Steering Gear Adjustments; Worm Thrust Bearing Preload Adjustment - GMC T Series 1994 Repair Manual

Key No. Part Name
1 - RING, RETAINING
2 - PLUG
3 - SEAL, O-RING
5 - RING, TEFLON
6 - SEAL, O-RING
7 - COVER, SIDE
8 - NUT, ADJUSTER LOCK
10- BOLT
11 - GASKET
12- SHAFT, PITMAN
1 3 -SHAFT, WORM
1 5 - RACE
16- BEARING, THRUST
1 7 - RACE
1 8 - VALVE, CHECK
20 - HOUSING
21 - SCREW
22 - CLAMP
23 - GUIDE, BALL
25 - BALLS
26 - PISTON, RACK
27 - PLUG
28 - BEARING, NEEDLE
30 - SEAL, SINGLE LIP
31 - WASHER, BACKUP

STEERING GEAR ADJUSTMENTS

Important
• Before any adjustments are made on the steering
gear, refer to "Steering, Suspension, Tires and
Wheels Diagnosis" (Section 3) for reviewing the
possible steering system problems. Any steering
gear adjustment is made only as a correction and not
as a periodic adjustment.
For proper adjustment, remove the steering gear from the
vehicle. Drain the power steering fluid from the gear. Mount
the gear in a vise and make the following adjustments.
The steering gear requires two adjustments:
• The worm thrust bearing preload
• The pitman shaft over-center preload
adjustment
The worm thrust bearing preload is controlled by the
amount of compression force exerted by the adjuster plug
on the conical worm bearing thrust races.
The pitman shaft over-center preload is controlled by the
pitman shaft adjuster screw, which determines the clearance
between the rack piston and the pitman shaft sector teeth.
| | Important
9
Adjust the Worm thrust bearing preload first, then
adjust the pitman shaft over-center preload.
Key No.
32 SEAL, DOUBLE LIP
33 WASHER, BACKUP
35 RING, RETAINING
36 WASHER, LOCK
37 NUT
38 SEAL
40 SHAFT, STUB
41 SPOOL, VALVE
42 SEAL
43 BODY, VALVE
45 SEAL, O-RING
46 RING
47 SPACER
48 NUT, ADJUSTER PLUG LOCK
50- RING, RETAINING
51 - SEAL, DUST
52- SEAL, LIP
53- BEARING, NEEDLE
55- PLUG, ADJUSTER
56- SEAL, O-RING
57- RACE
58- BEARING, THRUST
60- RACE
61 - SPACER, BEARING
62- RETAINER, BEARING
Figure 2 708 Power Steering Gear - Legend
WORM THRUST BEARING PRELOAD
ADJUSTMENT
Figures 1 thru 6
1.
2.
3.
Notice: Be careful not to cause any burrs on the back face
of the locknut during removal. A burr on the locknut can
affect valve alignment and steering effort.
Notice: See "Notice" on page 3B1A-1 of this section.
4.
5.
6.
Part Name
Tool Required:
J 7624 Spanner Wrench
Remove steering gear from vehicle.
"Power Steering Gear Replacement" in Section 3B.
Rotate stub shaft (40) back and forth to drain power
steering fluid.
Remove adjuster plug lock nut (48) from
housing (20).
Turn adjuster plug (55) in (clockwise) using J 7624
until adjuster plug (55) and thrust bearing (58) are
firmly bottomed in housing (20).
^ Tighten
• Adjuster plug (55) to 30 N*m (22 lb. ft.).
Place an index mark on housing (20) even with one
of the holes in the adjuster plug (55).
Measure back counterclockwise 13 mm (1/2 inch)
and place a second mark on housing (20).
Refer to