Hi. On my 1984 F150 5.0 2WD, when driving down the road the steering wheel is approx. 90 degrees too far to the left of center.

I located steering box "center" by counting steering wheel turns, lock to lock and going back halfway. With the box centered, the steering wheel is, as I said, approx. 90 degrees too far to the left.

The tie rod ends on the right side side of the vehicle, have a lot more threads showing than the tie rod ends on the left .

WHAT WAY will evening out the tie rod end threads move the wheel?

I am wondering if they were adjusted as they are trying to center the wheel? OR if the tie rod adjustment CAUSED my off center condition?

Some one may have had the rag joint/column apart before I bought the truck, last year. Thanks.

 

You did good counting the turns on the steering wheel, but you can't do that with the linkage under the truck hooked up. The tie rods can be off on both sides, making it off and making it stop early one way, and too far the other way.

I know it's a pain, but if you really want to check centering, take the link off the end of the pitman arm, and count your turns again. Center the steering wheel up and then go under and see if the pitman arm will go back in the hole. If it won't, then you need to loosen the tie rod sleeves and turn both sides a equal amount to move the linkage hole to line up, without moving the tires.

 

THANKS Franklin2.

I just had it aligned and the TRE adjustment corrected the problem. Steering box center's OK and caster camber in spec.

 

Good, because the way the steering box is designed, it's mesh is tighter in the center, and loose on either side. This gives a good tight feel going straight down the road, but makes parking lot maneuvers easier when you turn sharp.

Some people get that all messed up, and then take their steering wheel off to re-center it, but the box is not in the center. So it has a wandering feel to it as they are driving down the road, and if they try to tighten the box, they have a stiff spot off center as they turn through the tight spot designed in the box.

 

Is it possible someone removed the steering wheel at one time?

 

That is possible, if you look closely at the end of the shaft the factory puts a tick mark on the steering wheel and the steering shaft.

But if the steering box has ever been changed, all bets are off on the mark. It can get off on the splines on the couple right at the box. If you are having problems, the best way is to take the steering linkage loose and count the turns of the box and center it up and see if the linkage is right when the wheels are straight ahead.

P.S. Even the alignment guys can get it wrong. If you complain your steering wheel is off, they will just turn the tie rods to line it up, not checking centering at all. So they can actually mess it up, they do not take the time to do it right.