steering box

Are you sure the slop is in the box, and not the "rag joint"? The rag joint is the connector between the bottom of the steering column and the gearbox shaft.  More common for the rag joint to cause that much free play, tho the steering box can be worn, or out of adjustment, too. There is no oil in the box...it is(or should be) filled with chassis grease, originally, tho some folks will use 90wt gear lube in them. I don't recommend the gear lube, since it will leak easier.
IF your rag joint is good, and you find the gearbox has too much free play, you can try to adjust it out, but be very careful...it's super easy to get them too tight, and it will ruin one quickly. I have the adjustment procedure HERE, from the Factory Service Manual. It starts at point #9. Just be careful....best to be a little loose than too tight.

Check your rag joint closely, and be sure it is in good condition before doing anything on the gearbox.

hi joel,when you say chassis grease,that is not a term we use here. is that a general perpose grease? I say its m/t .I mean there is no fluid in lines and cylinder,been replacing lines.

joint look good.

 

|UPDATED|7/7/2014 10:49:54 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Just a grease that you would use to grease your suspension parts, or u-joints. Not a heavy grease, tho.

The system being empty of fluid will not cause any excess free-play in the gearbox itself. If you can turn the steering wheel, and NOT see the lower pitman arm(where the steering linkage attaches) move, the play is in the gearbox. IF you move the wheel, and the pitman arm responds accordingly, then you would need to visually check the steering linkages under the car, including the drag link on the passenger side, as well as the tie rod ends. Take a good look at where the power steering cylinder attaches to the frame on the drives side. There are rubber bushings there that can be bad, and cause freeplay. The bracket for the cylinder can also be loose from the frame, or in worse cases, the frame can be cracked where the bracket bolts to it.
That being said, there will always be a small amount of looseness in the steering on these cars....you're moving a lot of different parts, and each has some minor play. But....any movement in the steering wheel should also produce movement at the tire/rim, if everything is in decent condition. Might take a while to find where the largest amount of play is, and correct that first....have a helper(Marcia, maybe?) sit in the car and wiggle the wheel back/forth, while you look at each component, to see where the play is.

the box is the last link,all the rest replace or overcalled.

Gary's the "go to guy" for steering box repair.   I want to get mine to him at some point.

great link John.  I've got the same or more play in my steering wheel.  I'll be pulling everything apart later this fall to refurbish/replace.

What was refurbished?  Was it the whole system or only the steering box?  Mine has a great deal of play as well.