Just replace whats bad. The one on the pitman arm I change all the time on my 99 it unscrews and is short. I think the other side is long. Do what you need to do.

 

Building upon the advice above, how do you guys test whether the tie rod ends are bad?

I am having the same issues on my 2002 F250 4x4 but not sure what exactly may be the problem (tie rods, ball joints or...). The boot on the tie rod ends that attach to the steering rack (pitman arm I think its called) was ripped so I replaced that tie rod part but the other ones look OK and untorn so I'm reluctant to throw money at it and still have the problem.

Also, how do you test the ball joints? Those are untorn and look like they are in good condition.

Thanks.

 

To test tie rod and bushings:

Make sure that the vehicle is in Park, and that the emergency brake is engaged. With the engine running, have a helper turn the steering wheel right and left while you lie under the front of the vehicle to inspect the moving parts for play. The worse a part is, the more obvious the play will be. For slightly worn tie rod ends, you might feel the play with your hand on the part.

Tie Rod Ends - should not have any play, although they may rotate with the tie rod.

Bushings - Should not have any obvious play - make sure to check all of them while you're down there - they'll be different depending on whether you have 2wd or 4wd, but if they're bad the problem is the same. If the whole axle or I-beam shifts side to side when the wheel is turned, a bushing is in definite need of replacing.

Pittman Arm - watch the nut that holds the tie rod to the pittman arm. It should not rotate separately from the pitman arm. (This is an indication that it is not tight enough, or that the hole in the pitman arm may be worn - usually from not being tight enough. Find the torque specs for your specific application.)

Steering box - the input shaft and output shaft should move at the same time. If not.. it's a good time to call Redhead.

Rub points - if you run oversize tires or after market rims - this is a good time to check the clearance and make sure nothing is rubbing the frame. (Tire rub on the frame can and will eat bushings... even brand new ones... it sucks to have to do the same job over again.)

If you've never worked on the front end of one of these or aren't as familiar with it as you'd like - it never hurts to have a friend with experience take a look under there for you too, since it's only about 5 min of their time. Turns out, one of the guys at my favorite local parts shop has considerable experience with frame and alignment. He spots things that even I've missed.

When you're done - turn the truck off.

ball joints - there is an excellent write up in the Ball Joint Thread. I highly suggest checking it out. The thread is amazingly long - so get comfy with the search function - and find key words relating to your specific truck. (2wd, 4wd and a few other key words will be helpful)

(Somebody please correct me if I've left anything out.) To check the ball joints, you'll want to have the front tires a few inches off the ground, with the axle or I beam supported by jack stands. With help from a friend, one of you can use a long 2x4 or 4x4 as a lever under the tire to apply a lifting force under the tire, while you or your helper feels for play at the ball joint. Remember to check both the upper and lower ball joints.

This is also a good time to check the bearing for play by holding the wheel at the front and back and attempting to rotate it as if you were steering. You should not feel any play.

2wd bearings can be re-packed and re-torqued if there is a small amount of play, but they don't get hot when driving. To be honest, for $15, I just opted to replace them while I had everything apart to do the ball joints anyway.

4wd with the ESOF uses a sealed bearing cartridge that is not serviceable. There is a whole thread dedicated to this procedure - which I won't repeat here because it starts to border on 'off-topic'. You'll need the bearing, seals and a special tool - either purchased or home-made.

Seeing as how I have a 2wd, I'm not familiar enough with after market manual hubs and whether or not they can be serviced, although I have seen dedicated threads on this subject as well.

It's been a little over a year since I did all this last - so I'm trusting you guys to correct me if I've forgotten anything or left anything out. :-) Hope this helps.

Good luck getting your steering sorted out, and keep us posted on your results.

Edit: Also - if you already have grease-able ball joints, it helps to take the weight off the front of the truck to grease them. This gives the grease a better chance of actually making it into the ball joint.

 

Thanks for the detailed response. I am a little confused since I've never checked for this before and don't know the difference between a tie rod in good condition or bad condition.

When you say the Tie Rod Ends should not have any play, how exactly do you check for that? Are you checking for play up/down (or in/out) like in this video?
YouTube - How To Check A Loose Outer Tie Rod

If so, then it seems like you can check the tie rod w/o removing the bars and prying on them to check for in/out kind of movement. Is that right?



The new inner tie rod I bought and installed was very difficult to move with my hand. I replaced it b/c the boot was torn but now I'm not sure if the old one was actually bad. Seems like you can replace the boots and continue to re-use the tie rod if it is in good, usable condition - assuming you know how to properly test it.

 

It would be great if someone could chime in and tell me exactly where the adjustment is on the steering box and how to adjust it. I need to tighten my box up a little.

 

While under the truck, with the wheels on the ground and a friend turning the wheel back and forth (far enough to move the wheels - it doesn't have to be lock to lock... say 1/4 to 1/2 turn of the steering wheel) - you can actually see the play of a badly worn tie rod end. For less worn, you can feel the play with your hand at that joint... obviously being careful not to get fingers pinched. It's a lot easier to get a friend to help for 5 min than to take everything apart - not to mention that parts wear every time they're removed and re-torqued.

With ball shaped joints like a tie rod end, it's a moot point whether the play is in and out or side to side - since any play will affect the steering. This method also uses the the power steering system... and the resistance of the tires against the ground... to apply force on the joints in the direction that they're likely to have worn anyway, instead of having to mimic these forces manually. (Video won't load on my laptop today - so haven't been able to take a look.)

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Where can I buy a Redhead steering box?

 

Right here; www.redheadsteeringgears.com/