Anyone ever had issues with rag joints on these trucks?

My '89 F150 2wd seems to have a wandering issues even though it has brand new tires, fresh check on alignment, new ball joints, everything is tight. It still has this "loose" feeling to the steering wheel going down the road. With the engine off, grabbing the steering shaft I can "clunk" it back and forth. The u-joint at the top seems okay, but not sure what's under that cover for the rag joint.

Thoughts?

 

I have replaced mine.
A puking power steering reservoir did in the rubber.

Also check for slop in the plastic bushing where the telescoping part of the column is, and that the frame isn't cracked behind the steering box.

 

Could be the rag joint, could be the shaft its self. Have you tried to tighten the steering box?

 

My truck has a bit of play in the steering. I narrowed it down to the steering box itself. I don't think tightening the steering box screw is a good option for me now (I don't want the thing locking up on me or breaking 1000 miles away from home). Like others say, check the whole steering column. It easy to pop off that plastic cover so you can see the rag joint and steering box. You can grab the column down near the rag join and see if there is play between there and the steering wheel (there is no play in my truck). That eliminates those possible sources. You can also easily see if the slop is in the rag joint. In my case, the rag joint is fine. I would suspect that the steering box itself is worn and needs replacing or rebuilding. I'm afraid to start on mine because the Pittman arm might give me a lot of trouble taking it off. I read a lot of horror stories about the difficulties of removing the Pittman arm. Also, the steering box itself is probably pretty heavy and awkward & difficult to remove and reinstall... A friend suggested putting a beam of some sort above the engine/fan area and tying a chain or rope to the steering box to hold it while removing the bolts that attach it to the frame...

Anyway, good luck with the diagnoses and repair! Pls post your results.

 

Anybody with basic wrenching skills and opposing digits can change a steering box on these trucks. Yeah, it can a pain to get the lines off and back on if you have big hands. Yeah it can be sketchy to drop the box out and then to heft it back in. And yeah, if you don't have a good heavy duty pitman arm puller, getting the pitman arm off will be a huge PITA. But it's like anything else worth doing. You can use your time and energy to get it done or pay somebody for theirs. It took me about 5 hours on a Sunday to change my box, shaft, and pump a few months ago and that was with multiple smoke and beer breaks. It wasn't hard and any able bodied man can do it. Or they can pay a shops hourly rate.

Oh and don't be afraid to tighten your box. Just tighten it as far as it will go and then loosen it a quarter turn. It's not going to lockup or break on you from that and if it does then it was going to happen eventually anyway.

 

I guess that's my problem. I only have opposing thumbs

 

I tightened the steering box about 1/2 full turn(the alignment shop took it the first 1/2 turn), and it feels "heavier", but still wanders bad! It does take me back about 30 yrs ago with my 1970 1/2t F100 with wore out steering and it was a PITA to drive(but I was very young and didn't care). This gives the same "vague" feel, constantly working the wheel to keep it going straight. I used to replace rag joints constantly on the old truck as the cab mounts were gone and it worked pretty hard on the steering joint.

The frame is not broke, I know that. This is the cherriest, cleanest '89 F150 you'll find in Ohio. I guess I need to pop that cover off and check it out. Been too freak'n hot to work under the hood. I priced Azone and they want $50!! It don't look much different then the ones I used to get for $15 twenty years ago.

I did "twist" the shaft back and forth and I can hear it "clunk" as it's got slop in it. Need to narrow it down to where. It sounds like under the dash, but might be rag joint just echoing up the shaft? Have to take a look tomorrow night after work.

Thanks guys.

 

Well.................no good news here.

I just got home and did a quick check on the rag joint. Nope, tight as can be. So I did the jiggle test again to find the noise. Seems up top.............but wait...........something doesn't seem right. Hmmm, grab down by rag joint and wiggle around. Ohhhh, this ain't good. Input shaft to box is wobbling around. Ugh, guess it needs a new box. Guess this is why its been wandering around so bad lately.

Time to call my contacts and get pricing. Three bolts, rag joint and pitman arm. Shouldn't take but an hour to have it fixed Lube up the two power lines so hopefully they come loose. No real rust on the lines, so they should come off without issue.

 

wd-40 the crap out of everything before you start breaking bolts loose. if you can do it a day in advance it works even better.

 

If you have the money and a few days, Redhead makes the best steering boxes.

 

I've got connections at Napa and Azone to get stuff at basic cost(cheap). Azone lists box at $150, Napa at $225, but that's no where what I'll pay.

Sad part is I've got the reman power box off my '67 F100 with hardly any miles on it. Too bad it don't fit!! I paid over $250 for it about 5 yrs ago. And that was employee discount cost.

 

Well, Azone has it in stock, my cost $100. Guess I know what I'll be working on tomorrow night!