owned my truck 3 years. F350. Anyway I'm just wondering if the last piece to the puzzle will fix my loose steering. ? I'm thinking about a redhead steering box!

I've put on dual steering stabilizers. New tie rods. Drop pitman arm. Rebuilt steering column bearings. This only thing I haven't done is a new box. Just wondering if it's worth the whole "throwing parts at it" deal.

 

I had same issues. I did the red head and it made it tighter. Also check the steering shaft (from column to box) and the rag joint. You can rebuild it, I just replaced mine with a Flaming River shaft.

I ended up replacing all steering links/drag links with DOM tubing and Chevy TRE's. Mine were shot, and now I can just replace the TRE itself when needed and not the $$$ link that the Ford has. Hope this helps.

 

Why did you replace the pitman arm?

 

Without the engine running, have someone lightly shake the wheel back and forth about 4-8 inches. While they are doing that, look at the rag joint at the steering shaft on the input side of the steering gearbox. Look for slack there. If it's good, have the assistant keep shaking the wheel while you grab the steering shaft on the input side of the gearbox and your other hand on the pitman arm. Feel for slack there. If there is, you can adjust a small amount out with the bearing adjuster located on top of the gearbox. If you don't feel a significant amount of slack there, have the assistant keep moving the steering (lightly back and forth like before) and inspect all of the rod ends in the steering for slack. If there isn't any there, inspect the ball joints for looseness. If you've had an alignment recently, check to see if the upper ball joint camber/caster sleeves are seated. Some inexperienced shops will torque the upper ball joint before the lower, allowing the lower ball joint to push the upper camber/caster sleeve off of its seat.