I have about 25 deg of slop in the steering wheel...tie rod ends seem pretty tight. where all should I look for for tightening this up on my 71 f250?

 

tighten the steering box only requires wrench and screwdriver and check your steering disk coupler the coupler is most likely the problem easy fix just a lot of short turns with a wrench

 

BEFORE you mess with the steering box , take a look at your rag joint (connects steering column to steering box) they wear and cause lots of play . my truck had this problem had like 25-45 degrees of movement before wheels turned . changed rag joint 0 play !

 

You are dealing with a 40 yr old truck. Just replace everything & call it a day. There isn't much up there on an I Beam IFS. You will be chasing your tail trying to do it 1 piece at a time. It is all worn out.

 

rag joint is a slang term for steering coupler disk i assume

 

Also, the steering box wears out where the pitman shaft rides. Ford and Saginaw boxes have no replaceable bushing, the housing is machined to act as a bushing. I usually just find a tight(er) box when I get a truck needing a box. You can tell by having a helper rock the steering wheel while you observe the pitman, you will see it move back and forth sideways before it starts to rotate. I have never been able to find out if the rebuilt boxes get machined for a new bushing or not but it wouldn't be hard for a good machinist to do. I suspect they use that bandaid fix kit that replaces one of the thick washers in the seal stack with one that acts as a bushing. But how long can that last as they are only about 1/2" thick. I even thought about seeing if there is a torrington bearing like the Chevys use that could be adapted somehow, much better set up.

 

yes rag joint /steering coupler same thing been calling them rag joints for so long .
mine was torn in half and using the safety pins to turn!
oh don't get the Rock auto coupler , it's a P.O.S. i ended up using the Help one from autozone since the rock auto one broke in two while installing .

 

personally i always pulled the coupler disks out and threw them as far as i could throw them and put a couple grade 8 bolts in and double nutted them always leaving a little slack so they wouldn't bind up i have been driving the 7 deuce (picture to the left) since 2008 with that modification and it has never failed and has barely knocked the edge off of the threads it rides on those grade 8's are tough buggers

 

With doing that is there any play in the steering? Just so I am clear... You got rid of the disk and just bolted the two together minus a little play and two nut on each to lock them in? I needed to change mine but didnt want to spend the $$$...

 

correctamundo there is only a negligible amount about 1/2-3/4" of play on the steering wheel but that's it make sure to use grade 8's and you will need a 1/2" wrench to put them on that's about it bud

 

 

didn't work

 

 

aha victorious my first pic uploaded mwahahahaha

 

Thoughts for the day: If you don't have the bell slide coupler or a rag joint=coupler in the steering shaft system. Then What takes up the shock & movement of the cab to anything fixed to the frame like the steering box?? You think ford put it in there just for ez install ?
Plus what will happen later. "Failure of the lower steering tube column bearing would be my 1st guess" Sure adds a lot of work later for a $10 buck item I'd say..But it's your fix it way..
orich