I've been dealing with too much free play in the steering wheel. Today I was looking around under the hood and noticed that I could grab and rotate the steering column near where it goes into the power steering pump. I noticed that the play is in there.
Here is a picture of the place where the slop appears to be.

I would appreciate advise on how to get in there without messing something up. Is there some trick to getting the steering column out of there or perhaps taking a closer look without removing the steering box and power steering? BTW, the Haynes Manual is practically worthless as a guide for this (and most other stuff too )

 

"Maybe the problem is here" <- that's a plastic sleeve, just pull it up and see if the steering shaft is ok.

Check the second picture here, this is what should be under the sleeve:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...x-rebuild.html

If the steering wheel is actually feeling loose itself, you should take a look at the bearing that's behind it.

 

keep in mind that ford trucks came new with a little play in the steering...

 

Thanks Encho, good advise. BTW, I saw your post and it's really good! Lots of good help to do this job. If only the repair manuals that I bought would be 1/10th as good, I'd be happy.
Kudos for your good work!

 

Sorry for a threadjack, but its DIRECTLY related...

I have put ALL new steering components from Balljoints over to the other Balljoints, and had it aligned....With a newer laser setup.....


Drives PERFECT....Except...When the steering wheel is at 0* of turn (Straight forwards) it has approximately 1 to 1-1/2" of play before the wheels will actually turn....

Asked a older mechanic, and he simply attributed this to the Twin I Beam setup....Was he correct?

 

I don't really think that is true, there is some looseness "somewhere" . I could be in the shaft that goes from the steering wheel to steering gear box, or in the box it's self. Also be sure to check for "any" lost motion in the tie rod ends, be sure to include the one at the pitman arm....

Just because the parts are new does not mean they are perfect, it should be, BUT, you know how that one goes.. Job goes to the lowest bidder, so you get lower quality....

 

That mechanic did not want to look into things. He is definitely wrong. The Twin I Beam suspension might have some idiosyncrasies but cannot be blamed for the steering wheel play that I have.

I think that White 97 xlt is right. I popped off that plastic cover thinking I might see some play in the joint, but there was none or so little that it's irrelevant. I saw a lot of play between the steering column/shaft and the steering box... I don't know how the two are joined together, but there might be some looseness in the connection. Otherwise, the play is all in the steering box.

I am going to let an experienced mechanic look at it and repair/replace the needed parts. I could probably do it, but it looks like a pita considering my inexperience and lack of a place to work on the truck for an undetermined amount of time....

 

Side, if everything is 100% new and functional, maybe it's the adjustment screw in the steering box, you can tighten it a little (the play will never go completely away with the original steering box), but don't go to far as that will make the gears wear down.

Bladez, i never before attemped any rebuild on my steering box before that thread i linked, if you follow the procedure i posted there, you will be able to do it yourself, even replacing the internal gears if it's needed (i didn't need to, but i dissasembled the box to a point i could have easily done it).

 

For what its worth I had play on an older toyota I once owned. I replaced EVERYTHING imaginable or so I thought. I always could jack it up and move the wheels even with the steering wheel locked.

Low and behold a new (well rebuilt new was 800 dollars) steering box cured my issues. So rebuilding it might bein your best interest.

 

Well, since I do have a lift off hood and all, I checked the play at work.....


Ok, here goes....

Engine OFF, and column NOT locked: I get about, ohh....3/4" to 1-1/2" of play in the wheel....

Engine ON: I get approximately the same....

Now, as I said, I have a lift off hood, so I can both look AND turn the wheels at the same time, so I know EXACTLY how much play is in the wheel....And it seems to be COMPLETELY in the box.....


And I know that if I DO tighten the set screw a hair....Not to make it where the wheels won't return to full center-ness.....

So now....Do I simply rebuild, or replace? I've already went through a partial rebuild on my 94'...So I know the ropes as far as actually yanking everything, etc....It's just which one I should do that I am stumped on...

 

have someone sit in the truck. you look at the spot where the upper column(part in the cab) connects to the lower column( part that goes to the steering box).have the person in the truck wiggle the steering wheel side to side. look at the connection between the upper and lower columns. there should be no play there.
there is a teflon bushing between the two, and sometimes it falls out giving you a lot of play in the steering.

 

No need to do that. The play is in the SB or the place where the column goes in the SB......

 

It's was the plasic bushing in the slip joint on mine, I had about 1 or 1 1/2" slack, changed everything, blamed a bad rebuilt steering sector, could not believe the little bit of slack i was seeing was. I put in a shim to take out all slack, wow, steers great now.

 

Where is the slip joint? How do I get to it?

Thanks

 

it is in between the upper and lower column.
the way to test for it is what i posted.