69 manual steering question

[george culolias]

I've had this car for 30 years and had it aligned many years ago BUT it has always had a sloppy steering wheel and it was never centered properly. So in researching this I found out that the steering box only has zero lash at the center position. I checked and can get the steering to have zero lash but the front tires are turned more than a little to the left. Can I take off the pitman arm and adjust it or do I need to spin the tie rods? It looks like more adjustment then the tie rods will make up.
Thanks

[Joe L.]

Re: 69 manual steering question

George-----

I'm not sure that I completely understand what you're asking about. However, if your question is in regards to the centering of the steering wheel (i.e. spokes properly oriented when the tires are in the "straight-ahead" position), that needs to be accomplished by proper adjustment of the tie rod tubes. You CANNOT make any adjustment of the relationship of the pitman arm to the pitman shaft. The arm and pitman shaft are "keyed" and can only be installed in 2 possible positions, one of which is correct and the other obviously incorrect. You cannot re-index the pitman arm "by a spline or two".

[george culolias]

Thanks Joe that's exactly what I was wondering Now

one of the tie rod tubes is stuck! got any good hints on how to unstick it! I spun the pass side 4 full turns and that wheel now looks almost straight. But the other side is stuck at the knuckle! HEAT maybe???

[Joe L.]

Re: Thanks Joe that's exactly what I was wondering

George-----

Most likely, heat is what it's going to take to free it up. You can try a penetrating solvent first (like Kroil or GM Heat Riser Lubricant), but you'll probably end up having to resort to heat.