YACT: Steering help, Rack & Pinion

[Sluggo]

A little help from all of you automotive gurus.

As I understand "backlash" for a rack and pinion steering unit. The backlash can be adjusted to provide a compromise between steering feel (sloppiness) and road feedback to the steering wheel.

Can this be adjusted without special tools, or without major disassembly of the R&P unit itself. Can it be adjusted by a shadetree mechanic to suit a particular person as to he/she what feels like the proper compromise between excessive steering feedback and steering feel?

The vehicle in question is a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pickup. I am 99% sure the backlash is adjustable, since it was done when the truck was under warranty as part of an attempt to correct vibration issues. If it can be done at home, anyone know of a tutorial on-line or in a TSB that I could get my hands on?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Uh, no, it cannot be adjusted that I know of aside from suspension settings that change how much force is transmitted back to the steering system. Messing with suspension settings makes huge differences in how much gets fed back into the steering system. The rack itself cannot, to the best of my knowledge, be adjusted without major re-engineering of the parts.

ZV

 

[Pepsi90919]

trucks have rack and pinion?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
trucks have rack and pinion?

why not? if it's power-assisted anyway...

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Uh, no, it cannot be adjusted that I know of aside from suspension settings that change how much force is transmitted back to the steering system. Messing with suspension settings makes huge differences in how much gets fed back into the steering system. The rack itself cannot, to the best of my knowledge, be adjusted without major re-engineering of the parts.

ZV

I think the adjustment would be to the clearance between the pinion gear itself and the rack. Very similar to backlash adjustment on rear-end gears. I would hope there would be some adjustment to compensate for manufacturing variances.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Uh, no, it cannot be adjusted that I know of aside from suspension settings that change how much force is transmitted back to the steering system. Messing with suspension settings makes huge differences in how much gets fed back into the steering system. The rack itself cannot, to the best of my knowledge, be adjusted without major re-engineering of the parts.

ZV

I think the adjustment would be to the clearance between the pinion gear itself and the rack. Very similar to backlash adjustment on rear-end gears. I would hope there would be some adjustment to compensate for manufacturing variances.

In which case there is a set point that is necessary for wear and proper function that is where it needs to be adjusted to. The backlash between gears is set for _functional_ reasons, not for "how it feels". Out of spec backlash leads to accelerated wear and improper function.

If it was adjusted before, that's because it was out of spec, not because it was adjusted for feel.

ZV

 

[Sluggo]

Up for the day crowd

 

[Oger]

Never, NEVER, EVER try to adjust the pinion backlash on a rack, it is set to very precise tolerances at the factory, without the proper lash there is a good chance that either the rack will bind or it will vastly accelerate the wear rates of the mating parts.


Most trucks have recirculating ball steering boxes which are adjustable.

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: Oger
Never, NEVER, EVER try to adjust the pinion backlash on a rack, it is set to very precise tolerances at the factory, without the proper lash there is a good chance that either the rack will bind or it will vastly accelerate the wear rates of the mating parts.


Most trucks have recirculating ball steering boxes which are adjustable.

So what you are saying is feel free to adjust the R&P myself?

After many many hours of searching, I found a Chevrolet TSB describing what should have originally been done to my truck when it was under warranty for the steering issues it has.

This doesnt much look like a project for a do-it-yourselfer either, nor does it look at all affordable.


Link to TSB

Sorry for the crappy quality, it was the only copy I have found on the subject.