play in steering
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
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From: long island
play in steering
i know these old fords always have sloppy steering, but i wish i would have made more progress on mine. ive replaced all the tie rod ends, drag link, ball joints, new tires, new shocks, alignment, and adjusted the steering box. the truck doesnt shake and it drives straight as an arrow, but the steering still has quite a bit of slop. what else can i do to this thing?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
Same issue with my '89. Just a loose feeling truck no matter how you replace stuff. Mine is new from tip to tail(like yours) and still has a loose feeling to it when you hit bumps(almost a bump steer kinda feeling). Nothing my '67, '69, '70 trucks had.
Nature of the beasts?
Nature of the beasts?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: long island
Same issue with my '89. Just a loose feeling truck no matter how you replace stuff. Mine is new from tip to tail(like yours) and still has a loose feeling to it when you hit bumps(almost a bump steer kinda feeling). Nothing my '67, '69, '70 trucks had.
Nature of the beasts?
Nature of the beasts?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: long island
worn steering gear? inside the steering box?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
I got a new box on mine already. Everything from ball joints/tire/shocks, tie rods, rag joint....................ugh.
My box is a typical reman, but I called Redhorse? about a box. I wondered if I had a bad reman. They convinced me that mine was not too loose(slop between in/output).
I think it's a geometry issue with these trucks? My ol bumps don't drive like this and they are 40 yrs old(my '69 is all original, never a box or king pins put in). My '89 had really stiff gas shocks, I even put some stock replacements on it to see if that would help. It rides smoother, but not "better".
Oh well.
My box is a typical reman, but I called Redhorse? about a box. I wondered if I had a bad reman. They convinced me that mine was not too loose(slop between in/output).
I think it's a geometry issue with these trucks? My ol bumps don't drive like this and they are 40 yrs old(my '69 is all original, never a box or king pins put in). My '89 had really stiff gas shocks, I even put some stock replacements on it to see if that would help. It rides smoother, but not "better".
Oh well.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,467
Likes: 5,534
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
it is the bushings in the steering column, between the upper and lower steering shafts.
i have rebuilt the column in my 88 4 times now.
i have rebuilt the column in my 88 4 times now.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: long island
something like this?
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1059031
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i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,467
Likes: 5,534
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i am not sure on hte 92 and newer trucks, i have never done one of them. but on the 91 and older trucks, there is a teflon bushing between the upper and lower steering shafts. some call it the slider joint.
there is also a spring steel clip in there. it takes me around an hour to rebuild a column now.
the first one took me over 3 hours to do.
and i take the column out of the truck to rebuild it.
there is also a spring steel clip in there. it takes me around an hour to rebuild a column now.
the first one took me over 3 hours to do.
and i take the column out of the truck to rebuild it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,893
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
I think if your ball joints are tight and you end up having to work it harder to steer you likely could hurt those bushings more??
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: long island
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alright so i think i found my issue but i need some help with what everything is called. the picture is fuzzy but if you've been under the dash its probably familiar. i can grab the lower steering shaft and it has a huge amount of play. like probably almost an inch up and down. it feels like a worn out u joint. i think i also found the spring clip that tjc transport mentioned. instead of "rebuilding" this part, can i just use the replacement from rockauto? looks fairly easy to do granted the steering shafts will move around a bit for removal.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: ottawa illinois
umm this thread is just what i was looking for . my steering is real bad in my truck . i have replaced all but the gear box in front but that's going to be a few weeks . got to finish paying off the trans rebuild that cost me 900 $ . the other day why on a back road my steering felt real shaky and all tho i know i can turn my wheel almost half way before the wheels start to turn now i can go up and down with my wheel around 1/2 inch . thanks now i got one more thing to look at .
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 38
From: EXTREME southwest CT
Octaneforce,
No, the rag joint is a disc of fabric reinforced rubber (like a tire sidewall) just in front of the steering box.
It should have a plastic cover on it.
The telescoping shaft is under the hood too.
You will see where it slips into itself.(To protect the driver from being speared in the event of a collision)
There is a flat spring steel clip and a plastic (Delrin) bushing inside the larger portion of the steering shaft.
My truck is getting ready to replace the upper and lower bearings in the column.
No, the rag joint is a disc of fabric reinforced rubber (like a tire sidewall) just in front of the steering box.
It should have a plastic cover on it.
The telescoping shaft is under the hood too.
You will see where it slips into itself.(To protect the driver from being speared in the event of a collision)
There is a flat spring steel clip and a plastic (Delrin) bushing inside the larger portion of the steering shaft.
My truck is getting ready to replace the upper and lower bearings in the column.