STIFF STEERING

Steve

Member
Steering on my 1975 2200 SC Auto seemed more than usually heavy when retrieving it from Sainsbury's yesterday, tyres are at 30 psi which I guess I can up a bit. Is it possible to get new grease or oil somehow into the track rod ends and other steering joints, and change whatever is in the box or idler to help? Tyres are old but loads of tread, maybe new ones with different patterned treads? Suspect best to just take Ibuprofen to help my arthritic hands
 
Did this happen all of a sudden?

None of the steering joints are greasable. You can top up the oil in the steering box and the idler. If it's still stiff you'll have to examine the steering joints individually, and possibly dismantle it systematically to find the tight spot. Jack the car up to get the wheels off the ground to feel if it's still stiff then.
 
hi there,
I experienced a similar happening several months ago.
The steering became very stiff and on full lock there was a squealing sound, rather like a cat caught in a door!
I had a look under the car and could not find a thin cat but prodded the power steering belt and it felt a bit slack.
I tightened the belt, some considerable effort was required , and the steering became lighter, working as it should , no more squealing, and the cat had vanished! :)
Peter
 
You can pack all the grease you want under the rubber boot of the steering links, but none of it will actually get into the ball joint. Both because you can't get the old grease out and the spring pressure of the lower seat means the grease can't get at the bearing surfaces as it gets wiped away at the top. I've had a little success clamping the joint to compress the spring, which allows you to get grease into the upper bearing area, but that still leaves all the old grease in the lower half of the joint.

Yours
Vern
 
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