My 1985 Town Car Sig.

[87gtVIC]

Thank you.

[Piece-it pete]

Traced the rattle in the front end I thought was probably the idler bushing.

WRONG!

Stupid steering gearbox. It's bad

The pullapart south of me has 8 panthers from 98-02. I can't wait, if I can't find a cop car box I've got to use a civvie.

Anyone know if the fittings on the box cop vs civvie are the same?

Pete

[gadget73]

they are. The return line may be shaped a little different on the police units to get out front to the PS cooler though, but adding that wouldn't be a terrible idea. It probably doesn't help a ton but it sure won't hurt any.

[Piece-it pete]

Thanks Thain. One of these days I'll get all fancy with the cooler

Fail, fail, fail. Get to the 'yard Sat morning, find a p71 with 110k miles and the engine out so as easy as it gets.

Get home, start pulling the lines off - the pressure side fitting was smaller! Ga. Although I wonder if just the nut was smaller, perhaps the threaded part was the same? If I'd have read your post I'd have checked, because...

Get back down to the yard, by now it's over 150 degrees, find another p71, 115k, not bad! Pull the box and a little sticker says remanufactured. Yay. By the time I leave the yard I'm one step from heatstroke trying not to puke what's left of the quarts of water I drank.

Get home, cool shower, when I put my shirts back on I notice they seem like they came straight out of the washing machine, dripping wet. Anyway slap the box on, and - it's knocking too!

And it also pinky-ed back up too. I wonder if it was a civvie box.

Out of curiosity (and desperation) I tried adjusting it. It kept tightening, and tightening, I think almost 3 full turns before I couldn't back the locking nut off any more, no resistance. It didn't stop the knocking but it sounds different, and driving is a, um, challenge. Also the steering wheel went from being cocked a little to the left to cocked a little to the right. When I back the adjustment off a bit later I wonder if it'll center.

Going to see if I can get this aft off and go to a further JY. Arg. Ug. Bah! At least it'll only be in the 80s.

Pete

[gadget73]

if you get the meshload adjustment too tight, the steering will bind. Usually you want to adjust that with the wheel rolled over about a turn so you're in an un-worn section of the gear.

[Piece-it pete]

I did remember that sage advice from the last time I fried the box so I did indeed turn the wheel 180. I loosened the screw about 1-1/2 turns back and it's easy to drive again. Still banging like a mofo. Picked up another! box last night but not installed yet. It better work or I'll... I'll... by golly I'll do something I won't regret

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

You know I'm really starting to second guess myself here. What are the chances of getting so many bad boxes in a row? Before I pull the box tonite I'm going to pull the pit colmpletely off and take a gander at it.

Pete

[gadget73]

what is banging exactly? I've never heard a steering box "bang". They just get sloppy. Banging in the steering wheel sounds more like problems with that U joint under the brake booster, or slop in the steering shaft or something. That lower shaft telescopes and there is a piece of spring steel in there to take up the slack between the bits. If that spring is flattened, the shaft gets really sloppy and makes all sorts of odd noises. I was able to fix mine by simply bending the spring piece into more of an arch instead of being flat and its been fine for the last 4 or 5 years.

[Piece-it pete]

If you turn the wheel, or stop, or go, it makes a banging noise, almost a crack/creak/thunk noise.

Listening carefully it really sounds like it's coming from the front end of the drivers' frame! At any rate it's definately travelling down the frame, makes it hard to figure out exactly where it's coming from. The front end is tight, everyone who hears it says 'it must be the box'.

I didn't have a chance to screw with it last night. When I do I'm going to examine the shaft carefully and give it a shake or 5, thanks. I'm going to try to shake the front end with the pit off the box (yeah I know good luck). I'm also going to check the control arm bolts etc again. It's really starting to irritate me!

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

The banging saga continues. Getting closer I feel, need a bud to shake it one more time.

I have learned one thing though - the entire front clip makes enough noise to wake the dead. I suspect when I give it a once-over tightening the car will rattle a lot less.

And my radio's dead, haven't troubleshooted it yet 'cept for checking fuses. It better not be the head unit.

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

Time to return to the Glorious vehicle.

I've decided I'm going to pay for a front end diagnosis. Oh the pain!

Pete

[loopy]

you can rebuild the front end cheap
http://www.p-s-t.com/s.nl/it.A/id.7508/.f?sc=12
http://www.p-s-t.com/s.nl/it.A/id.241/.f?sc=12

[Piece-it pete]

Thanks loopy. I wonder what quality those are? Have you used them? I see a lifetime warranty.

I have changed the upper and lower ball joints, up & low control arm bushings, inner and outer tierod ends and sleeves, pit, idler arm, steering box, rag joint, sway bar inc bushings and end links, springs and shocks

Out of curiousity I priced an all Moog front end, ball joints, tie ends and sleeves, pit and idler. Rock beat eBay $325 to $329, both del'd. Whoa though. For the cheapie stuff I paid about $170. But look at the trouble I've had.

Pete

[loopy]

Havent used it yet but I heard the company is good plan on purchasing some stuff from them in the future

[Piece-it pete]

'Fixed' the stereo, key on power line dead, fuse fine, so I spliced both power in lines on the headunit to the always on power.

Guess what? No dash lights. The bad wire spot that must exist inside the dash strikes again.

(steps outside) SON! OF! A! B! (kicks car)

At least I have a wire to trace back, if I can. Man, I hate working in dashboards.

Pete