Car is hard to turn

• How to Adjust the Play in Power Steering

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Things You'll Need

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Instructions

Park the vehicle on a level surface and make sure the front wheels are pointing straight ahead. Make sure the vehicle is in park (or in gear if you have manual transmission) and set the parking brake.

Disconnect the pitman arm from the steering box from underneath the front of the vehicle by turning the holding bolt in a counterclockwise direction with an adjustable wrench. Place a pitman arm puller (available at auto parts stores) over the pitman arm and tighten the nut on the puller in a clockwise direction with an adjustable wrench until the pitman arm loosens from the steering box shaft. Remove the pitman arm and the puller.

Open the hood and loosen the lock nut on top of the steering box from the engine compartment with an adjustable wrench in a counterclockwise direction.

Place a torque wrench on the steering shaft and turn the wrench one complete turn. Make sure the torque reading is approximately 2 inch pounds. Tighten the adjusting nut on top of the steering box (it comes out of the center of the lock nut) in a clockwise direction with an adjustable wrench one half turn if the torque wrench reading is too low. Loosen the nut in a counterclockwise direction if the reading is too high.

Rotate the steering shaft with the torque wrench again. Make adjustments to the steering box adjusting nut as described in Step 4, if needed, until the correct reading is obtained on the torque wrench.

Make sure the steering wheel is in the straight ahead position and reattach the pitman arm to the bottom of the steering shaft on the steering box. Tighten the holding nut in a clockwise direction with an adjustable wrench until the pitman arm seats into place.

Tighten the lock nut on top of the steering box with an adjustable wrench in a clockwise direction. Close the hood