[alfa] Burman steering box adjustment

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

> Jon -
> I don't think you want to make the steering box "tight", just shim it to 
> "just" take out the play. But before you start making adjustments, etc. you 
> should inspect the box for tightness to the body, the bodywork itself (no 
> cracking of sheetmetal, and also check for cracks in the steering box 
> casting, which are not unknown. Further, is the bottom seal in your Burman 
> box holding oil, or has it all run out years ago and you're running a dry 
> steering mechanism? If that's happened it could be that the lower bronze 
> bushing is worn allowing the steering shaft too much play. In that case, no 
> amount of shimming will fix it. There's a picture of a steering box crack at 
> this thread. Also, don't be afraid to take the top of the steering box off 
> and inspect the inner walls of the casting, which is what you have to do to 
> look for cracks. Just take the little oval plate off the top along with the 
> springs and shims, then remove the four bolts. The two passenger side bolts 
> have nuts, while the driverside bolts thread into the casting. When you do 
> that put the wheels in the straight ahead position.
>
> I'd say the chances are that you may have a worn lower bushing and a bad 
> bottom seal that needs replacing.
>
> Good Luck
> John

For the record..  I thought it was dry, but when I pulled the shaft I got about a half a box worth of oil out the bottom.. Even poured some motor oil thru to try to wash whatever dirt came in thru the missing fill plug. Let it drip overnight into the pan.

I had not detectable play at the arm, so looks like I got lucky with the bushings. I pulled the shaft by taking off the top plate and pulling out the whole arm assembly. Oil seal I got from a local bearing supply house, common size (which I forget, but think I posted somwhere back when) and cheap.  Filled it back up with Spirax.  One detail, if you want to adjust shims, you will have to turkey baster out some ounces of oil, or it will be running down the box when the plate opens up..  ;-)  
I'll keep taking the shims out, one at a time, and feel for that tightening up point with the front end off the ground.  Aiming for zero play but no tightness is what I thought would be right, and have been hearing from the experts.

Jon
77 Spider
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