> One thing is; I didn't replace the wheel
>bearings-just repacked them. But they SEEM tight, suppose this could be it?
I doubt it unless you backed off more than 2 flats from 10 pounds torque.
If memory serves you torque down the front bearings to 10 pounds then
back off between one and two flats before adding the cotter pin (recently
replaced bad bearings on the drivers axle so it is still reasonably
fresh). If you used a new felt seal you will want to drive the car a few
hundred miles then readjust the nut. The felt oil seal compresses a lot
under use from new and you may be a flat or two too loose on the nut.
You need to back off at least 1 flat, but 2 full flats has always felt
too loose for me.
>...again, the whole front-end, excluding
>steering box and front wheel bearings, has been replaced or rebuilt.
I assume this also means that you also replaced the trunions. Dry old
grease inside the trunions can mimic trunion threads when you hand shake
a trunion. The only way I have been able to tell for sure is by removing
the trunion, removing all grease from the inside thread area then
checking for tightness.
Recheck your silent blocks. You did not say how old the new parts were.
There was a batch of bad new silent blocks (subject to coming apart) that
were available some years back.
The only other thing I can suggest is one of my two favorites, the
empirical method. When in doubt jack the front up, securely mount the
front on a good set of jack stands and have someone slowly wiggle the
steering back and fourth while you check every connection for slop using
a good lamp. You are looking for any connection or part that seems to
hesitate just a litle. Then do it over again by wiggling the tyre
vertically then horizontally.
Most of the time slop can be seen by careful visual examination while the
system is being manipulated.
(My other favorite is compression test but it doesn't apply here)
Best of luck finding the problem.
TeriAnn
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