BAD Steering
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2002
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BAD Steering
'87 F150 302 4x4
My steering has always had a lot of play in it, but last night something let go. Now, every time you turn you have to fight it the first hundred yards or so to get it going straight, then it snaps back, then it kind of wobbles for a little bit, then finally settles in with a mild pull to the right.
My first suspicion was tie rods or ball joints. With the front wheels off the ground, I can shake the tie rods as hard as I can and they don't budge. The wheels don't seem to have any play in them up and down. Is there anything else to check for tie rods/ball joints?
Again with the wheels off the ground, if I turn the steering wheel back and forth around center, I can see the wheels kind of bind then snap.
Playing with the adjustment screw on the gear box takes some of the slop out of the steering wheel shaft, but it doesn't get rid of the wandering.
It points to the gear box to me. Is this a problem with this generation of trucks? Is it hard to fix? Is there anything else I should check before I go drop $175 for a reman gear box?
My steering has always had a lot of play in it, but last night something let go. Now, every time you turn you have to fight it the first hundred yards or so to get it going straight, then it snaps back, then it kind of wobbles for a little bit, then finally settles in with a mild pull to the right.
My first suspicion was tie rods or ball joints. With the front wheels off the ground, I can shake the tie rods as hard as I can and they don't budge. The wheels don't seem to have any play in them up and down. Is there anything else to check for tie rods/ball joints?
Again with the wheels off the ground, if I turn the steering wheel back and forth around center, I can see the wheels kind of bind then snap.
Playing with the adjustment screw on the gear box takes some of the slop out of the steering wheel shaft, but it doesn't get rid of the wandering.
It points to the gear box to me. Is this a problem with this generation of trucks? Is it hard to fix? Is there anything else I should check before I go drop $175 for a reman gear box?
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 3
From: Billings MT
BAD Steering
You might want to make sure that the steering column is firmly attached to the gear box. I had a truck (non FoMoCo) that the retaining ring bolt came out. Truck still turned, but sometimes the steering wheel would jump teeth before it caught.
As for tie-rod ends. You need to jack up both front tires. Then you want to try to turn the tires by hand, i.e. push in front part and pull on rear part. Watch what the other side does. You should have no more than 1/2" of play before the other side moves. That play is at the edge of the tire. That's the best way to check tie rod ends.
I don't know if it might be something else, but maybe we can get another answer for you.
As for tie-rod ends. You need to jack up both front tires. Then you want to try to turn the tires by hand, i.e. push in front part and pull on rear part. Watch what the other side does. You should have no more than 1/2" of play before the other side moves. That play is at the edge of the tire. That's the best way to check tie rod ends.
I don't know if it might be something else, but maybe we can get another answer for you.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 657
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From: brimfield township,OH
BAD Steering
Does sound like the steering box. But, I had a pull in my truck that was really bad. Sometimes turning or changing lanes. It felt like someone grabbed the wheel out of my hands. This was a bad ball joint. It was actually binding when I took it in for an alignment and didn't look bad.
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 25
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BAD Steering
Thanks for the replies, guys.
I got the main steering rod pulled off the pitman arm. The idea was that if I could move the linkage left and right by hand smoothly it would be the gearbox. Wow, was I wrong.
Driver's side ball joints are binding so bad I cannot turn that wheel right and left at all. Got down on the ground and kicked it with all I've got! U-joints right and left need work too.
Oh well. Do I put a grand+ into a $2500 truck? Might be time for a bullet..............
I got the main steering rod pulled off the pitman arm. The idea was that if I could move the linkage left and right by hand smoothly it would be the gearbox. Wow, was I wrong.
Driver's side ball joints are binding so bad I cannot turn that wheel right and left at all. Got down on the ground and kicked it with all I've got! U-joints right and left need work too.
Oh well. Do I put a grand+ into a $2500 truck? Might be time for a bullet..............
