction. I had a new steering ram assembly and decided to swap out the old one. It is more responsive but I still get the chattering, kind of a knocking sound. Could it be the pressure relief on the pump?

 

[cr2k]

Re: Steering Issue

Is the system full of oil? Is the oil clean and fresh or very old?

 

[ricksi]

Re: Steering Issue

I got help on another forum and I believe that I?m closer to the problem. What was suggested was that the problem is not a steering issue but rather an alignment, gimbal bearing, or u-joints. The sound is similar to when you forget to lower the outdrive.
I just pulled the outdrive and the gimbal bearing seems fine, I can slide the alignment tool in effortlessly, and the u joints seem solid. However, I noticed that the edge of the u joint caps that pass under the big bearing retainer nut shined a bit, so they must have come into contact with the wrench tabs. It seems like that has to be it. I noticed a lot of thread was exposed on the retainer and thought for sure it must have loosed, but it?s tight. I checked all the way around with a feeler gauge and the gap seems uniform. I started to think that maybe the steering range was too wide. But it doesn't appear to adjust in a way that limits the range of motion in both directions so that's probably not it. Also there is about a 1/4" of play when I rotate the driveshaft back and forth. Is that normal?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Steering Issue

I got help on another forum and I believe that I?m closer to the problem. What was suggested was that the problem is not a steering issue but rather an alignment, gimbal bearing, or u-joints. The sound is similar to when you forget to lower the outdrive.
I just pulled the outdrive and the gimbal bearing seems fine, I can slide the alignment tool in effortlessly, and the u joints seem solid. However, I noticed that the edge of the u joint caps that pass under the big bearing retainer nut shined a bit, so they must have come into contact with the wrench tabs. It seems like that has to be it. I noticed a lot of thread was exposed on the retainer and thought for sure it must have loosed, but it?s tight. I checked all the way around with a feeler gauge and the gap seems uniform. I started to think that maybe the steering range was too wide. But it doesn't appear to adjust in a way that limits the range of motion in both directions so that's probably not it. Also there is about a 1/4" of play when I rotate the driveshaft back and forth. Is that normal?

Ayuh,... Any metal in the drive oil,..?? 1/4" might be excessive...

Sounds like it's been run in the Full Up tilt position...