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several months ago, I asked how to adjust some of the backlash out of my truck's steering. I read the TM's, but was still a bit confused. So, while I have the engine out of my truck, and the frame rails and steering box so accessible, I thought I would post a picture of what was confusing to me earlier. For one thing, I have found the Army TM's use terminology a bit confusing, for instance, what is a bolt to me is a "screw" in the TM's. Plus, the "lock plate" mentioned in the TM's is just a big star washer with a notch on one side. It isn't a "plate" in my way of thinking.

So, what I thought was a big bolt is actually a cap, over a slotted bolt (screw in the TM's), which one turns in our out to snug up the gearing, hopefully taking out some of play in the steering box. Per the TM, you need to jack the front frame or axle, so the wheels are not loaded, and then after finding out where the center of the steering gear is, then turning the slotted screw in so there is just a hint of of tightness in the center position. This is clearly explained in the TM's.

When I felt some slight drag in the wheel, as the steering wheel spun past the center of the lock to lock turning, I just put the special washer (the lock plate) on and then snugged the threaded cap to hold the lock plate firmly.

Just a picture for someone in the future who is a bit confused like I was several months ago.

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Thanks NAM VET,
I too was confused by the manual, this clarifies a lot of ? and gives a good answer to the problem of adjusting the Drag link.

Now would also be a good time to unscrew the fill plug next to the vent, pump the old lube out (assuming someone hasn't filled it with grease ), and replace it with new lube (Mobilgear 600XP460 or equivalent).

And while the plug is out, take a look inside at the worm and gear for wear, damage, etc.

Elwood, I do have a gallon of the 600 gear oil, and a new bottom seal plate, so I will soon remove the bottom plate, peek around inside after the incorrect 75-90 gear oil I recently added runs out, and put the new plate, with its attached bottom seal, back on. Then fill with 12 oz of the Mobil 600.

Last pm, I did prep the bed for removal later today, when my son gets here. Loosened the four forward nuts, they are under the big round-headed bolts visible in the bed, then spun them off with my fingers. Easy to get to, no need to get under the truck, I think the nuts were 5/8 SAE. The rear two are a bit more complicated, as the nuts are blocked by the rear lift shackle nuts, but with the right combination of a box wrench on the outside, and a short socket with a flex extension, they too quickly came off, so I could get to the attachment bolt's nut. Only thing left is to unplug the side marker wires, run several ratcheting straps under the bed, push my new hoist over to the bed, and hopefully it will lift right off. I scrounged some 4X4 timbers to set the bed on.

I just can't work under the frame to complete my tubing replacement without getting spatial disorientation. Besides, I can then clean and prep the frame rails for painting. I will have to figure out a way to safely prop the 500# bed up later to do likewise the underside of the bed. I won't get much done this weekend, as my son and his wife and toddler are coming for the weekend.

Later I will post some thoughts on using the Fedhill copper/nickel lines, pretty easy, but I have learned a bit along the way. Here is a picture of my so far completed and leak free 1/4 inch brake lines, and my first run of forward 5/16 fuel line.
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Now, as per my usual, let me look for a picture to post......

One day, made up some cookies for the son of the widow who was our "hootch maid" who did our cooking, and two kids of one of the Cambodian guards. Note the firearms hanging on our back wall, our sleeping bunks were on the other side of the wall. Also note the B&W picture of the girl on the wall. Here is the story behind the picture. When I would accompany the local troops on sweep operations, and they would break for lunch, they would often bring up one or several demure women for me, saying "here, Captain, we like you so these are yours while we have lunch." Of course, there was no way I was going to get involved with that sort of thing, so would decline. After a number of such incidences, Son, one of my two interpreters, discreetly told me the local troops wanted to know if I wanted a boy rather than a girl.

Being in a quandry, I wrote the Rise Shaving Cream girl, and asked for an autographed picture, which she soon sent me, and then when I would invite the local troops into my "hootch" and show them my girl friend back home, their reply was "oh, now we understand, what a pretty American woman."

Gotta be resourceful when you are an advisor in a war.

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The little kitty didn't get a cookie? Too full from mousing, I'll assume.

Hah!! When I get a chance I will tell you the beginning story of our black cat, what happened to him, and the night our cat finally worked up enough courage to take on a big rat in the middle of the night, has elements of a big meat cleaver, cut secure Commo Wires, and me and my SGT going all "male" to defend him against a much larger rat. By the way, note the two satchel bags of grenades hanging on the wall behind the kids. SFC Tom Coon had no use for rifles, but liked to carry with him the two satchels of grenades. And how our cat met his end courtesy of Pop, ou.r elderly Vietnamese handy-man.

more to follow.

a picture. This is the only entrance thru the berm and wire, over our shallow moat, into my compound. "CO", (Vietnamese for Miss, even though she was a widow), her son is the lad on the right in the earlier picture, washing our dinner fish in the extraordinarily polluted moat water. Right after I took this picture, told CO to give the fish to someone else, we would have something else for dinner. The two small children standing by her are Cambodian, who lived in the shack just to the right of the PSP plank walkway. There is a 30 cal machine gun in the bunker just to the left of the berm entrance.

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NV

I thought that was called Marston Matt, I have never heard it call PSP? BTW, I have no "in country" or real war time experience. I spent almost 3 years in a R & R Resort, CCK AFB, Tai Chung, Taiwan.

PSP = Pierced Steel Plank.

NV

NAM VET wrote:PSP = Pierced Steel Plank.

NV

I like it, easier to say than Marston Matting.
Thanks for the lesson NV!

I've turned that "cap" and never really figured out why it turned and didn't help. Thanks much for the picture! John

with the front of the truck off why not rebuild the box ? even from vpw you can get a new sector shaft for $35 and a bushing for $7.50. a drag link kit can be had for $27.50 then rebuild the idler for $35. its more cost effective than having to replace the worm gear @ $125

I don't know if I can rebuild it, but I may have someone else do it for me, if I can't take out pretty much all the slop. I have to get it on the road again to see.

NV

NAM VET wrote:I don't know if I can rebuild it, but I may have someone else do it for me, if I can't take out pretty much all the slop. I have to get it on the road again to see.

NV

The only step of any real difficulty is sizing the shaft bushings after installing them.

You might want to read this topic: http://www.g741.org/PHPBB/viewtopic.php ... mer#p61480

Setting up the endplay on the worm shaft roller bearings might take some time, but it's more tedium than finesse. Having a scrap endplate helps with this process.

I jumped into adjusting the backlash yesterday. It fixed my problem of the truck jumping back and forth on a rutted road without turning the steering wheel. I had to turn in the adjustment screw one full turn. Wow. Drives great now. Thanks, Oilly