| Author | Message | ||
| Larry D Baker (Lbaker4106)
Registered Member Username: Lbaker4106 Post Number: 92 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 174.42.176.89 Rating: N/A |
Has anyone ever had their steering lock up for a moment? Mine locked up briefly but released after I wiggled it. It continued to lock up briefly as I moved into a campground. Once it moves it doesn't lock up until I stop turning it for 5 or 10 seconds. | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 427 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 173.77.219.254  Rating: N/A |
I am guessing and hopeing that you have power steering or some kind of assist. If you dont, dont be driving her till you find the problem. Can you open the compartment foward of the drivers side wheel and see/access the u-joints and steering gear linkage and look for binding/no grease, somthing interfering. you can look right up under the steering wheel and see the joints and shaft going down, check there also. Then i guess its down the line to the steering box and draglink components to check. Good luck. Maybe someone is nearby to help. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1110 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.4.186  Rating: |
Does it lock in the center or at the sides? This can happen on original GM steering at either side if the adjustment is too tight or if the adjustment lock nut has come loose. I suppose it could happen at the center also but the sides don't get as much wear so it is more likely to happen there. | ||
| Larry D Baker (Lbaker4106)
Registered Member Username: Lbaker4106 Post Number: 93 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 174.42.247.169 Rating: N/A |
Everything appears to be ok. I have power steering and added a pint of oil but won't be moving the bus until Monday. It seems to lock up with no wiggle so I doubt it is the power steering. It only does it when I am moving so I can't check to see where. It is only a quick lock but I have to move wheel to get it to steer. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1112 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.39.8 Rating: N/A |
I'm not sure if the 4106 has the same power assist steering as the 4104 but I'm guessing it does. Unless it has been changed it is actually manual steering with a boost, not true power steering. In any case it can be any one of a dozen things and will require some investigating. Let us know what you find out. | ||
| Larry D Baker (Lbaker4106)
Registered Member Username: Lbaker4106 Post Number: 94 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 174.42.247.169 Rating: N/A |
Anyone ever check/work on the u joint under the dash at your knees? Could the bearing on the lower shaft cause this? | ||
| L James Jones Jr (Jamo)
Registered Member Username: Jamo Post Number: 128 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 24.59.114.207  Rating: N/A |
Hope you find your problem, Larry...but I thought the "pint" thing was funny. Seems everything I do for bus juice is by the gallon, or even 5 gallon pails. Pints just get the filler tube wet in these hogs. Good luck... | ||
| Jim Wilke (Jim Bob) (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 451 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 184.0.5.73 Rating: N/A |
Does it lock up near the center of steering? The gearboxes are built with a tight section near the center to compensate for the wear caused by the wheel being centered with small corrections most of the time when driving. If the adjusting screw is adjusted too tight or tight enough but not when the gearbox is centered, it can be too tight in the center which would "stick". If you haven't recently adjusted it, maybe the P.O. did? And if you paid somoene to do it, they probably didn't know about the closer tolerance in the center. If this is the case, it should stick whether the front wheels are on the ground or jacked up. And, if I recall correctly, the adjustment screw works in reverse of what you'd expect. CCW to tighten, CW to loosen. Someone else should verify this detail as it's been 9 years since I did mine. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1114 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.6.195 Rating: N/A |
The adjustment is a large slot screw on top of the steering box and you have to adjust it looking up from the bottom. The screw turns CW into the top of the box to tighten. Don't change it more than 1/8 turn at a time unless you jack the front wheels and use the technique described in the manual. All the above only applies if the 4106 is the same as the 4104 and it is the original steering. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 1076 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.162.73.36  Rating: N/A |
This may sound stupid.... however.... I can remember a frikkin turn signal control, that managed to make the steering feel like it was sticking while driving straight ahead. It wasn't really "sticking", but it made me feel like there was something holding the steering wheel from turning from the center position. Sometimes the simple things escape the frantic frenzy of our overzealous intelligence! Just sayin'... | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1115 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.45.59 Rating: N/A |
Based on what the 4104 manual says it appears to me that the main sticking problem is with the sides. This is the reason for jacking the front and turning the wheel full lock with no load on the wheels. The center groove wears and if it is adjusted too much in the center it sticks at the sides which get little wear. I don't remember it saying that the center groves are smaller to allow for wear but maybe it does. Again, I don't know if the 04 and 06 have the same steering. | ||
| Larry D Baker (Lbaker4106)
Registered Member Username: Lbaker4106 Post Number: 95 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 174.42.199.151 Rating: N/A |
Seems the oil I added did the job. Moved 30 miles and no lockup. Power steering resevoir holds about 1 quart and I only added a pint. Turn signals have been replaced with an after market and do not touch the steering at all. Because it lockup so tight I didn't think it could be the power steering.(assist) | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 431 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 173.77.219.254 Rating: N/A |
What about when you stop moving? I think it is the power steering as you said it locked up once you stopped moving it for 10 15 seconds and now you think adding oil stopped it. I Think you do need to jack this puppy up and get it checked out before it decides to lock up moving faster than campground speeds. Where are you now Larry? Somewheres warm i hope. Maybe you could find a local place to take a look see. Thanks for letting us know the end result. Safe travels. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1118 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.42.4 Rating: N/A |
I seriously doubt that only one pint will solve the problem. I don't know the exact capacity of your PS system but it is quite a bit considering the long, long hoses in addition to the reservoir and hyd cylinders. The above assumes you still have the original system. | ||
| Larry D Baker (Lbaker4106)
Registered Member Username: Lbaker4106 Post Number: 96 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 174.42.228.40 Rating: N/A |
The oil was only for the resevoir not the whole system. The steering locked up only while I was moving down the road and didn't move the wheel for 5 seconds. I moved 30 miles down the Interstate not across the campground. Steering worked ok when I was sitting still. Most of this was mentioned previously. I have checked the bus over and all checks ok. |
