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Steering issue with new Plews Edelmann box

Tinker

Tinker

Active Member
Messages
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Location
Lavonia, Georgia
I previously posted about a hydro-boost question related to replacing my stock Saginaw steering box with a Plews-Edlemann 3000. I'm running into another issue on this steering box replacement.

This Plews-Edelmann is a quick-ratio box; 2.75 lock-to-lock. With wheels straight, the steering wheel is 1/8-turn off-center to the right. I thought I could over-come this with pulling and re-centering the steering wheel, put that doesn't appear to be possible with this design. The power ring in the column is "keyed" to the steering wheel casting due to a power or ground point on the ring that fits in a hole on the steering wheel casting. That same ground point also fits through a specific hole on the pressure plate, and the pressure plate that holds the power ring in the column is keyed to the shaft. So, I can't change the clock position of the steering wheel without moving the whole internal pressure plate and power ring assembly, and I can't do that without grinding down one of the plate teeth so that it will fit the splines of the shaft. Would grinding off a tooth and re-centering the plate cause other issues? Like with the turn signal cam?

I need to have the truck aligned and I know they can straighten everything, but I think that will mean losing steering throw of 1/8 turn to the left, correct? So it will end up being 1.5 turns to the right and 1.25 turns to the left. So, if I have the centering issue fixed by alignment, am I correct that I'll lose some throw to one side and, if so, is that a problem? Any thoughts here?

Worthy of note that I remember now that either my new pitman arm or the steering box was keyed differently than the stock Saginaw; the pitman arm angles of the old and new boxes didn't match. At the time, I assumed that was either by design due to a different steering ratio, or that the box did not come pre-centered. Now I'm wondering if the pitman arm is the source of the problem.

Thanks for your help.
 
the only way to center the steering wheel is to loosen both of the tie rod adjusting sleeves and rotate them both the same direction in the same number of turns. essentially you will be making one side shorter and the other longer keeping the tires in the same position but moving the linkage thus turning the steering wheel one way or the other. do this with the key in the on position so the wheel doesn't lock.
 
dbrannon79 said:
the only way to center the steering wheel is to loosen both of the tie rod adjusting sleeves and rotate them both the same direction in the same number of turns. essentially you will be making one side shorter and the other longer keeping the tires in the same position but moving the linkage thus turning the steering wheel one way or the other. do this with the key in the on position so the wheel doesn't lock.
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Thanks. I'm probably over-thinking this, but it does seem like I'll lose steering throw by centering this way, as the "centered" shaft will no longer by center of travel on the box, right?
 
I'm working towards eliminating the rag joint on mine. that dam rubber tire joint has gotten loose even on a new steering shaft! made a trip out to the pick a part yard and found a steering shaft from a 98 dodge pickup that had the same splined end with a u-joint. gonna take it to work, hack off the rag joint and have this u-joint end welded on while keeping the collapsible shaft for safety. i have to study it further, but there might be a way to just weld on the square shank end on the shaft so that I can replace the u-joint end when and if it ever goes bad. But i have never had to do anything to the one on my dodge pickup I have :)

FYI incase anyone want to know, the 94-00 dodge ram pickups use the exact same steering gear box as our gmt400 trucks. 1/2 ton through 1 ton for both.
 
dbrannon79 said:
I'm working towards eliminating the rag joint on mine. that dam rubber tire joint has gotten loose even on a new steering shaft! made a trip out to the pick a part yard and found a steering shaft from a 98 dodge pickup that had the same splined end with a u-joint. gonna take it to work, hack off the rag joint and have this u-joint end welded on while keeping the collapsible shaft for safety. i have to study it further, but there might be a way to just weld on the square shank end on the shaft so that I can replace the u-joint end when and if it ever goes bad. But i have never had to do anything to the one on my dodge pickup I have :)

FYI incase anyone want to know, the 94-00 dodge ram pickups use the exact same steering gear box as our gmt400 trucks. 1/2 ton through 1 ton for both.
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Let us know how that goes. There's more slop in mine than I expected with a new box - I assume it's mostly from the rag joint but still need to test that.
 
Awesome! I do remember reading somewhere online where I can't remember what year it was, but some of the jeep cherokee's use a steering shaft that will bolt right in without any modifications. I went out to the pick a part yard looking at the jeeps, but all the ones they had were too new and used a double D style connection at the steering gear. I think the year model was in the 80's to early 90's jeeps.
 
1994 down Jeep Cherokee.
It works great from the GM square body and up to iirc 95 or 96 GM trucks.
Post 95 or 96 requires a little extra work but I dont recall what that amounted to.
I do believe that the shaft through the firewall might need a little bit snipped off and possibly a groove ground into the shaft for the pinch bolt to pass through.
Someone with more knowledge please post in.
 
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