I have read many threads about this. Does this adjusting screw (#47 in manual) adjust the friction torque of the power steering or does it remove any play it has inside the box to get the 1" free travel of the steering wheel on the circumference?
Steering box adjustment
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Please attach picture from manual.
I believe this might answer your question. See post #10
Steering Concern - Coupling, box or other?
Greetings all, long time lurker, first time poster here. I have an 88' 560SL which I acquired from the original owner and have been slowly returning to perfect condition. The only non-cosmetic issue remaining (it needed a radiator and AC compressor) is the steering. I have had the vehicle...
www.benzworld.org
Sounds right. Thanks
'88 560SL, '19 AMG E53 Cpe, '19 Audi e-tron 55, '53 MG TD, '35 Ford Cpe and a few more
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380 Posts
It's counter-intuitive, but the tighten the steering up you turn the adjuster screw #47 counter-clockwise to reduce free play.
The "correct" way to adjust it is to turn the adjuster until you get a very specific amount of torque in the input shaft. In practice on other cars with similar steering I could feel a slight on-center increase in resistance at the steering wheel with both wheels in the air. However, I couldn't feel any difference on the 560SL so just turned it a half turn and hoped for the best, which turned out to be OK.
Not enough and you just have to do it again. Too much and the steering wheel doesn't return to on-center freely.
The "correct" way to adjust it is to turn the adjuster until you get a very specific amount of torque in the input shaft. In practice on other cars with similar steering I could feel a slight on-center increase in resistance at the steering wheel with both wheels in the air. However, I couldn't feel any difference on the 560SL so just turned it a half turn and hoped for the best, which turned out to be OK.
Not enough and you just have to do it again. Too much and the steering wheel doesn't return to on-center freely.
That screw #47 needs to be adjusted after the end cap nut, See post #3 which refers to post #10 in another thread. Both will cause excessive play at the wheel. The end cap nut should have a set drag torque to ensure there is no play from the ball nut and input shaft assembly. Screw number 47 is to be adjusted with the steering box on center, since the pitman gear has a high spot on it in the center position. Essentially #47 is the screw that the 1" of play comes from because the end cap nut is supposed to have zero contribution to the play if adjusted correctly.
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