Okay, heres my problem:
I have power steering. It is loose like most old cars that haven't got new parts are. I've tightened up the steering box so it feels nice. I can get under the car and the slack is in the stud on the power steering control valve where it connects to the steering box. Is this supposed to be loose as in this is how it controls the hydraulic ram on the power steering or should this be tight and I need a rebuild kit?
Any one had any experience with this?

 

rebuild it. i had the steering box rebuilt on mine, cause it had slack. then after i put it all back together i noticed the stud was loose. i was so pissed.

 

I think I might be confused. . . are you saying that there is play with control valve? What year is the car in question? There is a stud on the center drag link that is connected to the valve. Maybe this is what you're talking about. If so, I feel the play in the steering wheel that you may be inquiring about. I have everything new on the suspension, steering components, etc.- even the gear box is rebuilt, and I still have play where the pitman arm connects to the ball stud on the center link. I'm not sure that there is anything I can do about it as it seems to be the nature of this kind of steering setup. Maybe rack n pinion is the way to go?

Question for you suspension gurus: Is there any way to tighten things up at the connection between the pitman arm and ball stud?

 

Riverside,
That sounds exaclty like what I'm talking about. The steering box seems great, but where the arm coming off the steering box connects to the stud on the power steering control valve, I can have someone move the wheel and and it looks loose there. If rebuilding this part will not fix it, then there is no use in spending the money.

It is a 68 by the way.

 

Sounds like the ball stud just inboard of the control valve is worn out. NPD has a ball stud repair kit for like 20 bucks.

 

I installed a new ball stud and rebuilt the valve on my 66. The ball stud appears to be deigned to move side to side and backward/forward, slightly. The amount of play I can see is very minimal, but the feel of it on the steering wheel makes it seem more significant. Again, I could be wrong about this, but I think it has more to do with its design.
Ideal, how much play do you have in your steering wheel? (in inches)