There’s a binding in my steering

Question:

I have a 1961 Chevrolet Pickup with a Volare front end. It also has a later Chevy tilt steering column that’s hooked to the steering box with two Flaming River joints. The frame rail had to be notched about one and a half inches to make the hookup. The problem is that there is a hitch, or bind in the steering. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer:

The binding you feel can be due to a number of different problems.

If the geometry of the steering linkage is bad because the joint angles are too severe then you will feel a binding when the steering is turned.

If the geometry is OK then there is wear and/or damage in one or more of the steering system parts.

Common areas where damage is found include inside the steering box, tie rod ends, idler arm, and center link, but there could be problems anywhere in the steering system.

Disconnect steering parts one at a time and put each through its normal range of motion with a load on it to determine if its action is smooth or if there’s a notch or bind on it.