I've adjusted several boxes and have always ended up closer to a full turn getting them just right. I make a mark on the bolt and then adjust about a 1/4 at a time and feel for play. Once it feels tight I go drive it and every time so far I have it a little too tight and the wheel doesn't roll back as easily when going through a turn, so then I make another mark and start backing off about a 1/8 turn at a time until I find the sweet spot. I'll usually do it all in one day and take the tools with me and pull over and make small adjustments. You can get a sloppy bx to drive like new or better than new, just takes a couple hours of messing with it and dialing it in.

 

Good to know if I go to far in the future I will feel it in the roll back. Have you ever seen one burn up or break in anyway due to adjusting them?

 

No I haven't. I don't think they turn fast enough to actually burn up. And I think you'd notice easily if it was far too tight, it should get really hard to turn, but to avoid that just adjust it up in slow increments. I've never gone far enough to experience that though, since I make small adjustments at a time then try it.

I will say it's always shocking to me how far out they are. I used to be scared to adjust them much then one day I said screw it if it breaks it breaks, I ended up turning the adjuster A LOT. It was at least a whole turn if not two. And drove that truck for about 5 years more after that and around 100k miles. It had the best steering feel of any NBS I had ever driven and it never faded or had any issues what so ever. I did my bosses truck the same way a couple years back and it's still excellent also.

The real way to feel for how tight it is is to sneak up on too tight by feeling for roll back, and feel for roll back by taking a wide left turn. On a sharp right turn or u turn it's gonna get forced to roll back, on a sweeping wide left (left turn lane turning on to intersecting street) you always end up in your lane then let up that little quarter turn... If the wheel sticks in the slightly turned position you've gone too far. But I would sneak up on it by doing 1/4 turn adjustments and take the wrench and allen wrench with you. You're gonna adjust it probably a good 10 times or so, maybe more, to get it just right. As soon as it starts to not want to roll back easily slightly start backing off. Having a mark on the bolt is critical for making small adjustments since the bolt wants to turn with the nut. I use a white paint marker for doing this. I can usually find them at automotive parts stores.

This is the one I'm currently using and love it for doing timing belts/chains and any sort of markings