I checked the search function and didnt come up with a definitive thread, so want to ask....

here is my situation, and need some advise on adjusting the "play" in the steering wheel. I assume the steering box needs some adjustment and haven't a clue how to adjust this thing. All the manuals like Chilton dont say how to adjust the box.

here goes:

I hit a pretty big rut in a dirt road avoiding some debris at 25 mph and knocked the steering wheel to a drive straight position where the wheel is now at 5 o clock position for straight driving.

wheel has a good 6" of play before the input responds in normal driving conditions. If you let go of the wheel at any speed, it drive straight and true, just has a lot of "slop" or "play" to the wheel as mentioned.

is it a simple box adjustment ?

read a little where you cannot adjust too much, or the box may seize up, and also to adjust at 1/4 turns a time.

assistance is very much appreciated.......

thanks guys !

 

I have owned a 77 and currently a 76 f250 4wd and I had the same problem, all you have to do is on the steering box you will see a threaded screw with a jamb nut keeping it locked down. put a screw driver on the screw and loosen the jamb nut, then with the jamb nut loose , tighten the screw till it stopes, then back off counter clockwise for one full turn, then holding the screw, lock down the jamb nut. take the truck for a ride and see how it feels, if it is still too sloppy, loosen the jamb nut and turn clockwise a quarter of a turn and retighten the jamb nut. if the steering is too hard or feels like its binding , hold the jamb nut and loosen the set screw a quarter of a turn from your initial setting. I've done this on both my trucks with original steering boxes and have hardly any play in my steering and had no problems ever since i adjusted it, so good luck! this the first thing to majorly remove play in your steering.

 

Hello
You might also check your Pittman arm and make sure it is not moving on the gear box splines. I found mine loose and had a lot of play until I tightnen the nut back down.

 

I did just this today and have a couple related questions. Hopefully others will benefit as well.

The steering on my '76 HB was really sloppy. It seemed to me that the 'linkage' (not sure what the steering arm is that comes out of the firewall and goes into the steering pump? EDIT: LMC calls it a steering shaft assembly) was really loose on both ends; at the little universal joint on the firewall end and where it enters the slip yoke in the pump. In fact, when I wiggled it back and forth it fell out of the f/w end! Glad that didn't happen at speed. I put it back in and tightened down all three allen bolts. I then tightened what appear to be some sort of set screw (2 of them next to each other) on the shaft above the slip yoke. This did the trick. The steering is way WAY tighter, almost a pleasure to drive.

Is it possible to tighten either the allen bolts or the set screws TOO tight? Does the steering shaft have to slip a bit in the slip yoke?

I hope this doesn't constitute a thread hijack. It seems like the OP and I are working toward the same result.

Thanks for your help.

Mac

 

I agree with Mac J, I also replaced the entire steering shaft with ujoints that goes thru the fire wall. jack the front of the truck up and as a friend turns the steering wheel back and forth look to see where their is slop in all the steering components and replace what ever is sloppy.

 

thanks for the input guys, makes a little more sense now. I'll try it out over the holiday free time.

 

Do NOT mess with that nut! It only sets the preload for the sector shaft. If you over tighten it, the gearbox may lock up.

Backing the nut off when this occurs may not solve the problem.

1974/77 F250 4WD: The ball stud located on the Bendix Power Assist P/S control valve is one of the causes for loosey-goosey steering...when it wears.

D4TZ-3A533-A .. Ball Stud Repair Kit / Obsolete ~ I just looked up this kit for another member, there are 926 available NOS

1976/79 4WD's have a one piece lower steering shaft and coupler assy. No parts were ever available for it and it's obsolete.

The only 'fix' is to buy a Borgeson shaft to replace it with.

 

Jon G gave you an example of how to adjust the steering gear box. I do it a bit differently. With the steering in the straight ahead position I just loosen the lock nut while holding the adjustment bolt with a large flat head, then tighten a little bit and lock it again. I am not sure what the spec is, but there is a ft-lbs torque spec. You do not want this very tight, just take up slack. All this does is tighten up the steering mostly for driving at speed.
What you are describing is classic for something bent. Your steering wheel is off because the center moved after something bent. Check your drag link and tie rods, pittman arm and rag link. The play at the top of the steering wheel should be no more than a few inches. The steering gear box adjustment will not compensate for loose tie rods, just for wear over time.