Hey guys, I have a 79 F250 4x4 with power steering with a pretty big problem. Sometimes,most times, I make a full turn and straighten back out, the truck wants to severely pull to the the way you turned, and sometimes shifts to the opposite direction and then just becomes loose. Me and dad tightened the steering box up and it drove perfect until I made a full turn and it started becoming loose once again. Everything seems tight in the front end such as tie rods and barrens and such, but something just isn't right. Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks in advance

 

Sounds like your box is shot, since you have adjusted the slack out and it is back to its same old steering tricks.

I would guess it is Red Head time. Red-Head Steering Gears - Custom Rebuilt Steering Gear Boxes in USA

 

could that be a symptom of a system that is not bled properly?

mine did that after I changed the pump. I had to jack it up 3 times and do the bleeding procedure.

 

We took the box off to fix the sloppy steering shaft, back this past fall, but it just started acting up a little bit after Christmas, but nothing as severe as this. I'm gonna try that before I buy a box though! They're not too cheap!

 

Bleed p/s the FORD way and it works every time!!!
1- Hook everything up
2- Fill with fluid
3- Jack up front of truck off of ground (Both front wheels)
4- Disconnect or Disable coil (So Truck CANNOT start)
5- Turn Steering wheel lock to lock about 5 to 10 times
6- Top off Fluid
7- Repeat Step 5
8- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
9- Crank engine over (Ignition Disabled) and turn steering lock to lock 5 to 10 times
10- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
11- Repeat Step 9
12- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
13- Enable Ignition
14- Start Truck and turn Lock to Lock 5-10 times
15- Turn off Truck
16- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
17- Repeat Step 14
18- Repeat Step 15
19- Repeat Step 6 (top off fluid)
20- Let Truck Down off of Jacks or jack Stands
21- Repeat Step 14
22- Steering should work just fine, have all the air bled out and have a quiet pump to boot!!!

For the steering - Start by adjusting the slack adjuster - it will be a locknut over what appears to be a bolt with a screwdriver slot. Put a screwdriver into the slot to hold it and back off the locknut. Slowly turn the screwdriver clockwise while rotating the steering shaft back and forth until there's very little to no play. Hold adjustment bolt and tighten the locknut. With power steering this is done with the engine running. Once the slack is adjusted out of the steering box, look at the top of the steering column (still under the hood) under the master cylinder. There's a heavy fiber washer (sometimes referred to as a rag joint) (1/2 ton only) that makes a coupling in the column, usually this is worn out and the cause for excessive steering play.

Steering adj #2 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.