Hi everybody,....my first post! Recently acquired my 71 4x4 F100. I think i need a new (to me) steering box. Someday I'll convert to power but right now just want it to steer safely. Will the gearbox from an early Bronco work? Seems the steering box for the old 4x4 is either EXPENSIVE or darn hard to find. Any suggestions? THANX

 

You could just send yours in and have it rebuilt. Red Head steering gear in Seattle is good. Good luck.

 

Welcome to FTE


Maybe you could share your concerns, what issues are you experiencing, might not be the gear.





John

 

not sure about early bronc but should be same up to 79 pick up

 

The late 70's 4X4's are different than the early ones.

 

check your rag joint , coupler that connects steering box to shaft !! the are known to fall apart !!

 

hi guys, thanx for the input so far. i'm haven a better mechanic go over the truck on monday so i'll know a little more then. as far as describing the problem what i can say is there was about half a turn of play in the steering wheel, first mechanic tightened it up as mush as he said he could but it still has more play to one side than the other. it also is what i can only describe as "lumpy" when you go from the "play" to actual control. the truck has a 4" lift and worn out 33's on it (nice rims). not sure how i want to go with tires. found a set of old hummer tires on 16.5 rims i'm considering for $400. or should i go smaller? probably. please tell me whatcha think..........

 

those big tires will kill you trying to turn it without power steering !!

 

The hummer wheels are gonna be 8 lug, yours should be 5 if its actually an F100. Tightening up the adjustment screw on the steering gear will usually only make things worse. It will not fix an already worn steering gear.

 

hummer tires are on 5 lug ford rims and yes, it is a bit of work turning! the thing is i don't really do a whole lot of driving.....a couple few miles to work and back.....i really do like the old classics and testosterone says i NEED a 4wd here in north dakota.....like i said in the beginning someday i'll attempt the power steering swap but no time or money for that right now. matter of fact i found a couple good articles on the swap last night. i think they were describing the same procedure. one guy said he was all in at $250 to $300....66-72 F100 4x4 power steering conversion ***Now with Pics*** - Northwest Underground another thread somewhere said many old bronco parts interchange with the f100, the mechanic on monday, a ford veteran, says the f100 is all alone in its part applications. the steering gear from the old bronco (on ebay) surely LOOKS just like mine, hence my inquiry.....again thanx.

 

Just make sure those wheels aren't the 5-135 metric pattern from the 97-up F150's. You need 5-5.5. Just FYI. Good luck.

 

thank you.....they are the 5.5 rims.....tires are 36x12.5x16.5 goodyear wrangler rt2......any feedback on them?

 

Sounds like the rag joint needs further checkin.






John

 

a 71 f100 4x4 steering should have a u-joint and a slip coupler shaft hooked to the Box.
The u-joint should be lube about every 3 months or when doing a oil change. The slip couple has two sq blocks inside that can be turned to reduce the side wear caused form any body movement. This takes the place of a rag joint the a 2wd has. I've always had pretty good luck at getting most of the play out with also adjusting sector end play screw. But you have to take your time adjusting it cause to much and your steeling wheel will not return to center after you've turned. This involves test driving turns as you adjust it. But if the upper u-joint on this shaft where it connects to the steering column shaft is bad and seen better days your out of any luck for this u-joint replacement. It seems spicer stopped making this u-joint some yrs ago. Now we our forced to buy a $200-$300 replacement aftermarket one. Well a 4" left I'm sure is adding to your steering controlling problems too. Some lift kits come with a dropped or offset pitman arm and some of your problem may be from it to.. well that my 2cents.
orich

 

What rag joint? There isn't one on any F100/250 4WD until 1976.

1966/75 F100 4WD's have a lower steering shaft and coupler assy that connects directly to the steering gearbox by way of a U shaped clamp and thru bolt.

The steering shaft and coupler used in these trucks is composed of 18 individual parts including a U-joint.

Play in the steering wheel could be caused by the U-joint, and/or by worn sector shaft bearings found inside the gearbox, and/or by worn tie rod ends/draglink.

Spicer (Dana) didn't stop making it, and Ford didn't obsolete it, because...both replaced (updated) their part numbers...which is very common in the autobiz.

E2HZ-3815-A (replaced C3TZ-3815-A & C6TZ-3815-B) .. U-Joint-Steering Shaft & Coupler / Dana (Spicer) part number: CPL 6 R-30 / Available from Ford.

Fits: 1966/75 F100 4WD / 1967/75 F250 4WD / 1975 F150 4WD.

Also fits: 1963/86 C Series Tilt Cab / 1965/69 N/NT500/1100 and other 1963 and later big trucks too numerous to list.

MSRP: $62.32 // FTE Ford Dealer Parts Dept Sponsor PARTSGUYED.COM price: $44.87.

Ford is in-famous for replacing (updating) 10's of 1000's of part numbers every fracatta year!

The newer part numbers usually do not appear in older parts catalogs, so one needs to look in Obsolete-Supercede-Interchange catalogs to find the new number...a PITA