Well I changed the axle pivot bushings yesterday and now my Bronco drives like new!!! Steering wheel is centered and no longer drifts/tracks. The pass axle bushing was completely wasted, hardly any rubber left. Didn't take more than an hour to replace them. The pass side was a little tricky but with some patience the job was compleated!

 

Congratulations! It is so satisfying to diagnose and solve issues.

 

Congrats, it feels great to have tight steering again ya? It did with mine. And after i did the sag swap it felt even better,

 

Redhead is in !! I took Grey's advice from months ago and sprung for the Redhead....it feels great.....don't waste your cash on anything else!
old one out

new one

 

Looks good. I may have to do one eventually, mine is "new" but i think the PO just pulled it out and rebuilt it then painted it silver...

 

Yep that silver paint will fix anything.

 

I had 2 "new" ones from O'Reilly's and 2 "new" ones from advance.....they were great for about a week......then got sloppy again...wish I would have done the Redhead first.....it was only $30 m0re that the junk rebuilds !

 

Um, so define sloppy? I have a small amount of play in the wheel that doesn't really affect me while driving due to me turning slowly anyways. The reason i see for a new one in the future is cause i think this one leaks a tiny bit out where that adjustable screw/nut combo is on the bottom. I think it is on the bottom. Anyways i haven't checked as of late but it could have also been from my stock ford PS pump. I have found at times that my PS cap sometimes wasn't seated right. That stupid thing was hard to get to seal properly compared to the sag cap. so far my only concern with the sag is fluid seems to be able to get out of the top and it gets on the base of the filler neck. Not a lot nor is is a big deal it just gets kind of annoying cause i would like to keep it clean and newish looking.

 

Sloppy to me means difficult to drive on the asphalt highway that has minor truck ruts. Makes one wonder where and when it will wander next. A front end shop did all they could then a Red Head cured the rest.

 

Guys you have no idea how glad I am to have gotten this fixed. About 4 hours after I got the bushings installed some stupid $#@! tried to drive his Aveo under my Bronco!!! I was crusing at 75-80mph down I-270 with an orang Aveo directly beside me when this jackass decided they needed the exit we were passing! With no warning what so ever this tiny little car vears to the right heading stright at me!!!! Let me tell you, I alos had over 1000 pounds of tools in the back. Before i couldnt have avoided most likely running sead tiny car over. But I got in the breakes HARD swerved to the sholder and mannaged to avoid smashing this a@#h*&e or my truck. Missed that car by less than an inch!! True story. On a diffrent note. I am planning on up grading to the red head steering box as soon as funds alow!

 

You CAN adjust the factory steering boxes to tighten up the play. There is a large nut with a threaded rod sticking through it on the top of the box. Loosen the nut and turn the bolt in (some require a large flat blade screwdriver, others require an allen) 1/2 a turn until it's tight without binding. This little trick has SOLVED a LOT of issues we've had in the vans.

 

That screw is factory set and shouldn't be toyed with, improper manipulation will result in premature wear. Be extremelly careful if you decide to move it.

 

That's funny encho. We've use that trick many many times and never had any issue. We've run most of our vans well over 100k miles after adjustment.

 

I'm glad you find that funny, but it's not a good advice so I'm giving anyone else who reads this more information to make an educated choice. Btw, check the link in my signature for more info regarding the OEM steering box.

 

I tend to majorly agree with Encho. My own experience in "adjusting" those things always makes things worse, and others in 80-86 say the same thing.

Sure, you may reduce "free play" to some extent, but there is also the very real probability of losing the "feel" of the road as well as the ability for the steering wheel to return to center after a turn.

IMHO half a turn is a LOT, most guys in 80-86 will say 1/8th of a turn at a time, and also make marks so it can be un-adjusted and put back how it was.