Hey all, I have been chasing around a clunking noise from my front suspension for some time now but think I am getting closer to finding it.

I have a clunk coming from the area of the steering box. While banging around on it I noticed I can push the pittman arm straight into the steering box about 1/4 inch.

Should I be able to push the arm into the box like that??

 

As I understand your question - No.

 

The shaft coming down out of the steering gear (that the pittman arm is pressed onto) will slide up into the steering gear about 1/4 inch. Is that much in and out movement from the shaft normal?

I appreciate any help you can offer.

 

That shaft (I'll call it a sector shaft) shouldn't move in and out at all. A threaded adjustment bolt is connected to the top of that sector shaft with a lock nut intended to hold the up/down position of the shaft secure/rigid.

Look on the top of the steering gear box, directly where the other end of that shaft points to. You should see that threaded shaft protruding out the top of the steering gear box, with a lock nut tightened down in contact with the top surface of the steering gear. If that nut is missing or has loosened up, perhaps the threads on that shaft have wobbled and worn smooth, such that there is now up and down movement allowed to that sector shaft. Or perhaps that threaded shaft has broken or come detached from the sector shaft that the pitman arm is secured to, inside the steering gear. Look at any other Ford / Chevy / Dodge power steering gear box and you should see the same thing. A threaded shaft with a lock nut securing the sector shaft in the steering gear box.

IF that threaded shaft and lock nut are intact on your steering gear box, and non-movable (the threads are still engaged rigidly within the sector shaft cover plate), then that threaded shaft must have broken or come free from the sector shaft inside the steering gear box.

That's my take on it, and I've torn into three different steering gears recently to drain the fluids. So I've seen how they're put together.

 

There should be no movement as these are set at the factory and should not move. Mine did the same thing a few years ago when I noticed my tires were wearing differently. When I had it jacked up the guy at 4 wheel parts put a bar on the pitman arm and he could move it about an inch. The problem for you is that your gear box may be worn as well. Some people will tighten the gear box to remove the play but it’s not going to fix the issue long term. Do you have a lift and large tires?

 

That kind of play isn't the type that is adjusted into or out of the steering gear. This back and forth play along the axis of the sector shaft means that the threads on this threaded adjusting shaft have stripped completely out, or that the threaded shaft has separated from the sector shaft inside of the steering gear box - I think.

Check out this link. Item #4 is the sector shaft. The smaller diameter shaft coming out the top is the threaded shaft used to adjust, secure, immobilize the sector shaft in the steering gear box. The larger diameter end of the sector shaft - at the bottom - is where the pitman arm is mounted/attached.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=steer...5-KyoDg&zoom=1

 

Thanks alot for that info Paul!! I am headed out right now to check on that nut on top. I will post back soon.

BTW, what part of Alaska are you from? I have family in Wasilla and just two days ago purchased my fourth set of tickets to head back up...finally getting my 7 year old up for his first AK trip. I told him he couldn't go up until he could operate a can of bear spray

DiverDan, thank you also for the help. I found this problem out by doing the same. I pryed up on the pittman arm and saw the shaft going up into the steering gear. I am thinking this is the thunking sound I have been hearing for the last three months. The noise I have been hearing sounds exactly like the sound from bad bushings on the sway bar before I replaced them. It can be plainly heard coming from the drivers side as well as I can feel it under my feet while driving.

 

Rob,
Hope you get it figured out. I've not taken a close look at how the threaded adjustment shaft is attached to the top of the sector arm on three steering gears I recently disassembled, but I'm tending to think you're steering gear box is about out of life. At the minimum, pretty sure something has come apart or been stripped of threads.

I'm located 190 road miles south of Wasilla, near Soldotna, on the Kenai Peninsula.

I'm envious of your Aeroforce Interceptor scan gauge. I've been very tempted...

 

Paul, I just checked the steering gear again. The top adjustment bolt and shaft on top of the box is completely intact and shows no signs of having moved anytime recently. I also pushed the bottom shaft in while putting fingers on the adjustment screw on top and felt no movement. Like you said, something must have came apart inside as it seems as the shaft is no longer attached. I guess its time to look at ordering one of those Red-Head units?

Do you think I have anything to worry about while driving it for another 300 miles? I need it for a job tomorrow evening.

Soldotna is a great area. We hit that entire area every year after float camping down the Russian, hence the bear spray.

I really like the scan gauge. For the money you cant go wrong. I mainly got it for the dead on accurate trans temp reading but all of the other parameters are nice also. I will trade ya' my scan gauge for a months stay in Alaska!!

 

Rob,
The sector shaft is secured by two pretty large bearing surfaces, against motion perpendicular to it's axial length. In the linked diagram showing the sector shaft, you'll observe two good sized cylindrical surfaces above and below the eccentric lobe on the sector shaft. Those smooth surface areas are securely held within a long needle bearing below the eccentric, and within a bushing above the eccentric. I think your steering gear will probably get you along for awhile. I would expect you might have some excess slop/play in the steering wheel before the truck tires turn? Due to the sector shaft floating up and down along its axis.

But I don't really see how it could fall apart on you. And I think it will likely remain functional without ceasing up or jamming up your steering and creating a dangerous situation. Something is amiss, but my guess is you will be able to continue to drive the truck reasonably safely. My disclaimer: I'm no expert on steering gears. I am an engineer, but I'm a civil/environmental engineer. The only reason I'm in a good position to troubleshoot your symptom is that within the past 6 months, I've open up three different steering gear boxes for various reasons.

Last fall I installed a PSC PSC Motorsports Online upgraded steering gear box, PS pump, and hydraulic ram assist kit on my SD. Prior to shipping my steering gear off to PSC for modification, I opened it up to drain out the PS fluid so it would not be leaking in transit.

Your Interceptor Scan gauge for a month of summer in Alaska would be a good deal for you. Your Interceptor Scan gauge for month of winter in Alaska would be a good deal for me!

 

Thanks again Paul, I think I will get it changed out in the next couple weeks for one of those Red-Head everybody on here is talking about. I am also hoping that by changing out the gear that will eliminate my front end clunk also. That is driving me insane!!

By reading your explaination on how the gear is built I won't have to worry about the thing coming apart while rolling down the road.

Call me crazy but I would love to witness Alaska in the deep winter. To see the Northern Lights live is a goal of mine as well as being at the fininsh line of the Iditarod. My Sister lives just down the road from the Iditarod Headquarters so we stopped in a took a dry ground run with some dogs but they claim that is nothing at all like mushing on snow, so that is on my list also. We may be able to work something out!!!