Does anyone know if a steering box for a 71 super bug can be serviced?? Because mine is stiff and hard to turn, and don't particularly want to fork over the big bucks for a second hand one.

[Edited on 30-5-2005 by scottbugged]

There is an adjustment screw. It is on the steering box that you access on the drivers side just above the spare wheel.

IF it is tight maybe back it off a little.???

Is it hard to turn while you are driving???
Is there heaps of play in it??
Have you jacked the car up and tried to turn the wheels when they are off the ground??

Tight is not s problem that i have encountered in steering boxes. Loose and notchy maybe. But not tight.

Are you tires wearing evenly??
Could it be a bad wheel alignment??

But otherwise a "service" really means a rebuild and you are looking at like $400

The tyres are wearing evenly and tyre pressure is fine alignment seems to be fine (when you turn while driving and let go of the wheel the car continues to drive in a circle) , lifted the front of the car and the steering was still stiff, had smooth movement with no catching of jolting, is the adjustment screw accessible from under the car with out removing any parts??

it is accessable from the boot area in the front

There is a 100 mm round-ish plate

You take that off and there is a grub screw with a captive nut around it. Just like a valve adjustment.

Loosen it tighten the screw up till you feel it touch, then back off a 1/4 - 1/2 turm. nip it tight

Will try in the morning.
Thanks for the help Bizarre.

mine cost me 380 about 3 years ago to ge rebuilt. not cheap

thats still cheaper than a new one at about $800

Just finding someone that sells them new is tough. No one seems to have them at any price.

Yogie

roy at classic gave me a quote for one but no one else has them

Thanks Barls. I will talk to him at Klubfest next weekend.

Yogie

if ya interested - u2u Alex Holzl. V Force has a machinist (a very good one at that) that does them up.

there was a new one on ebay the other day at $500

scrounge around the wreckers, i found one at pick-a-part for $40.
the adjustment screw still had the yellow paint seal showing it hadnt been adjusted yet:bounce

instead of getting it serviced or "rebuilt" for 400 dollars. would he be better off getting a rack and pinion setup?

anthony

yes and no

a r&p will cost that much for a rack anyway and then you have to modify the body of the car to make it fit.

Either get some spares and get use to changeing them your self or do it once.
If you do it once make sure the universal and all the other bits and pieces are right or you will exagerate the wear on your new box

I would try doing a cheapo second hand box first yourself to see if it "changes" the problem.
I say " change" cause more than likely the 2nd hand one will have a different problem.

Also if you get a 2nd one you can sit down and play with it and "feel" it and you will understand the problems.

IF at all of interest - you can have a reasonable dud of mine. I now have a r&p bug and the spare boxes are of no use.
If you pay shipping you can have one

Would you say that the r&p setup is much better than the box setup. even for a bug with such a light front end?

Anthony

Having driven both i do prefer the r&p.

Mainly because i ahd a few problem boxes and over the time i never bit the bullet and did a box properly.

That said i have driven a few well sorted supers and there is nothing wrong with a good box set up

Being picky - the r&p is slightly lighter in feel than the box. If you were going real wide and sticky i would prefer the r&p.
I run 6" x 195's on the front and it still feels light

[Edited on 9-5-2005 by Bizarre]

Go to a swapmeet bought mine for 5 bucks and be careful over tightening is disastrous wears real quick.

Tried loosening the screw on top of the box, steering feels lighter but now it seems to be catching in places, does this mean the box is stuffed??

Hi

If its cathing in places the universal is probably stuffed. Try turning it end for end or renewing.

Steve